diff --git a/common/settings/nested_settings.cpp b/common/settings/nested_settings.cpp
index 813368f67c..7fa9b52755 100644
--- a/common/settings/nested_settings.cpp
+++ b/common/settings/nested_settings.cpp
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ bool NESTED_SETTINGS::SaveToFile( const wxString& aDirectory, bool aForce )
 }
 
 
-void NESTED_SETTINGS::SetParent( JSON_SETTINGS* aParent )
+void NESTED_SETTINGS::SetParent( JSON_SETTINGS* aParent, bool aLoadFromFile )
 {
     m_parent = aParent;
 
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ void NESTED_SETTINGS::SetParent( JSON_SETTINGS* aParent )
         m_parent->AddNestedSettings( this );
 
         // In case we were created after the parent's ctor
-        LoadFromFile();
+        if( aLoadFromFile )
+            LoadFromFile();
     }
 }
diff --git a/include/settings/nested_settings.h b/include/settings/nested_settings.h
index bf4a9b86e2..61e2734107 100644
--- a/include/settings/nested_settings.h
+++ b/include/settings/nested_settings.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ public:
      */
     bool SaveToFile( const wxString& aDirectory = "", bool aForce = false ) override;
 
-    void SetParent( JSON_SETTINGS* aParent );
+    void SetParent( JSON_SETTINGS* aParent, bool aLoadFromFile = true );
 
     JSON_SETTINGS* GetParent()
     {
diff --git a/pcbnew/board.cpp b/pcbnew/board.cpp
index 4668d21dac..e577838e67 100644
--- a/pcbnew/board.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/board.cpp
@@ -151,8 +151,9 @@ void BOARD::SetProject( PROJECT* aProject )
         // Link the design settings object to the project file
         project.m_BoardSettings = &GetDesignSettings();
 
-        // Set parent, which also will load the values from JSON stored in the project
-        project.m_BoardSettings->SetParent( &project );
+        // Set parent, which also will load the values from JSON stored in the project if we don't
+        // have legacy design settings loaded already
+        project.m_BoardSettings->SetParent( &project, !m_LegacyDesignSettingsLoaded );
 
         // The DesignSettings' netclasses pointer will be pointing to its internal netclasses
         // list at this point. If we loaded anything into it from a legacy board file then we
diff --git a/pcbnew/plugins/kicad/pcb_parser.cpp b/pcbnew/plugins/kicad/pcb_parser.cpp
index cd95267a75..916eec4c15 100644
--- a/pcbnew/plugins/kicad/pcb_parser.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/plugins/kicad/pcb_parser.cpp
@@ -1574,10 +1574,16 @@ void PCB_PARSER::parseSetup()
             break;
 
         case T_user_trace_width:
+        {
+            // Make room for the netclass value
+            if( designSettings.m_TrackWidthList.empty() )
+                designSettings.m_TrackWidthList.emplace_back( 0 );
+
             designSettings.m_TrackWidthList.push_back( parseBoardUnits( T_user_trace_width ) );
             m_board->m_LegacyDesignSettingsLoaded = true;
             NeedRIGHT();
             break;
+        }
 
         case T_trace_clearance:
             defaultNetClass->SetClearance( parseBoardUnits( T_trace_clearance ) );
@@ -1656,6 +1662,11 @@ void PCB_PARSER::parseSetup()
             {
                 int viaSize = parseBoardUnits( "user via size" );
                 int viaDrill = parseBoardUnits( "user via drill" );
+
+                // Make room for the netclass value
+                if( designSettings.m_ViasDimensionsList.empty() )
+                    designSettings.m_ViasDimensionsList.emplace_back( VIA_DIMENSION( 0, 0 ) );
+
                 designSettings.m_ViasDimensionsList.emplace_back( VIA_DIMENSION( viaSize, viaDrill ) );
                 m_board->m_LegacyDesignSettingsLoaded = true;
                 NeedRIGHT();