diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 95b1746eff..d797ede87e 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -4713,6 +4713,8 @@ dependencies = [
  "clap",
  "crossterm",
  "lazy_static",
+ "ron",
+ "serde",
  "signal-hook",
  "tracing",
  "tracing-subscriber",
@@ -4761,7 +4763,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "rodio",
  "ron",
  "serde",
- "serde_derive",
  "specs",
  "specs-idvs",
  "tracing",
diff --git a/server-cli/Cargo.toml b/server-cli/Cargo.toml
index 236c23f79f..b35d06d537 100644
--- a/server-cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/server-cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ lazy_static = "1"
 signal-hook = "0.1.16"
 tracing = { version = "0.1", default-features = false }
 tracing-subscriber = { version = "0.2.3", default-features = false, features = ["env-filter", "fmt", "chrono", "ansi", "smallvec"] }
+ron = {version = "0.6", default-features = false}
+serde = {version = "1.0", features = [ "rc", "derive" ]}
 
 # Tracy
 tracing-tracy = { version = "0.2.0", optional = true }
diff --git a/server-cli/src/main.rs b/server-cli/src/main.rs
index 6cf6cf3641..7c54e03843 100644
--- a/server-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/server-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #![feature(bool_to_option)]
 
 mod logging;
+mod settings;
 mod shutdown_coordinator;
 mod tui_runner;
 mod tuilog;
@@ -58,6 +59,9 @@ fn main() -> io::Result<()> {
 
     logging::init(basic);
 
+    // Load settings
+    let settings = settings::Settings::load();
+
     // Panic hook to ensure that console mode is set back correctly if in non-basic
     // mode
     let hook = std::panic::take_hook();
@@ -80,18 +84,18 @@ fn main() -> io::Result<()> {
         path
     });
 
-    // Load settings
-    let mut settings = ServerSettings::load(server_data_dir.as_ref());
+    // Load server settings
+    let mut server_settings = ServerSettings::load(server_data_dir.as_ref());
 
     if no_auth {
-        settings.auth_server_address = None;
+        server_settings.auth_server_address = None;
     }
 
-    let server_port = &settings.gameserver_address.port();
-    let metrics_port = &settings.metrics_address.port();
+    let server_port = &server_settings.gameserver_address.port();
+    let metrics_port = &server_settings.metrics_address.port();
     // Create server
     let mut server =
-        Server::new(settings, server_data_dir).expect("Failed to create server instance!");
+        Server::new(server_settings, server_data_dir).expect("Failed to create server instance!");
 
     info!(
         ?server_port,
@@ -103,7 +107,7 @@ fn main() -> io::Result<()> {
 
     loop {
         // Terminate the server if instructed to do so by the shutdown coordinator
-        if shutdown_coordinator.check(&mut server) {
+        if shutdown_coordinator.check(&mut server, &settings) {
             break;
         }
 
diff --git a/server-cli/src/settings.rs b/server-cli/src/settings.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3cca9ec466
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server-cli/src/settings.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use std::{fs, path::PathBuf};
+use tracing::warn;
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(default)]
+pub struct Settings {
+    pub update_shutdown_grace_period_secs: u32,
+    pub update_shutdown_message: String,
+}
+
+impl Default for Settings {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            update_shutdown_grace_period_secs: 120,
+            update_shutdown_message: "The server is restarting for an update".to_owned(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Settings {
+    pub fn load() -> Self {
+        let path = Self::get_settings_path();
+
+        if let Ok(file) = fs::File::open(&path) {
+            match ron::de::from_reader(file) {
+                Ok(s) => return s,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    warn!(?e, "Failed to parse setting file! Fallback to default.");
+                    // Rename the corrupted settings file
+                    let mut new_path = path.to_owned();
+                    new_path.pop();
+                    new_path.push("settings.invalid.ron");
+                    if let Err(e) = std::fs::rename(&path, &new_path) {
+                        warn!(?e, ?path, ?new_path, "Failed to rename settings file.");
+                    }
+                },
+            }
+        }
+        // This is reached if either:
+        // - The file can't be opened (presumably it doesn't exist)
+        // - Or there was an error parsing the file
+        let default_settings = Self::default();
+        default_settings.save_to_file_warn();
+        default_settings
+    }
+
+    pub fn save_to_file_warn(&self) {
+        if let Err(e) = self.save_to_file() {
+            warn!(?e, "Failed to save settings");
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn save_to_file(&self) -> std::io::Result<()> {
+        let path = Self::get_settings_path();
+        if let Some(dir) = path.parent() {
+            fs::create_dir_all(dir)?;
+        }
+
+        let ron = ron::ser::to_string_pretty(self, ron::ser::PrettyConfig::default()).unwrap();
+        fs::write(path, ron.as_bytes())
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_settings_path() -> PathBuf {
+        let mut path = data_dir();
+        path.push("settings.ron");
+        path
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn data_dir() -> PathBuf {
+    let mut path = common::userdata_dir_workspace!();
+    path.push("server-cli");
+    path
+}
diff --git a/server-cli/src/shutdown_coordinator.rs b/server-cli/src/shutdown_coordinator.rs
index 1716ea1f04..59705c2003 100644
--- a/server-cli/src/shutdown_coordinator.rs
+++ b/server-cli/src/shutdown_coordinator.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use crate::settings::Settings;
 use common::comp::chat::ChatType;
 use server::Server;
 use std::{
@@ -78,9 +79,9 @@ impl ShutdownCoordinator {
     /// shutdown. If the grace period for an initiated shutdown has expired,
     /// returns `true` which triggers the loop in `main.rs` to break and
     /// exit the server process.
-    pub fn check(&mut self, server: &mut Server) -> bool {
+    pub fn check(&mut self, server: &mut Server, settings: &Settings) -> bool {
         // Check whether SIGUSR1 has been set
-        self.check_sigusr1_signal(server);
+        self.check_sigusr1_signal(server, settings);
 
