diff --git a/src/core/host_interface.cpp b/src/core/host_interface.cpp
index b4b9747a4..bc0c0f0da 100644
--- a/src/core/host_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/core/host_interface.cpp
@@ -54,10 +54,10 @@ HostInterface::HostInterface()
 {
   SetUserDirectory();
   CreateUserDirectorySubdirectories();
+  SetDefaultSettings();
   m_game_list = std::make_unique<GameList>();
   m_game_list->SetCacheFilename(GetGameListCacheFileName());
   m_game_list->SetDatabaseFilename(GetGameListDatabaseFileName());
-  m_settings.SetDefaults();
   m_last_throttle_time = Common::Timer::GetValue();
 }
 
@@ -542,6 +542,38 @@ std::string HostInterface::GetGameMemoryCardPath(const char* game_code, u32 slot
   return GetUserDirectoryRelativePath("memcards/game_card_%s_%d.mcd", game_code, slot + 1);
 }
 
+void HostInterface::SetDefaultSettings()
+{
+  m_settings.region = ConsoleRegion::Auto;
+  m_settings.cpu_execution_mode = CPUExecutionMode::Interpreter;
+
+  m_settings.speed_limiter_enabled = true;
+  m_settings.start_paused = false;
+
+  m_settings.gpu_renderer = GPURenderer::HardwareOpenGL;
+  m_settings.gpu_resolution_scale = 1;
+  m_settings.gpu_true_color = true;
+  m_settings.gpu_texture_filtering = false;
+  m_settings.gpu_force_progressive_scan = true;
+  m_settings.gpu_use_debug_device = false;
+  m_settings.display_linear_filtering = true;
+  m_settings.display_fullscreen = false;
+  m_settings.video_sync_enabled = true;
+
+  m_settings.audio_backend = AudioBackend::Default;
+  m_settings.audio_sync_enabled = true;
+
+  m_settings.bios_path = "scph1001.bin";
+  m_settings.bios_patch_tty_enable = false;
+  m_settings.bios_patch_fast_boot = false;
+
+  m_settings.controller_types[0] = ControllerType::DigitalController;
+  m_settings.controller_types[1] = ControllerType::None;
+
+  m_settings.memory_card_paths[0] = GetSharedMemoryCardPath(0);
+  m_settings.memory_card_paths[1] = GetSharedMemoryCardPath(1);
+}
+
 void HostInterface::UpdateSettings(const std::function<void()>& apply_callback)
 {
   const GPURenderer old_gpu_renderer = m_settings.gpu_renderer;
diff --git a/src/core/host_interface.h b/src/core/host_interface.h
index b66ea6307..a155e8e5c 100644
--- a/src/core/host_interface.h
+++ b/src/core/host_interface.h
@@ -116,6 +116,9 @@ protected:
   /// Returns the default path to a memory card for a specific game.
   std::string GetGameMemoryCardPath(const char* game_code, u32 slot);
 
+  /// Restores all settings to defaults.
+  void SetDefaultSettings();
+
   /// Applies new settings, updating internal state as needed. apply_callback should call m_settings.Load() after
   /// locking any required mutexes.
   void UpdateSettings(const std::function<void()>& apply_callback);
diff --git a/src/core/settings.cpp b/src/core/settings.cpp
index db5603e50..42aa06468 100644
--- a/src/core/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/core/settings.cpp
@@ -4,38 +4,6 @@
 
 Settings::Settings() = default;
 
-void Settings::SetDefaults()
-{
-  region = ConsoleRegion::Auto;
-  cpu_execution_mode = CPUExecutionMode::Interpreter;
-
-  speed_limiter_enabled = true;
-  start_paused = false;
-
-  gpu_renderer = GPURenderer::HardwareOpenGL;
-  gpu_resolution_scale = 1;
-  gpu_true_color = true;
-  gpu_texture_filtering = false;
-  gpu_force_progressive_scan = true;
-  gpu_use_debug_device = false;
-  display_linear_filtering = true;
-  display_fullscreen = false;
-  video_sync_enabled = true;
-
-  audio_backend = AudioBackend::Default;
-  audio_sync_enabled = true;
-
-  bios_path = "scph1001.bin";
-  bios_patch_tty_enable = false;
-  bios_patch_fast_boot = false;
-
-  controller_types[0] = ControllerType::DigitalController;
-  controller_types[1] = ControllerType::None;
-
-  memory_card_paths[0] = "memory_card_1.mcd";
-  memory_card_paths[1].clear();
-}
-
 void Settings::Load(SettingsInterface& si)
 {
   region =
diff --git a/src/core/settings.h b/src/core/settings.h
index 6b2cd1e01..2b9bec3b3 100644
--- a/src/core/settings.h
+++ b/src/core/settings.h
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ struct Settings
   std::array<ControllerType, NUM_CONTROLLER_AND_CARD_PORTS> controller_types{};
   std::array<std::string, NUM_CONTROLLER_AND_CARD_PORTS> memory_card_paths{};
 
-  void SetDefaults();
   void Load(SettingsInterface& si);
   void Save(SettingsInterface& si) const;
 
diff --git a/src/duckstation-qt/qthostinterface.cpp b/src/duckstation-qt/qthostinterface.cpp
index c771a64ba..9ac28ecfc 100644
--- a/src/duckstation-qt/qthostinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/duckstation-qt/qthostinterface.cpp
@@ -52,12 +52,12 @@ void QtHostInterface::ReportMessage(const char* message)
 
 void QtHostInterface::setDefaultSettings()
 {
-  std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(m_qsettings_mutex);
-
-  m_settings.SetDefaults();
+  HostInterface::UpdateSettings([this]() {
+    HostInterface::SetDefaultSettings();
+  });
 
   // default input settings for Qt
-  m_settings.controller_types[0] = ControllerType::DigitalController;
+  std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(m_qsettings_mutex);
   m_qsettings.setValue(QStringLiteral("Controller1/ButtonUp"), QStringLiteral("Keyboard/W"));
   m_qsettings.setValue(QStringLiteral("Controller1/ButtonDown"), QStringLiteral("Keyboard/S"));
   m_qsettings.setValue(QStringLiteral("Controller1/ButtonLeft"), QStringLiteral("Keyboard/A"));