diff --git a/common/tool/tool_base.cpp b/common/tool/tool_base.cpp
index 8615c93d36..f9191d52d4 100644
--- a/common/tool/tool_base.cpp
+++ b/common/tool/tool_base.cpp
@@ -58,20 +58,9 @@ void TOOL_BASE::attachManager( TOOL_MANAGER* aManager )
 }
 
 
-TOOL_SETTINGS::TOOL_SETTINGS( TOOL_BASE* aTool )
+TOOL_SETTINGS::TOOL_SETTINGS( TOOL_BASE* aTool ) :
+    m_tool( aTool )
 {
-    m_tool = aTool;
-
-    if( !aTool )
-    {
-        m_config = NULL;
-        return;
-    }
-
-    // fixme: make independent of pcbnew (post-stable)
-    PCB_EDIT_FRAME* frame = aTool->getEditFrame<PCB_EDIT_FRAME>();
-
-    m_config = frame->GetSettings();
 }
 
 
@@ -93,3 +82,16 @@ wxString TOOL_SETTINGS::getKeyName( const wxString& aEntryName ) const
     key += aEntryName;
     return key;
 }
+
+
+wxConfigBase* TOOL_SETTINGS::getConfigBase() const
+{
+    if( !m_tool )
+        return NULL;
+
+    // fixme: make independent of pcbnew (post-stable)
+    if( PCB_EDIT_FRAME* frame = m_tool->getEditFrame<PCB_EDIT_FRAME>() )
+        return frame->GetSettings();
+
+    return NULL;
+}
diff --git a/include/tool/tool_settings.h b/include/tool/tool_settings.h
index 393afb0a79..64d26126c3 100644
--- a/include/tool/tool_settings.h
+++ b/include/tool/tool_settings.h
@@ -38,34 +38,41 @@ class TOOL_BASE;
 class TOOL_SETTINGS
 {
     public:
-        TOOL_SETTINGS ( TOOL_BASE* aTool = NULL );
-        ~TOOL_SETTINGS ();
+        TOOL_SETTINGS( TOOL_BASE* aTool = NULL );
+        ~TOOL_SETTINGS();
 
-        template <class T>
+        template<class T>
         T Get( const wxString& aName, T aDefaultValue ) const
         {
-            if( !m_config )
+            wxConfigBase* config = getConfigBase();
+
+            if( !config )
                 return aDefaultValue;
 
             T tmp = aDefaultValue;
 
-            m_config->Read( getKeyName( aName ), &tmp );
+            config->Read( getKeyName( aName ), &tmp );
             return tmp;
         }
 
-        template <class T>
+        template<class T>
         void Set( const wxString& aName, const T &aValue )
         {
-            if( !m_config )
+            wxConfigBase* config = getConfigBase();
+
+            if( !config )
                 return;
 
-            m_config->Write( getKeyName( aName ), aValue );
+            config->Write( getKeyName( aName ), aValue );
         }
 
     private:
         wxString getKeyName( const wxString& aEntryName ) const;
 
-        wxConfigBase* m_config;
+        ///> Returns pointer to currently used wxConfigBase. It might be NULL, if there is no
+        ///> TOOL_BASE assigned.
+        wxConfigBase* getConfigBase() const;
+
         TOOL_BASE* m_tool;
 
 };