         // If a shutdown is in progress, check whether it's time to send another warning
         // message or shut down if the grace period has expired.
@@ -112,12 +113,12 @@ impl ShutdownCoordinator {
     /// Veloren server to send SIGUSR1 instead of SIGTERM which allows us to
     /// react specifically to shutdowns that are for an update.
     /// NOTE: SIGUSR1 is not supported on Windows
-    fn check_sigusr1_signal(&mut self, server: &mut Server) {
+    fn check_sigusr1_signal(&mut self, server: &mut Server, settings: &Settings) {
         if self.sigusr1_signal.load(Ordering::Relaxed) && self.shutdown_initiated_at.is_none() {
             info!("Received SIGUSR1 signal, initiating graceful shutdown");
             let grace_period =
-                Duration::from_secs(server.settings().update_shutdown_grace_period_secs);
-            let shutdown_message = server.settings().update_shutdown_message.to_owned();
+                Duration::from_secs(u64::from(settings.update_shutdown_grace_period_secs));
+            let shutdown_message = settings.update_shutdown_message.to_owned();
             self.initiate_shutdown(server, grace_period, shutdown_message);
 
             // Reset the SIGUSR1 signal indicator in case shutdown is aborted and we need to
diff --git a/server/src/settings.rs b/server/src/settings.rs
index bea63f1f31..c03bfbd72c 100644
--- a/server/src/settings.rs
+++ b/server/src/settings.rs
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@ pub struct ServerSettings {
     pub banned_words_files: Vec<PathBuf>,
     pub max_player_group_size: u32,
     pub client_timeout: Duration,
-    pub update_shutdown_grace_period_secs: u64,
-    pub update_shutdown_message: String,
 }
 
 impl Default for ServerSettings {
@@ -66,8 +64,6 @@ impl Default for ServerSettings {
             banned_words_files: Vec::new(),
             max_player_group_size: 6,
             client_timeout: Duration::from_secs(40),
-            update_shutdown_grace_period_secs: 120,
-            update_shutdown_message: "The server is restarting for an update".to_owned(),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/voxygen/Cargo.toml b/voxygen/Cargo.toml
index ceb2da01c2..49c2136acf 100644
--- a/voxygen/Cargo.toml
+++ b/voxygen/Cargo.toml
@@ -67,8 +67,7 @@ num = "0.2"
 rand = "0.7"
 rodio = {version = "0.11", default-features = false, features = ["wav", "vorbis"]}
 ron = {version = "0.6", default-features = false}
-serde = {version = "1.0", features = [ "rc" ]}
-serde_derive = "1.0"
+serde = {version = "1.0", features = [ "rc", "derive" ]}
 treeculler = "0.1.0"
 uvth = "3.1.1"
 # vec_map = { version = "0.8.2" }
diff --git a/voxygen/src/controller.rs b/voxygen/src/controller.rs
index 44b286c2e2..86f3020a3f 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/controller.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/controller.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 use crate::window::{GameInput, MenuInput};
 use gilrs::{ev::Code as GilCode, Axis as GilAxis, Button as GilButton};
 use hashbrown::HashMap;
-use serde_derive::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 /// Contains all controller related settings and keymaps
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
diff --git a/voxygen/src/hud/hotbar.rs b/voxygen/src/hud/hotbar.rs
index ab02df0c70..321b6451d2 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/hud/hotbar.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/hud/hotbar.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use serde_derive::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq)]
 pub enum Slot {
diff --git a/voxygen/src/hud/item_imgs.rs b/voxygen/src/hud/item_imgs.rs
index 12de1f50cf..b86fa53eb8 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/hud/item_imgs.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/hud/item_imgs.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ use conrod_core::image::Id;
 use dot_vox::DotVoxData;
 use hashbrown::HashMap;
 use image::DynamicImage;
-use serde_derive::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::{fs::File, io::BufReader, sync::Arc};
 use tracing::{error, warn};
 use vek::*;
diff --git a/voxygen/src/i18n.rs b/voxygen/src/i18n.rs
index ca554f4d5b..479fef3121 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/i18n.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/i18n.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use common::assets::{self, Asset};
 use deunicode::deunicode;
 use ron::de::from_reader;
-use serde_derive::*;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::{
     collections::{HashMap, HashSet},
     fs::File,
diff --git a/voxygen/src/meta.rs b/voxygen/src/meta.rs
index 30ef1a3c7b..4794e6725d 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/meta.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/meta.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use common::comp;
 use directories::ProjectDirs;
-use serde_derive::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::{fs, io::Write, path::PathBuf};
 use tracing::warn;
 
