diff --git a/tagstudio/src/core/settings/libsettings.py b/tagstudio/src/core/settings/libsettings.py
index ffad59889..9eb41a318 100644
--- a/tagstudio/src/core/settings/libsettings.py
+++ b/tagstudio/src/core/settings/libsettings.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def open(path_value: Path | str) -> "LibSettings":
                     return LibSettings(**settings_data)
 
         # either settings file did not exist or was empty - either way, use default settings
-        settings = LibSettings(**dict(filename=str(path)))
+        settings = LibSettings(filename=str(path))
         return settings
 
     def save(self):
diff --git a/tagstudio/src/core/settings/tssettings.py b/tagstudio/src/core/settings/tssettings.py
index 074f0c7a5..6bc5497cb 100644
--- a/tagstudio/src/core/settings/tssettings.py
+++ b/tagstudio/src/core/settings/tssettings.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def read_settings(path: Path | str) -> "TSSettings":
                     settings = TSSettings(**settings_data)
                     return settings
 
-        return TSSettings(**dict(filename=str(path)))
+        return TSSettings(filename=str(path))
 
     def save(self, path: Path | str | None = None) -> None:
         path_value: Path = Path(path) if isinstance(path, str) else Path(self.filename)
diff --git a/tagstudio/src/core/tscacheddata.py b/tagstudio/src/core/tscacheddata.py
index 23da27378..165d99182 100644
--- a/tagstudio/src/core/tscacheddata.py
+++ b/tagstudio/src/core/tscacheddata.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def open(path_value: Path | str | None = None) -> "TSCachedData":
                     logger.info("opening cache file at ", cache_location=path)
                     return TSCachedData(**cache_data)
 
-        return TSCachedData(**dict(path=str(default_cache_location)))
+        return TSCachedData(path=str(default_cache_location))
 
     def save(self):
         with open(self.path, "w") as f:
diff --git a/tagstudio/src/qt/modals/file_extension.py b/tagstudio/src/qt/modals/file_extension.py
index aa7a504a9..79d7e8d51 100644
--- a/tagstudio/src/qt/modals/file_extension.py
+++ b/tagstudio/src/qt/modals/file_extension.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def __init__(self, library: "Library"):
             lambda text: self.mode_combobox.setItemText(1, text), "ignore_list.mode.exclude"
         )
 
-        is_exclude_list = int(bool(self.lib.settings.is_exclude_list))
+        is_exclude_list = int(self.lib.settings.is_exclude_list)
 
         self.mode_combobox.setCurrentIndex(is_exclude_list)
         self.mode_combobox.currentIndexChanged.connect(lambda i: self.update_list_mode(i))