diff --git a/cmd/doodle/main.go b/cmd/doodle/main.go
index 0957e8d..8a8ed99 100644
--- a/cmd/doodle/main.go
+++ b/cmd/doodle/main.go
@@ -200,6 +200,11 @@ func main() {
 		game := doodle.New(c.Bool("debug"), engine)
 		game.SetupEngine()
 
+		// Reload usercfg - if their settings.json doesn't exist, we try and pick a
+		// default "hide touch hints" based on touch device presence - which is only
+		// known after SetupEngine.
+		usercfg.Load()
+
 		// Hide the mouse cursor over the window, we draw our own sprite image for it.
 		if !native.HasTouchscreen(engine) {
 			engine.ShowCursor(false)
diff --git a/pkg/usercfg/usercfg.go b/pkg/usercfg/usercfg.go
index 4d07c95..39af65d 100644
--- a/pkg/usercfg/usercfg.go
+++ b/pkg/usercfg/usercfg.go
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ func Load() error {
 		settings = Defaults()
 	)
 	if _, err := os.Stat(filename); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		Current = settings
 		return nil // no file, no problem
 	}