diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.cpp
index 1c922ee8d2..9b7475dea8 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.cpp
@@ -440,13 +440,12 @@ void CSMPrefs::State::declare()
     declareShortcut("script-editor-uncomment", "Uncomment Selection", QKeySequence());
 
     declareCategory("Models");
-    declareString("baseanim", "base animations", "meshes/base_anim.nif")
-        .setTooltip("3rd person base model with textkeys-data");
-    declareString("baseanimkna", "base animations, kna", "meshes/base_animkna.nif")
+    declareString(mValues->mModels.mBaseanim, "base animations").setTooltip("3rd person base model with textkeys-data");
+    declareString(mValues->mModels.mBaseanimkna, "base animations, kna")
         .setTooltip("3rd person beast race base model with textkeys-data");
-    declareString("baseanimfemale", "base animations, female", "meshes/base_anim_female.nif")
+    declareString(mValues->mModels.mBaseanimfemale, "base animations, female")
         .setTooltip("3rd person female base model with textkeys-data");
-    declareString("wolfskin", "base animations, wolf", "meshes/wolf/skin.nif").setTooltip("3rd person werewolf skin");
+    declareString(mValues->mModels.mWolfskin, "base animations, wolf").setTooltip("3rd person werewolf skin");
 }
 
 void CSMPrefs::State::declareCategory(const std::string& key)
@@ -547,13 +546,13 @@ CSMPrefs::ShortcutSetting& CSMPrefs::State::declareShortcut(
 }
 
 CSMPrefs::StringSetting& CSMPrefs::State::declareString(
-    const std::string& key, const QString& label, const std::string& default_)
+    Settings::SettingValue<std::string>& value, const QString& label)
 {
     if (mCurrentCategory == mCategories.end())
         throw std::logic_error("no category for setting");
 
     CSMPrefs::StringSetting* setting
-        = new CSMPrefs::StringSetting(&mCurrentCategory->second, &mMutex, key, label, *mIndex);
+        = new CSMPrefs::StringSetting(&mCurrentCategory->second, &mMutex, value.mName, label, *mIndex);
 
     mCurrentCategory->second.addSetting(setting);
 
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.hpp b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.hpp
index a5fd5b0936..62db966fcd 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.hpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/state.hpp
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ namespace CSMPrefs
 
         ShortcutSetting& declareShortcut(const std::string& key, const QString& label, const QKeySequence& default_);
 
-        StringSetting& declareString(const std::string& key, const QString& label, const std::string& default_);
+        StringSetting& declareString(Settings::SettingValue<std::string>& value, const QString& label);
 
         ModifierSetting& declareModifier(Settings::SettingValue<std::string>& value, const QString& label);
 
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/stringsetting.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/stringsetting.cpp
index 56c46bb6af..10bd8cb558 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/stringsetting.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/stringsetting.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 #include "state.hpp"
 
 CSMPrefs::StringSetting::StringSetting(
-    Category* parent, QMutex* mutex, const std::string& key, const QString& label, Settings::Index& index)
+    Category* parent, QMutex* mutex, std::string_view key, const QString& label, Settings::Index& index)
     : TypedSetting(parent, mutex, key, label, index)
     , mWidget(nullptr)
 {
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/stringsetting.hpp b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/stringsetting.hpp
index 25e1a362ff..0a7d2a4935 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/prefs/stringsetting.hpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/prefs/stringsetting.hpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ namespace CSMPrefs
 
     public:
         explicit StringSetting(
-            Category* parent, QMutex* mutex, const std::string& key, const QString& label, Settings::Index& index);
+            Category* parent, QMutex* mutex, std::string_view key, const QString& label, Settings::Index& index);
 
         StringSetting& setTooltip(const std::string& tooltip);