diff --git a/wled00/cfg.cpp b/wled00/cfg.cpp
index a9c1eccde..fb67e578e 100644
--- a/wled00/cfg.cpp
+++ b/wled00/cfg.cpp
@@ -775,7 +775,7 @@ bool deserializeConfig(JsonObject doc, bool fromFS) {
 
 static const char s_cfg_json[] PROGMEM = "/cfg.json";
 
-void deserializeConfigFromFS() {
+bool deserializeConfigFromFS() {
   [[maybe_unused]] bool success = deserializeConfigSec();
   #ifdef WLED_ADD_EEPROM_SUPPORT
   if (!success) { //if file does not exist, try reading from EEPROM
@@ -783,7 +783,7 @@ void deserializeConfigFromFS() {
   }
   #endif
 
-  if (!requestJSONBufferLock(1)) return;
+  if (!requestJSONBufferLock(1)) return false;
 
   DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Reading settings from /cfg.json..."));
 
@@ -795,7 +795,7 @@ void deserializeConfigFromFS() {
   bool needsSave = deserializeConfig(root, true);
   releaseJSONBufferLock();
 
-  if (needsSave) serializeConfigToFS(); // usermods required new parameters
+  return needsSave;
 }
 
 void serializeConfigToFS() {
diff --git a/wled00/fcn_declare.h b/wled00/fcn_declare.h
index d2f62870d..e53dd2a9d 100644
--- a/wled00/fcn_declare.h
+++ b/wled00/fcn_declare.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ void IRAM_ATTR touchButtonISR();
 
 //cfg.cpp
 bool deserializeConfig(JsonObject doc, bool fromFS = false);
-void deserializeConfigFromFS();
+bool deserializeConfigFromFS();
 bool deserializeConfigSec();
 void serializeConfig(JsonObject doc);
 void serializeConfigToFS();
diff --git a/wled00/wled.cpp b/wled00/wled.cpp
index 63af7c2b8..c372d22ab 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.cpp
+++ b/wled00/wled.cpp
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ void WLED::setup()
   multiWiFi.push_back(WiFiConfig(CLIENT_SSID,CLIENT_PASS)); // initialise vector with default WiFi
 
   DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Reading config"));
-  deserializeConfigFromFS();
+  bool needsCfgSave = deserializeConfigFromFS();
   DEBUG_PRINTF_P(PSTR("heap %u\n"), ESP.getFreeHeap());
 
 #if defined(STATUSLED) && STATUSLED>=0
@@ -443,6 +443,8 @@ void WLED::setup()
   UsermodManager::setup();
   DEBUG_PRINTF_P(PSTR("heap %u\n"), ESP.getFreeHeap());
 
+  if (needsCfgSave) serializeConfigToFS(); // usermods required new parameters; need to wait for strip to be initialised #4752
+
   if (strcmp(multiWiFi[0].clientSSID, DEFAULT_CLIENT_SSID) == 0)
     showWelcomePage = true;
   WiFi.persistent(false);