diff --git a/src/core/GameRunner.ts b/src/core/GameRunner.ts
index 78950874e..54fbd9a9e 100644
--- a/src/core/GameRunner.ts
+++ b/src/core/GameRunner.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import { createGame } from "./game/GameImpl";
 import { loadTerrainMap as loadGameMap } from "./game/TerrainMapLoader";
 import { ClientID, GameConfig, Turn } from "./Schemas";
 import { GameUpdateViewData } from "./game/GameUpdates";
-import { UserSettings } from "./game/UserSettings";
 
 export async function createGameRunner(
   gameID: string,
@@ -32,8 +31,7 @@ export async function createGameRunner(
   clientID: ClientID,
   callBack: (gu: GameUpdateViewData) => void,
 ): Promise<GameRunner> {
-  const userSettings: UserSettings = new UserSettings();
-  const config = getConfig(gameConfig, userSettings);
+  const config = getConfig(gameConfig, null);
   const gameMap = await loadGameMap(gameConfig.gameMap);
   const game = createGame(
     gameMap.gameMap,
diff --git a/src/core/configuration/Config.ts b/src/core/configuration/Config.ts
index 37306bd26..0306f0aa8 100644
--- a/src/core/configuration/Config.ts
+++ b/src/core/configuration/Config.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export enum GameEnv {
 }
 export function getConfig(
   gameConfig: GameConfig,
-  userSettings: UserSettings,
+  userSettings: UserSettings | null = null,
 ): Config {
   const sc = getServerConfig();
   switch (process.env.GAME_ENV) {
diff --git a/src/core/configuration/DefaultConfig.ts b/src/core/configuration/DefaultConfig.ts
index 6a99c884a..a4ff61203 100644
--- a/src/core/configuration/DefaultConfig.ts
+++ b/src/core/configuration/DefaultConfig.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export class DefaultConfig implements Config {
     return this._serverConfig;
   }
 
-  userSettings(): UserSettings {
+  userSettings(): UserSettings | null {
     return this._userSettings;
   }