diff --git a/voxygen/src/profile.rs b/voxygen/src/profile.rs
index 34990f1de2..dbb7267b11 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/profile.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/profile.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use crate::{hud, settings};
 use common::character::CharacterId;
 use hashbrown::HashMap;
-use serde_derive::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::{fs, io::Write, path::PathBuf};
 use tracing::warn;
 
diff --git a/voxygen/src/render/mod.rs b/voxygen/src/render/mod.rs
index 1c747e78d0..a7c36497e5 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/render/mod.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/render/mod.rs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ pub trait Pipeline {
     type Vertex: Clone + gfx::traits::Pod + gfx::pso::buffer::Structure<gfx::format::Format>;
 }
 
-use serde_derive::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 /// Anti-aliasing modes
 #[derive(PartialEq, Clone, Copy, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub enum AaMode {
diff --git a/voxygen/src/scene/figure/load.rs b/voxygen/src/scene/figure/load.rs
index bc87ab9312..32c3c997d4 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/scene/figure/load.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/scene/figure/load.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ use common::{
 };
 use dot_vox::DotVoxData;
 use hashbrown::HashMap;
-use serde_derive::Deserialize;
+use serde::Deserialize;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use tracing::{error, warn};
 use vek::*;
diff --git a/voxygen/src/settings.rs b/voxygen/src/settings.rs
index 5acdca42df..be4eed60db 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/settings.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/settings.rs
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ use crate::{
 };
 use directories_next::UserDirs;
 use hashbrown::{HashMap, HashSet};
-use serde_derive::{Deserialize, Serialize};
-use std::{fs, io::prelude::*, path::PathBuf};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use std::{fs, path::PathBuf};
 use tracing::warn;
 use winit::event::{MouseButton, VirtualKeyCode};
 
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ impl Default for GamepadSettings {
 pub mod con_settings {
     use crate::controller::*;
     use gilrs::{Axis as GilAxis, Button as GilButton};
-    use serde_derive::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+    use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
     #[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
     #[serde(default)]
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ impl Default for Settings {
 
 impl Settings {
     pub fn load() -> Self {
-        let path = Settings::get_settings_path();
+        let path = Self::get_settings_path();
 
         if let Ok(file) = fs::File::open(&path) {
             match ron::de::from_reader(file) {
@@ -787,15 +787,13 @@ impl Settings {
     }
 
     pub fn save_to_file(&self) -> std::io::Result<()> {
-        let path = Settings::get_settings_path();
+        let path = Self::get_settings_path();
         if let Some(dir) = path.parent() {
             fs::create_dir_all(dir)?;
         }
-        let mut config_file = fs::File::create(path)?;
 
-        let s: &str = &ron::ser::to_string_pretty(self, ron::ser::PrettyConfig::default()).unwrap();
-        config_file.write_all(s.as_bytes()).unwrap();
-        Ok(())
+        let ron = ron::ser::to_string_pretty(self, ron::ser::PrettyConfig::default()).unwrap();
+        fs::write(path, ron.as_bytes())
     }
 
     pub fn get_settings_path() -> PathBuf {
diff --git a/voxygen/src/ui/scale.rs b/voxygen/src/ui/scale.rs
index 01eb21afba..2845585b77 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/ui/scale.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/ui/scale.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use crate::{render::Renderer, window::Window};
-use serde_derive::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use vek::*;
 
 /// Type of scaling to use.
diff --git a/voxygen/src/window.rs b/voxygen/src/window.rs
index d0215f2934..f9007e43af 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/window.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/window.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use gilrs::{EventType, Gilrs};
 use hashbrown::HashMap;
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use old_school_gfx_glutin_ext::{ContextBuilderExt, WindowInitExt, WindowUpdateExt};
-use serde_derive::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::fmt;
 use tracing::{error, info, warn};
 use vek::*;