diff --git a/src/state/persisted/__tests__/schema.test.ts b/src/state/persisted/__tests__/schema.test.ts
index 7a3b38eca..b51f3463d 100644
--- a/src/state/persisted/__tests__/schema.test.ts
+++ b/src/state/persisted/__tests__/schema.test.ts
@@ -1,39 +1,36 @@
 import {defaults, tryParse, tryStringify} from '../schema'
 
 describe('persisted schema helpers', () => {
+  const partialState = {
+    colorMode: 'system',
+    darkTheme: 'dim',
+    colorScheme: 'material3',
+    hue: 0,
+    session: {accounts: []},
+    reminders: {},
+    languagePrefs: defaults.languagePrefs,
+    requireAltTextEnabled: true,
+    invites: {copiedInvites: []},
+    onboarding: {step: 'Home'},
+    mutedThreads: [],
+    translationServicePreference: 'google',
+    postReplacement: {
+      enabled: false,
+      postName: 'skeet',
+      postsName: 'skeets',
+    },
+  }
+
   it('applies schema defaults when reading partial data', () => {
-    const parsed = tryParse(
-      JSON.stringify({
-        colorMode: 'system',
-        darkTheme: 'dim',
-        colorScheme: 'material3',
-        hue: 0,
-        session: {accounts: []},
-        reminders: {},
-        languagePrefs: defaults.languagePrefs,
-        requireAltTextEnabled: true,
-        invites: {copiedInvites: []},
-        onboarding: {step: 'Home'},
-        mutedThreads: [],
-        translationServicePreference: 'google',
-        postReplacement: {
-          enabled: false,
-          postName: 'skeet',
-          postsName: 'skeets',
-        },
-      }),
-    )
+    const parsed = tryParse(JSON.stringify(partialState))
 
     expect(parsed?.material3Accent).toBe('#ee6300')
     expect(parsed?.material3Style).toBe('TONAL_SPOT')
   })
 
-  it('writes schema defaults back into storage payloads', () => {
-    const raw = tryStringify({
-      ...defaults,
-      material3Accent: undefined as never,
-      material3Style: undefined as never,
-    })
+  it('preserves hydrated defaults on later writes', () => {
+    const hydrated = tryParse(JSON.stringify(partialState))
+    const raw = tryStringify(hydrated!)
 
     expect(raw).toBeDefined()
 
diff --git a/src/state/persisted/schema.ts b/src/state/persisted/schema.ts
index 074c8e539..b1772f764 100644
--- a/src/state/persisted/schema.ts
+++ b/src/state/persisted/schema.ts
@@ -410,11 +410,11 @@ export function tryParse(rawData: string): Schema | undefined {
 
 export function tryStringify(value: Schema): string | undefined {
   try {
-    const parsed = schema.parse(value)
-    return JSON.stringify(parsed)
+    schema.parse(value)
+    return JSON.stringify(value)
   } catch (e) {
     logger.error(`persisted state: failed stringifying root state`, {
-      message: e,
+      safeMessage: String(e),
     })
     return undefined
   }
diff --git a/src/state/preferences/post-name-replacement.tsx b/src/state/preferences/post-name-replacement.tsx
index cd77d540d..4a22e57ea 100644
--- a/src/state/preferences/post-name-replacement.tsx
+++ b/src/state/preferences/post-name-replacement.tsx
@@ -65,13 +65,13 @@ export function Provider({children}: PropsWithChildren<{}>) {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     return persisted.onUpdate('postReplacement', next => {
-      setState({
+      _setState({
         postName: next.postName ?? 'skeet',
         postsName: next.postsName ?? 'skeets',
-        enabled: next.enabled ?? true,
+        enabled: next.enabled ?? false,
       })
     })
-  }, [setState])
+  }, [])
 
   return (
     <stateContext.Provider value={state}>