diff --git a/src/cli/mod.rs b/src/cli/mod.rs
index c4585158a..f8bc3397c 100644
--- a/src/cli/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cli/mod.rs
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ pub mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
     pub fn cli_run(args: &Vec<String>) -> Result<()> {
+        Config::reset();
         *env::ARGS.write().unwrap() = args.clone();
         STDOUT.lock().unwrap().clear();
         STDERR.lock().unwrap().clear();
diff --git a/src/config/mod.rs b/src/config/mod.rs
index bb39581f8..a59190ba4 100644
--- a/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@ use rayon::prelude::*;
 
 pub use settings::{Settings, SettingsPartial};
 
+use crate::cli::Cli;
 use crate::config::config_file::legacy_version::LegacyVersionFile;
 use crate::config::config_file::rtx_toml::RtxToml;
 use crate::config::config_file::{ConfigFile, ConfigFileType};
-
 use crate::config::tracking::Tracker;
 use crate::file::display_path;
 use crate::plugins::core::{PluginMap, CORE_PLUGINS, EXPERIMENTAL_CORE_PLUGINS};
@@ -51,11 +51,12 @@ pub struct Config {
 
 impl Config {
     pub fn load() -> Result<Self> {
+        let cli_settings = Cli::new().settings(&env::ARGS.read().unwrap());
+        Settings::add_partial(cli_settings);
         let global_config = load_rtxrc()?;
+        Settings::add_partial(global_config.settings()?);
         let config_filenames = load_config_filenames(&BTreeMap::new());
-        let settings = Settings::default_builder()
-            .preloaded(global_config.settings()?)
-            .load()?;
+        let settings = Settings::default_builder().load()?;
         let plugins = load_plugins(&settings)?;
         let config_files = load_all_config_files(
             &settings,
@@ -64,11 +65,10 @@ impl Config {
             &BTreeMap::new(),
             ConfigMap::new(),
         )?;
-        let mut settings = Settings::default_builder();
         for cf in config_files.values() {
-            settings = settings.preloaded(cf.settings()?);
+            Settings::add_partial(cf.settings()?);
         }
-        let mut settings = settings.load()?;
+        let mut settings = Settings::default_builder().load()?;
         if settings.raw {
             settings.verbose = true;
             settings.jobs = 1;
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ impl Config {
 
         Ok(config)
     }
-
     pub fn get_shorthands(&self) -> &Shorthands {
         self.shorthands
             .get_or_init(|| get_shorthands(&self.settings))
@@ -241,6 +240,11 @@ impl Config {
         crate::runtime_symlinks::rebuild(self)?;
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    #[cfg(test)]
+    pub fn reset() {
+        Settings::reset();
+    }
 }
 
 fn get_project_root(config_files: &ConfigMap) -> Option<PathBuf> {
diff --git a/src/config/settings.rs b/src/config/settings.rs
index 86d02fdc7..f2999044d 100644
--- a/src/config/settings.rs
+++ b/src/config/settings.rs
@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
 use confique::env::parse::{list_by_colon, list_by_comma};
-use confique::{Builder, Config, Partial};
 
-use crate::cli::Cli;
-use log::LevelFilter;
-use serde_derive::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::collections::{BTreeMap, BTreeSet};
 use std::fmt::{Debug, Display, Formatter};
 use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::sync::{Once, RwLock};
+
+use confique::{Builder, Config, Partial};
+use log::LevelFilter;
+use serde_derive::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 use crate::env;
 
 #[derive(Config, Debug, Clone)]
-#[config(partial_attr(derive(Debug)))]
+#[config(partial_attr(derive(Debug, Clone)))]
 pub struct Settings {
     #[config(env = "RTX_EXPERIMENTAL", default = false)]
     pub experimental: bool,
@@ -54,26 +55,38 @@ impl Default for Settings {
         Settings::default_builder().load().unwrap()
     }
 }
+
+static PARTIALS: RwLock<Vec<SettingsPartial>> = RwLock::new(Vec::new());
+
 impl Settings {
-    pub fn default_builder() -> Builder<Self> {
-        let mut p = SettingsPartial::empty();
-        let args = env::ARGS.read().unwrap();
-        if *env::CI {
-            p.yes = Some(true);
-        }
-        if *env::RTX_LOG_LEVEL < LevelFilter::Info {
-            p.verbose = Some(true);
-        }
-        for arg in &*args {
-            if arg == "--" {
-                break;
+    pub fn add_partial(partial: SettingsPartial) {
+        static ONCE: Once = Once::new();
+        ONCE.call_once(|| {
+            let mut p = SettingsPartial::empty();
+            if *env::CI {
+                p.yes = Some(true);
+            }
+            if *env::RTX_LOG_LEVEL < LevelFilter::Info {
+                p.verbose = Some(true);
             }
-            if arg == "--raw" {
-                p.raw = Some(true);
+            for arg in &*env::ARGS.read().unwrap() {
+                if arg == "--" {
+                    break;
+                }
+                if arg == "--raw" {
+                    p.raw = Some(true);
+                }
             }
+            PARTIALS.write().unwrap().push(p);
+        });
+        PARTIALS.write().unwrap().push(partial);
+    }
+    pub fn default_builder() -> Builder<Self> {
+        let mut b = Self::builder();
+        for partial in PARTIALS.read().unwrap().iter() {
+            b = b.preloaded(partial.clone());
         }
-        let cli = Cli::new().settings(&args);
-        Self::builder().preloaded(cli).preloaded(p).env()
+        b.env()
     }
 
     pub fn to_index_map(&self) -> BTreeMap<String, String> {
@@ -129,6 +142,11 @@ impl Settings {
         map.insert("yes".into(), self.yes.to_string());
         map
     }
+
+    #[cfg(test)]
+    pub fn reset() {
+        PARTIALS.write().unwrap().clear();
+    }
 }
 
 impl Display for Settings {