diff --git a/lib/acts_as_having_settings.rb b/lib/acts_as_having_settings.rb
index e808b11..400a7b9 100644
--- a/lib/acts_as_having_settings.rb
+++ b/lib/acts_as_having_settings.rb
@@ -44,7 +44,11 @@ module ActsAsHavingSettings
         class_eval <<-CODE
           def #{setting}
             val = send(self.class.settings_field)[:#{setting}]
-            val.nil? ? (#{default}.is_a?(String) ? gettext(#{default}) : #{default}) : val
+            if val.nil?
+              val = #{default}.is_a?(String) ? gettext(#{default}) : #{default}
+              send(self.class.settings_field)[:#{setting}] = val
+            end
+            val
           end
           def #{setting}=(value)
             h = send(self.class.settings_field).clone
--
libgit2 0.21.2