diff --git a/src/controller.cpp b/src/controller.cpp
index d5ec59d67..afe9097e7 100644
--- a/src/controller.cpp
+++ b/src/controller.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include "controller.h"
 
+#include <Quotient/connection.h>
 #include <qt6keychain/keychain.h>
 
 #include <KLocalizedString>
@@ -50,6 +51,17 @@ Controller::Controller(QObject *parent)
 {
     Connection::setRoomType<NeoChatRoom>();
 
+    Connection::setDirectChatEncryptionDefault(NeoChatConfig::preferUsingEncryption());
+    connect(NeoChatConfig::self(), &NeoChatConfig::PreferUsingEncryptionChanged, this, [] {
+        Connection::setDirectChatEncryptionDefault(NeoChatConfig::preferUsingEncryption());
+    });
+
+    NeoChatConnection::setGlobalUrlPreviewDefault(NeoChatConfig::showLinkPreview());
+    connect(NeoChatConfig::self(), &NeoChatConfig::ShowLinkPreviewChanged, this, [this] {
+        NeoChatConnection::setGlobalUrlPreviewDefault(NeoChatConfig::showLinkPreview());
+        Q_EMIT globalUrlPreviewDefaultChanged();
+    });
+
     ProxyController::instance().setApplicationProxy();
 
 #ifndef Q_OS_ANDROID
@@ -168,6 +180,7 @@ void Controller::addConnection(NeoChatConnection *c)
     connect(c, &NeoChatConnection::syncDone, this, [this, c]() {
         m_notificationsManager.handleNotifications(c);
     });
+    connect(this, &Controller::globalUrlPreviewDefaultChanged, c, &NeoChatConnection::globalUrlPreviewEnabledChanged);
 
     c->sync();
 
diff --git a/src/controller.h b/src/controller.h
index ed2f6db71..88d69dd58 100644
--- a/src/controller.h
+++ b/src/controller.h
@@ -142,4 +142,6 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
     void connectionDropped(NeoChatConnection *connection);
     void activeConnectionChanged(NeoChatConnection *connection);
     void accountsLoadingChanged();
+
+    void globalUrlPreviewDefaultChanged();
 };
diff --git a/src/neochatconnection.cpp b/src/neochatconnection.cpp
index da1ec8a36..4feb85bda 100644
--- a/src/neochatconnection.cpp
+++ b/src/neochatconnection.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 #include <QImageReader>
 #include <QJsonDocument>
 
-#include "neochatconfig.h"
 #include "neochatroom.h"
 #include "spacehierarchycache.h"
 
@@ -35,6 +34,8 @@
 using namespace Quotient;
 using namespace Qt::StringLiterals;
 
+bool NeoChatConnection::m_globalUrlPreviewDefault = true;
+
 NeoChatConnection::NeoChatConnection(QObject *parent)
     : Connection(parent)
 {
@@ -123,6 +124,12 @@ void NeoChatConnection::connectSignals()
         Q_EMIT homeHaveHighlightNotificationsChanged();
     });
 
+    connect(this, &NeoChatConnection::globalUrlPreviewEnabledChanged, this, [this]() {
+        if (!m_globalUrlPreviewDefault) {
+            m_linkPreviewers.clear();
+        }
+    });
+
     // Fetch unstable features
     // TODO: Expose unstableFeatures() in libQuotient
     connect(
@@ -139,14 +146,6 @@ void NeoChatConnection::connectSignals()
             });
         },
         Qt::SingleShotConnection);
-    setDirectChatEncryptionDefault(NeoChatConfig::preferUsingEncryption());
-    connect(NeoChatConfig::self(), &NeoChatConfig::PreferUsingEncryptionChanged, this, [] {
-        setDirectChatEncryptionDefault(NeoChatConfig::preferUsingEncryption());
-    });
-    setGlobalUrlPreviewEnabled(NeoChatConfig::showLinkPreview());
-    connect(NeoChatConfig::self(), &NeoChatConfig::ShowLinkPreviewChanged, this, [this]() {
-        setGlobalUrlPreviewEnabled(NeoChatConfig::showLinkPreview());
-    });
 }
 
 int NeoChatConnection::badgeNotificationCount() const
@@ -171,21 +170,12 @@ void NeoChatConnection::refreshBadgeNotificationCount()
 
 bool NeoChatConnection::globalUrlPreviewEnabled()
 {
-    return m_globalUrlPreviewEnabled;
+    return m_globalUrlPreviewDefault;
 }
 
