diff --git a/subscribie/__init__.py b/subscribie/__init__.py
index 33a639a3..83b61c63 100644
--- a/subscribie/__init__.py
+++ b/subscribie/__init__.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 import click
 from jinja2 import Template
 from .models import PaymentProvider, Person, Company, Module, Plan, PriceList
-from .bootstrap_app import migrate_database
+from .bootstrap_app import migrate_database, set_app_default_settings
 
 load_dotenv(verbose=True)
 
@@ -67,10 +67,14 @@ def create_app(test_config=None):
     with app.app_context():
         database.init_app(app)
         # Initialize flask_migrate using Migrate
+        # Note: Migrate configures the flask_migrate addon- it does not
+        # *perform* a migration
         Migrate(app, database)
-        # Trigger a programatic database migration during application boot
+
+        # Perform a programatic database migration during application boot
         # Note: flask_migrate calls database migrations 'upgrades'.
         migrate_database()
+        set_app_default_settings()
 
     if test_config is not None:
         app.config.update(test_config)
diff --git a/subscribie/blueprints/admin/__init__.py b/subscribie/blueprints/admin/__init__.py
index 0126be6f..db45d516 100644
--- a/subscribie/blueprints/admin/__init__.py
+++ b/subscribie/blueprints/admin/__init__.py
@@ -1202,17 +1202,9 @@ def connect_tawk_manually():
 @login_required
 def add_custom_code():
     setting = Setting.query.first()
-    if setting is None:
-        setting = Setting()
-        database.session.add(setting)
-
     if request.method == "POST":
         custom_code = request.form.get("code", None)
         if custom_code is not None:
-            setting = Setting.query.first()
-            if setting is None:
-                setting = Setting()
-                database.session.add(setting)
             setting.custom_code = custom_code
             database.session.commit()
             flash("Custom code added")
diff --git a/subscribie/bootstrap_app.py b/subscribie/bootstrap_app.py
index c2096a00..486e3351 100644
--- a/subscribie/bootstrap_app.py
+++ b/subscribie/bootstrap_app.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 from .logger import logger  # noqa: F401
 import logging
 from flask import current_app
+from subscribie.database import database
+from subscribie.models import Setting
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -13,3 +15,24 @@ def migrate_database():
     upgrade(
         directory=Path(current_app.config["SUBSCRIBIE_REPO_DIRECTORY"] + "/migrations")
     )
+
+
+def set_app_default_settings():
+    """Pre-populate the Settings model with the column insertion defaults.
+
+    If the Settings model is empty, pre-populate the database with the column
+    insertion defaults (see model.py -> class Settings).
+
+    Note this does not relate to .env settings. See README.md
+    The Settings stored in the Settings database model are for
+    user controllable settings which may be changed at runtime
+    without an application restart.
+
+    Issue #1262
+    https://github.com/Subscribie/subscribie/issues/1262
+    """
+    setting = Setting.query.first()
+    if setting is None:
+        setting = Setting()
+        database.session.add(setting)
+        database.session.commit()