diff --git a/shell/pages/c/_cluster/settings/performance.vue b/shell/pages/c/_cluster/settings/performance.vue
index 27a7e83d9a1..ffeee8cf99f 100644
--- a/shell/pages/c/_cluster/settings/performance.vue
+++ b/shell/pages/c/_cluster/settings/performance.vue
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ export default {
 
   data() {
     return {
-      uiPerfSetting:              DEFAULT_PERF_SETTING,
+      uiPerfSetting:              null,
       authUserTTL:                null,
       bannerVal:                  {},
       value:                      {},
diff --git a/shell/utils/settings.ts b/shell/utils/settings.ts
index 9174ba1b33d..1af7553a724 100644
--- a/shell/utils/settings.ts
+++ b/shell/utils/settings.ts
@@ -102,5 +102,7 @@ export const getPerformanceSetting = (rootGetters: Record<string, (arg0: string,
   }
 
   // Start with the default and overwrite the values from the setting - ensures we have defaults for newly added options
-  return Object.assign(DEFAULT_PERF_SETTING, perfSetting || {});
+  const safeDefaults = Object.assign({}, DEFAULT_PERF_SETTING);
+
+  return Object.assign(safeDefaults, perfSetting || {});
 };