diff --git a/src/DynamoCore/Configuration/PreferenceSettings.cs b/src/DynamoCore/Configuration/PreferenceSettings.cs
index e44cf4e1319..fd6ae88c14c 100644
--- a/src/DynamoCore/Configuration/PreferenceSettings.cs
+++ b/src/DynamoCore/Configuration/PreferenceSettings.cs
@@ -48,14 +48,12 @@ internal static void CopyProperties(this PreferenceSettings source, PreferenceSe
     /// </summary>
     public class PreferenceSettings : NotificationObject, IPreferences, IRenderPrecisionPreference, IDisablePackageLoadingPreferences, ILogSource, IHideAutocompleteMethodOptions
     {
-        internal static PreferenceSettings dynamoModelRuntimePreferenceSettings;
-
         internal readonly static Lazy<PreferenceSettings>
             lazy = new Lazy<PreferenceSettings>
             (() => PreferenceSettings.Load(PathManager.Instance.PreferenceFilePath));
 
         [XmlIgnore]
-        public static PreferenceSettings Instance { get { return dynamoModelRuntimePreferenceSettings ?? lazy.Value; } }
+        public static PreferenceSettings Instance { get; internal set; } = lazy.Value;
 
         private string numberFormat;
         private string lastUpdateDownloadPath;
diff --git a/src/DynamoCore/Models/DynamoModel.cs b/src/DynamoCore/Models/DynamoModel.cs
index 759477b0fb6..e020b3ee84e 100644
--- a/src/DynamoCore/Models/DynamoModel.cs
+++ b/src/DynamoCore/Models/DynamoModel.cs
@@ -304,7 +304,8 @@ internal static string AppVersion
         /// <summary>
         ///     Preference settings for this instance of Dynamo.
         /// </summary>
-        public readonly PreferenceSettings PreferenceSettings;
+        [Obsolete("this will be removed in 4.0")]
+        public PreferenceSettings PreferenceSettings => PreferenceSettings.Instance;
 
         /// <summary>
         ///     Node Factory, used for creating and intantiating loaded Dynamo nodes.
@@ -492,9 +493,6 @@ protected virtual void ShutDownCore(bool shutdownHost)
             Dispose();
             PreferenceSettings.SaveInternal(pathManager.PreferenceFilePath);
 
-            //Remove reference on shutdown
-            PreferenceSettings.dynamoModelRuntimePreferenceSettings = null;
-
             OnCleanup();
 
             DynamoSelection.DestroyInstance();
@@ -694,10 +692,7 @@ protected DynamoModel(IStartConfiguration config)
 
             OnRequestUpdateLoadBarStatus(new SplashScreenLoadEventArgs(Resources.SplashScreenInitPreferencesSettings, 30));
 
-            PreferenceSettings = (PreferenceSettings)CreateOrLoadPreferences(config.Preferences);
-
-            //Set the DynamoModel.PreferenceSetting as a static reference to the PreferenceSetting class for use in PreferenceSettings.Instance
-            PreferenceSettings.dynamoModelRuntimePreferenceSettings = PreferenceSettings;
+            PreferenceSettings.Instance = (PreferenceSettings)CreateOrLoadPreferences(config.Preferences);
 
             if (PreferenceSettings != null)
             {
@@ -786,7 +781,7 @@ protected DynamoModel(IStartConfiguration config)
                 if (migrator != null)
                 {
                     var isFirstRun = PreferenceSettings.IsFirstRun;
-                    PreferenceSettings = migrator.PreferenceSettings;
+                    PreferenceSettings.Instance = migrator.PreferenceSettings;
 
                     // Preserve the preference settings for IsFirstRun as this needs to be set
                     // only by UsageReportingManager