diff --git a/app/common/src/main/java/stirling/software/common/configuration/ConfigInitializer.java b/app/common/src/main/java/stirling/software/common/configuration/ConfigInitializer.java
index 50090ee51..54e42504c 100644
--- a/app/common/src/main/java/stirling/software/common/configuration/ConfigInitializer.java
+++ b/app/common/src/main/java/stirling/software/common/configuration/ConfigInitializer.java
@@ -23,10 +23,30 @@ import stirling.software.common.util.YamlHelper;
 @Slf4j
 public class ConfigInitializer {
 
+    private static final int MIN_SETTINGS_FILE_LINES = 31;
+
     public void ensureConfigExists() throws IOException, URISyntaxException {
         // 1) If settings file doesn't exist, create from template
         Path destPath = Paths.get(InstallationPathConfig.getSettingsPath());
-        if (Files.notExists(destPath)) {
+
+        boolean settingsFileExists = Files.exists(destPath);
+
+        long lineCount = settingsFileExists ? Files.readAllLines(destPath).size() : 0;
+
+        log.info("Current settings file line count: {}", lineCount);
+
+        if (!settingsFileExists || lineCount < MIN_SETTINGS_FILE_LINES) {
+            if (settingsFileExists) {
+                // move settings.yml to settings.yml.{timestamp}.bak
+                Path backupPath =
+                        Paths.get(
+                                InstallationPathConfig.getSettingsPath()
+                                        + "."
+                                        + System.currentTimeMillis()
+                                        + ".bak");
+                Files.move(destPath, backupPath, StandardCopyOption.REPLACE_EXISTING);
+                log.info("Moved existing settings file to backup: {}", backupPath);
+            }
             Files.createDirectories(destPath.getParent());
             try (InputStream in =
                     getClass().getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("settings.yml.template")) {