diff --git a/src/state/persisted/__tests__/schema.test.ts b/src/state/persisted/__tests__/schema.test.ts
index f08da4ccb..be8aa8ebf 100644
--- a/src/state/persisted/__tests__/schema.test.ts
+++ b/src/state/persisted/__tests__/schema.test.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,16 @@ describe('persisted schema helpers', () => {
     expect(normalizeData(parsed!).downloadFormat).toBe(defaults.downloadFormat)
   })
 
+  it('preserves external embed prefs when defaults object is empty', () => {
+    const parsed = tryParse(JSON.stringify(partialState))
+
+    expect(parsed).toBeDefined()
+    expect(
+      normalizeData({...parsed!, externalEmbeds: {youtube: 'show'}})
+        .externalEmbeds,
+    ).toEqual({youtube: 'show'})
+  })
+
   it('migrates legacy disable metrics booleans to display modes', () => {
     const parsed = tryParse(
       JSON.stringify({
diff --git a/src/state/persisted/util.ts b/src/state/persisted/util.ts
index e06b06e56..045266db6 100644
--- a/src/state/persisted/util.ts
+++ b/src/state/persisted/util.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,14 @@ function hydrateRecord<T extends Record<string, unknown>>(
       out[key] = value
     }
   }
+  // Keys stored in data but absent from defaults (e.g. externalEmbeds sources).
+  for (const key of Object.keys(dataObj) as (keyof T)[]) {
+    if (key in defaultObj) continue
+    const value = dataObj[key]
+    if (value !== undefined) {
+      out[key] = value
+    }
+  }
   return out
 }