diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 625ea10cf..c775b256c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ It is highly recommended you set the following environment values before startin
 | DISCORD_PRE_START_MESSAGE | Discord message sent when server begins to start | Server is started! | "string" |
 | DISCORD_PRE_SHUTDOWN_MESSAGE | Discord message sent when server begins to shutdown | Server is shutting down... | "string" |
 | DISCORD_POST_SHUTDOWN_MESSAGE | Discord message sent when server has stopped | Server is stopped! | "string" |
+| DISABLE_GENERATE_SETTINGS | Whether to automatically generate the PalWorldSettings.ini | false | true/false |
 
 *highly recommended to set
 
diff --git a/scripts/compile-settings.sh b/scripts/compile-settings.sh
index 9501af473..1df08e095 100755
--- a/scripts/compile-settings.sh
+++ b/scripts/compile-settings.sh
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ fi
 
 cat > "$config_file" <<EOF
 [/Script/Pal.PalGameWorldSettings]
-$(envsubst < ./files/PalWorldSettings.ini.template | tr -d "\n\r")
+$(envsubst < /home/steam/server/files/PalWorldSettings.ini.template | tr -d "\n\r")
 EOF
 
 echo "Compiling PalWorldSettings.ini done!"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/start.sh b/scripts/start.sh
index 5cd5580a3..80ccfeebc 100644
--- a/scripts/start.sh
+++ b/scripts/start.sh
@@ -6,10 +6,6 @@ dirExists "/palworld" || exit
 isWritable "/palworld" || exit
 isExecutable "/palworld" || exit
 
-printf "\e[0;32m*****GENERATING CONFIGS*****\e[0m\n"
-
-./compile-settings.sh || exit
-
 cd /palworld || exit
 
 # Get the architecture using dpkg
@@ -73,6 +69,32 @@ if [ "${MULTITHREADING,,}" = true ]; then
     STARTCOMMAND+=("-useperfthreads" "-NoAsyncLoadingThread" "-UseMultithreadForDS")
 fi
 
+if [ "${DISABLE_GENERATE_SETTINGS,,}" = true ]; then
+  printf "\e[0;32m%s\e[0m\n" "*****CHECKING FOR EXISTING CONFIG*****"
+  printf "\e[0;32m%s\e[0m\n" "***Env vars will not be applied due to DISABLE_GENERATE_SETTINGS being set to TRUE!***"
+
+  # shellcheck disable=SC2143
+  if [ ! "$(grep -s '[^[:space:]]' /palworld/Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini)" ]; then
+
+      printf "\e[0;32m%s\e[0m\n" "*****GENERATING CONFIG*****"
+
+      # Server will generate all ini files after first run.
+      if [ "$architecture" == "arm64" ]; then
+          timeout --preserve-status 15s ./PalServer-arm64.sh 1> /dev/null
+      else
+          timeout --preserve-status 15s ./PalServer.sh 1> /dev/null
+      fi
+
+      # Wait for shutdown
+      sleep 5
+      cp /palworld/DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini /palworld/Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini
+  fi
+else
+  printf "\e[0;32m%s\e[0m\n" "*****GENERATING CONFIG*****"
+  printf "\e[0;32m%s\e[0m\n" "***Using Env vars to create PalWorldSettings.ini***"
+  /home/steam/server/compile-settings.sh
+fi
+
 rm -f  "/home/steam/server/crontab"
 if [ "${BACKUP_ENABLED,,}" = true ]; then
     echo "BACKUP_ENABLED=${BACKUP_ENABLED,,}"