diff --git a/ui/component/app/index.js b/ui/component/app/index.js
index 32ea986f7..2827ded9b 100644
--- a/ui/component/app/index.js
+++ b/ui/component/app/index.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import {
   selectThemePath,
 } from 'redux/selectors/settings';
 import { selectIsUpgradeAvailable, selectAutoUpdateDownloaded } from 'redux/selectors/app';
-import { doSetLanguage, doUpdateSyncPref } from 'redux/actions/settings';
+import { doSetLanguage, doUpdateSyncPrefIfFalse } from 'redux/actions/settings';
 import { doSyncSubscribe } from 'redux/actions/syncwrapper';
 import {
   doDownloadUpgradeRequested,
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ const perform = dispatch => ({
   signIn: () => dispatch(doSignIn()),
   requestDownloadUpgrade: () => dispatch(doDownloadUpgradeRequested()),
   updatePreferences: () => dispatch(doGetAndPopulatePreferences()),
-  updateSyncPref: () => dispatch(doUpdateSyncPref()),
+  pushPrefsIfSyncFalse: () => dispatch(doUpdateSyncPrefIfFalse()),
   syncSubscribe: () => dispatch(doSyncSubscribe()),
   setReferrer: (referrer, doClaim) => dispatch(doUserSetReferrer(referrer, doClaim)),
 });
diff --git a/ui/component/app/view.jsx b/ui/component/app/view.jsx
index 0f6de49a3..d238a8427 100644
--- a/ui/component/app/view.jsx
+++ b/ui/component/app/view.jsx
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ type Props = {
   isUpgradeAvailable: boolean,
   autoUpdateDownloaded: boolean,
   updatePreferences: () => Promise<any>,
-  updateSyncPref: () => void,
+  pushPrefsIfSyncFalse: () => void,
   uploadCount: number,
   balance: ?number,
   syncError: ?string,
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ function App(props: Props) {
     languages,
     setLanguage,
     updatePreferences,
-    updateSyncPref,
+    pushPrefsIfSyncFalse,
     rewards,
     setReferrer,
     isAuthenticated,
@@ -237,6 +237,7 @@ function App(props: Props) {
   useEffect(() => {
     if (updatePreferences && readyForPrefs) {
       updatePreferences().then(() => {
+        // will pull and U_S_P; usp will make sure prefBox applied if false
         setReadyForSync(true);
       });
     }
@@ -245,19 +246,21 @@ function App(props: Props) {
 
   // ready for sync syncs, however after signin when hasVerifiedEmail, that syncs too.
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (readyForSync && hasVerifiedEmail) {
-      // Copy sync checkbox to settings and push to preferences
-      // before sync if false, after sync if true so as not to change timestamp.
-      if (signInSyncPref === false) {
-        updateSyncPref();
-      }
+    // signInSyncPref is cleared after sharedState loop.
+    if (readyForSync && hasVerifiedEmail && signInSyncPref === undefined) {
+      // On sign-in, we get and apply all the information on whether to sync
+      // the checkbox, previous wallet settings, store rehydrate, etc
+      // Our app is up to date with the wallet
+      // Because the checkbox is applied last, make sure the wallet remembers if false:
+      // @if TARGET='app'
+      pushPrefsIfSyncFalse();
+      // @endif
+
+      // And try this in case we are syncing.
       syncSubscribe();
-      if (signInSyncPref === true) {
-        updateSyncPref();
-      }
     }
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
-  }, [readyForSync, hasVerifiedEmail, signInSyncPref, updateSyncPref, syncSubscribe]);
+  }, [readyForSync, hasVerifiedEmail, signInSyncPref, pushPrefsIfSyncFalse, syncSubscribe]);
 
   // We know someone is logging in or not when we get their user object {}
   // We'll use this to determine when it's time to pull preferences
diff --git a/ui/redux/actions/settings.js b/ui/redux/actions/settings.js
index 9428b23d3..271e0aadc 100644
--- a/ui/redux/actions/settings.js
+++ b/ui/redux/actions/settings.js
@@ -138,13 +138,14 @@ export function doSetClientSetting(key, value, pushPrefs) {
   };
 }
 
