diff --git a/src/qt/qt_main.cpp b/src/qt/qt_main.cpp
index 06c5a8850..0443c8b00 100644
--- a/src/qt/qt_main.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/qt_main.cpp
@@ -676,6 +676,11 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 #endif
 
     if (settings_only) {
+        VMManagerClientSocket manager_socket;
+        if (qgetenv("VMM_86BOX_SOCKET").size()) {
+            manager_socket.IPCConnect(qgetenv("VMM_86BOX_SOCKET"));
+            manager_socket.clientRunningStateChanged(VMManagerProtocol::RunningState::PausedWaiting);
+        }
         Settings settings;
         if (settings.exec() == QDialog::Accepted) {
             settings.save();
diff --git a/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_main.cpp b/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_main.cpp
index 87649a6a1..85db8cb4a 100644
--- a/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_main.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_main.cpp
@@ -182,19 +182,6 @@ VMManagerMain::settingsButtonPressed() {
         return;
     }
     selected_sysconfig->launchSettings();
-    // If the process is already running, the system will be instructed to open its settings window.
-    // Otherwise the process will be launched and will need to be tracked here.
-    if (!selected_sysconfig->isProcessRunning()) {
-        connect(selected_sysconfig->process, QOverload<int, QProcess::ExitStatus>::of(&QProcess::finished),
-            [=](const int exitCode, const QProcess::ExitStatus exitStatus){
-                if (exitCode != 0 || exitStatus != QProcess::NormalExit) {
-                    qInfo().nospace().noquote() << "Abnormal program termination while launching settings: exit code " <<  exitCode << ", exit status " << exitStatus;
-                    return;
-                }
-                selected_sysconfig->reloadConfig();
-                vm_details->updateData(selected_sysconfig);
-            });
-    }
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_system.cpp b/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_system.cpp
index 355f0690f..94340674a 100644
--- a/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_system.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/qt_vmmanager_system.cpp
@@ -418,6 +418,14 @@ VMManagerSystem::launchMainProcess() {
     qDebug() << Q_FUNC_INFO << " Full Command:" << process->program() << " " << process->arguments();
     process->start();
     updateTimestamp();
+
+    connect(process, QOverload<int, QProcess::ExitStatus>::of(&QProcess::finished),
+    [=](const int exitCode, const QProcess::ExitStatus exitStatus){
+        if (exitCode != 0 || exitStatus != QProcess::NormalExit) {
+            qInfo().nospace().noquote() << "Abnormal program termination while launching main process: exit code " <<  exitCode << ", exit status " << exitStatus;
+            return;
+        }
+    });
 }
 
 void
@@ -432,6 +440,15 @@ VMManagerSystem::launchSettings() {
         return;
     }
 
+    // start the server first to get the socket name
+    if (!serverIsRunning) {
+        if(!startServer()) {
+            // FIXME: Better error handling
+            qInfo("Failed to start VM Manager server");
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
     // If the system is already running, instruct it to show settings
     if (process->processId() != 0) {
 #ifdef Q_OS_WINDOWS
@@ -454,6 +471,14 @@ VMManagerSystem::launchSettings() {
     process->setArguments(args);
     qDebug() << Q_FUNC_INFO << " Full Command:" << process->program() << " " << process->arguments();
     process->start();
+
+    connect(process, QOverload<int, QProcess::ExitStatus>::of(&QProcess::finished),
+    [=](const int exitCode, const QProcess::ExitStatus exitStatus){
+        if (exitCode != 0 || exitStatus != QProcess::NormalExit) {
+            qInfo().nospace().noquote() << "Abnormal program termination while launching settings: exit code " <<  exitCode << ", exit status " << exitStatus;
+            return;
+        }
+    });
 }
 
 void