diff --git a/src/EMSESPSettingsService.cpp b/src/EMSESPSettingsService.cpp
index 1f08c4760..9cf40cf9e 100644
--- a/src/EMSESPSettingsService.cpp
+++ b/src/EMSESPSettingsService.cpp
@@ -24,58 +24,38 @@ namespace emsesp {
 EMSESPSettingsService::EMSESPSettingsService(AsyncWebServer * server, FS * fs, SecurityManager * securityManager)
     : _httpEndpoint(EMSESPSettings::read, EMSESPSettings::update, this, server, EMSESP_SETTINGS_SERVICE_PATH, securityManager)
     , _fsPersistence(EMSESPSettings::read, EMSESPSettings::update, this, fs, EMSESP_SETTINGS_FILE) {
+    addUpdateHandler([&](const String & originId) { onUpdate(); }, false);
 }
 
 void EMSESPSettings::read(EMSESPSettings & settings, JsonObject & root) {
-    root["tx_mode"]    = settings.tx_mode;
-    root["ems_bus_id"] = settings.ems_bus_id;
-
+    root["tx_mode"]              = settings.tx_mode;
+    root["ems_bus_id"]           = settings.ems_bus_id;
     root["syslog_level"]         = settings.syslog_level;
     root["syslog_mark_interval"] = settings.syslog_mark_interval;
     root["syslog_host"]          = settings.syslog_host;
-
-    root["master_thermostat"] = settings.master_thermostat;
-    root["shower_timer"]      = settings.shower_timer;
-    root["shower_alert"]      = settings.shower_alert;
+    root["master_thermostat"]    = settings.master_thermostat;
+    root["shower_timer"]         = settings.shower_timer;
+    root["shower_alert"]         = settings.shower_alert;
 }
 
 StateUpdateResult EMSESPSettings::update(JsonObject & root, EMSESPSettings & settings) {
-    EMSESPSettings newSettings = {};
-    newSettings.tx_mode        = root["tx_mode"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_TX_MODE;
-    newSettings.ems_bus_id     = root["ems_bus_id"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_EMS_BUS_ID;
+    settings.tx_mode              = root["tx_mode"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_TX_MODE;
+    settings.ems_bus_id           = root["ems_bus_id"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_EMS_BUS_ID;
+    settings.syslog_level         = root["syslog_level"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_LEVEL;
+    settings.syslog_mark_interval = root["syslog_mark_interval"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_MARK_INTERVAL;
+    settings.syslog_host          = root["syslog_host"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_HOST;
+    settings.master_thermostat    = root["master_thermostat"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_MASTER_THERMOSTAT;
+    settings.shower_timer         = root["shower_timer"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SHOWER_TIMER;
+    settings.shower_alert         = root["shower_alert"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SHOWER_ALERT;
 
-    newSettings.syslog_level         = root["syslog_level"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_LEVEL;
-    newSettings.syslog_mark_interval = root["syslog_mark_interval"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_MARK_INTERVAL;
-    newSettings.syslog_host          = root["syslog_host"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SYSLOG_HOST;
+    return StateUpdateResult::CHANGED;
+}
 
-    newSettings.master_thermostat = root["master_thermostat"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_MASTER_THERMOSTAT;
-    newSettings.shower_timer      = root["shower_timer"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SHOWER_TIMER;
-    newSettings.shower_alert      = root["shower_alert"] | EMSESP_DEFAULT_SHOWER_ALERT;
-
-    bool changed = false;
-
-    if (newSettings.tx_mode != settings.tx_mode) {
-        EMSESP::reset_tx(newSettings.tx_mode); // reset counters
-        changed = true;
-    }
-
-    if ((newSettings.shower_timer != settings.shower_timer) || (newSettings.shower_alert != settings.shower_alert)) {
-        EMSESP::shower_.start();
-        changed = true;
-    }
-
-    if ((newSettings.syslog_level != settings.syslog_level) || (newSettings.syslog_mark_interval != settings.syslog_mark_interval)
-        || !newSettings.syslog_host.equals(settings.syslog_host)) {
-        EMSESP::system_.syslog_init();
-        changed = true;
-    }
-
-    if (changed) {
-        settings = newSettings;
-        return StateUpdateResult::CHANGED;
-    }
-
-    return StateUpdateResult::UNCHANGED;
+// this is called after the settings have been persisted to the filesystem
+void EMSESPSettingsService::onUpdate() {
+    EMSESP::shower_.start();
+    EMSESP::system_.syslog_init();
+    EMSESP::reset_tx();
 }
 
 void EMSESPSettingsService::begin() {
diff --git a/src/EMSESPSettingsService.h b/src/EMSESPSettingsService.h
index 8e9ff8e4e..4bbd22f4c 100644
--- a/src/EMSESPSettingsService.h
+++ b/src/EMSESPSettingsService.h
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ class EMSESPSettingsService : public StatefulService<EMSESPSettings> {
   private:
     HttpEndpoint<EMSESPSettings>  _httpEndpoint;
     FSPersistence<EMSESPSettings> _fsPersistence;
+
+    void onUpdate();
 };
 
 } // namespace emsesp