-export function doUpdateSyncPref() {
+export function doUpdateSyncPrefIfFalse() {
+  // This is only called after manual signin to update the wallet
+  // that the sync preference is false
   return (dispatch, getState) => {
-    const { settings } = getState();
-    const { syncEnabledPref } = settings || {};
-    if (syncEnabledPref !== undefined) {
-      dispatch(doSetClientSetting(SETTINGS.ENABLE_SYNC, syncEnabledPref, true));
-      dispatch(doSetSyncPref(undefined));
+    const state = getState();
+    const syncEnabled = makeSelectClientSetting(SETTINGS.ENABLE_SYNC)(state);
+    if (syncEnabled === false) {
+      dispatch(doPushSettingsToPrefs());
     }
   };
 }
@@ -224,6 +225,7 @@ export function doExitSettingsPage() {
   return (dispatch, getState) => {
     dispatch(doSetSyncLock(false));
     dispatch(doPushSettingsToPrefs());
+    // syncSubscribe is restarted in store.js sharedStateCB if necessary
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/ui/redux/actions/syncwrapper.js b/ui/redux/actions/syncwrapper.js
index 1bfb898ae..74b5fa7fe 100644
--- a/ui/redux/actions/syncwrapper.js
+++ b/ui/redux/actions/syncwrapper.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // @flow
 import { doGetSync, selectGetSyncIsPending, selectSetSyncIsPending } from 'lbryinc';
 import { SETTINGS } from 'lbry-redux';
-import { makeSelectClientSetting } from 'redux/selectors/settings';
+import { makeSelectClientSetting, selectSyncSigninPref } from 'redux/selectors/settings';
 import { getSavedPassword } from 'util/saved-passwords';
 import { doAnalyticsTagSync, doHandleSyncComplete } from 'redux/actions/app';
 import { selectSyncIsLocked } from 'redux/selectors/app';
@@ -31,9 +31,10 @@ export function doSyncSubscribe() {
     if (syncTimer) clearInterval(syncTimer);
     const state = getState();
     const hasVerifiedEmail = selectUserVerifiedEmail(state);
+    const signInSyncPref = selectSyncSigninPref(state);
     const syncEnabled = makeSelectClientSetting(SETTINGS.ENABLE_SYNC)(state);
     const syncLocked = selectSyncIsLocked(state);
-    if (hasVerifiedEmail && syncEnabled && !syncLocked) {
+    if (hasVerifiedEmail && syncEnabled && !syncLocked && signInSyncPref !== false) {
       dispatch(doGetSyncDesktop((error, hasNewData) => dispatch(doHandleSyncComplete(error, hasNewData))));
       dispatch(doAnalyticsTagSync());
       syncTimer = setInterval(() => {
diff --git a/ui/redux/reducers/settings.js b/ui/redux/reducers/settings.js
index 005fb7bf9..8ad323cb2 100644
--- a/ui/redux/reducers/settings.js
+++ b/ui/redux/reducers/settings.js
@@ -160,13 +160,22 @@ reducers[ACTIONS.SYNC_PREFERENCE_CHANGED] = (state, action) => {
 };
 
 reducers[LBRY_REDUX_ACTIONS.USER_STATE_POPULATE] = (state, action) => {
-  const { clientSettings: currentClientSettings } = state;
+  const { clientSettings: currentClientSettings, syncEnabledPref } = state;
   const { settings: sharedPreferences } = action.data;
+  // we have to update the signin sync checkbox in here
+  // where we can simulataneously set the checkbox temp value to undefined, and
+  // update the sync setting before sync happens
+  // temp box must be undefined to trigger the items in the syncSubscribe effect
+  const syncSettingOrEmpty = syncEnabledPref !== undefined ? { enable_sync: syncEnabledPref } : {};
 
   const selectedSettings = sharedPreferences ? getSubsetFromKeysArray(sharedPreferences, clientSyncKeys) : {};
-  const mergedClientSettings = { ...currentClientSettings, ...selectedSettings };
+  const mergedClientSettings = { ...currentClientSettings, ...selectedSettings, ...syncSettingOrEmpty };
   const newSharedPreferences = sharedPreferences || {};
-  return Object.assign({}, state, { sharedPreferences: newSharedPreferences, clientSettings: mergedClientSettings });
+  return Object.assign({}, state, {
+    sharedPreferences: newSharedPreferences,
+    clientSettings: mergedClientSettings,
+    syncEnabledPref: undefined,
+  });
 };
 
 reducers[LBRY_REDUX_ACTIONS.SAVE_CUSTOM_WALLET_SERVERS] = (state, action) => {
diff --git a/ui/redux/selectors/settings.js b/ui/redux/selectors/settings.js
index 30479d1de..e137a5b80 100644
--- a/ui/redux/selectors/settings.js
+++ b/ui/redux/selectors/settings.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export const selectFfmpegStatus = createSelector(selectDaemonStatus, status => s
 
 export const selectFindingFFmpeg = createSelector(selectState, state => state.findingFFmpeg || false);
 
-export const selectSyncSigninPref = createSelector(selectState, state => state.syncEnabledPref || undefined);
+export const selectSyncSigninPref = createSelector(selectState, state => state.syncEnabledPref);
 
 export const selectClientSettings = createSelector(selectState, state => state.clientSettings || {});