-void NeoChatConnection::setGlobalUrlPreviewEnabled(bool newState)
+void NeoChatConnection::setGlobalUrlPreviewDefault(bool useByDefault)
 {
-    if (m_globalUrlPreviewEnabled == newState) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    m_globalUrlPreviewEnabled = newState;
-    if (!m_globalUrlPreviewEnabled) {
-        m_linkPreviewers.clear();
-    }
-    NeoChatConfig::setShowLinkPreview(m_globalUrlPreviewEnabled);
-    Q_EMIT globalUrlPreviewEnabledChanged();
+    NeoChatConnection::m_globalUrlPreviewDefault = useByDefault;
 }
 
 void NeoChatConnection::logout(bool serverSideLogout)
@@ -521,7 +511,7 @@ QString NeoChatConnection::accountDataJsonString(const QString &type) const
 
 LinkPreviewer *NeoChatConnection::previewerForLink(const QUrl &link)
 {
-    if (!m_globalUrlPreviewEnabled) {
+    if (!m_globalUrlPreviewDefault) {
         return nullptr;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/neochatconnection.h b/src/neochatconnection.h
index e3ea388ae..5aa1aba05 100644
--- a/src/neochatconnection.h
+++ b/src/neochatconnection.h
@@ -31,11 +31,6 @@ class NeoChatConnection : public Quotient::Connection
      */
     Q_PROPERTY(QString label READ label WRITE setLabel NOTIFY labelChanged)
 
-    /**
-     * @brief Whether URL previews are enabled globally.
-     */
-    Q_PROPERTY(bool globalUrlPreviewEnabled READ globalUrlPreviewEnabled WRITE setGlobalUrlPreviewEnabled NOTIFY globalUrlPreviewEnabledChanged)
-
     /**
      * @brief Whether an identity server is configured.
      */
@@ -180,7 +175,11 @@ public:
     void refreshBadgeNotificationCount();
 
     bool globalUrlPreviewEnabled();
-    void setGlobalUrlPreviewEnabled(bool newState);
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Whether URL previews are enabled globally by default for all connections.
+     */
+    static void setGlobalUrlPreviewDefault(bool useByDefault);
 
     bool directChatInvites() const;
 
@@ -223,13 +222,14 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
     void errorOccured(const QString &error);
 
 private:
+    static bool m_globalUrlPreviewDefault;
+
     bool m_isOnline = true;
     void setIsOnline(bool isOnline);
 
     void connectSignals();
 
     int m_badgeNotificationCount = 0;
-    bool m_globalUrlPreviewEnabled = true;
 
     QCache<QUrl, LinkPreviewer> m_linkPreviewers;
 
diff --git a/src/settings/RoomGeneralPage.qml b/src/settings/RoomGeneralPage.qml
index 0ec324b99..2582de1a9 100644
--- a/src/settings/RoomGeneralPage.qml
+++ b/src/settings/RoomGeneralPage.qml
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ FormCard.FormCardPage {
             }
         }
         FormCard.FormCheckDelegate {
-            enabled: root.connection.globalUrlPreviewEnabled
+            enabled: NeoChatConfig.showLinkPreview
             text: i18n("Enable URL previews")
             // Most users won't see the above setting so tell them the default.
             description: room.defaultUrlPreviewState ? i18n("URL previews are enabled by default in this room") : i18n("URL previews are disabled by default in this room")
@@ -284,10 +284,13 @@ FormCard.FormCardPage {
         Layout.alignment: Qt.AlignHCenter
         text: i18nc("As in the user has switched off showing previews of hyperlinks in timeline messages", "URL previews are currently disabled for your account")
         type: Kirigami.MessageType.Information
-        visible: !root.connection.globalUrlPreviewEnabled
+        visible: !NeoChatConfig.showLinkPreview
         actions: Kirigami.Action {
             text: i18n("Enable")
-            onTriggered: root.connection.globalUrlPreviewEnabled = true
+            onTriggered: {
+                NeoChatConfig.showLinkPreview = true;
+                NeoChatConfig.save();
+            }
         }
     }
     FormCard.FormHeader {