diff --git a/code/datums/keybinding/emote.dm b/code/datums/keybinding/emote.dm
index 5d6e7895ed9..157a45af51f 100644
--- a/code/datums/keybinding/emote.dm
+++ b/code/datums/keybinding/emote.dm
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 /datum/keybinding/emote/proc/link_to_emote(datum/emote/faketype)
 	hotkey_keys = list("Unbound")
+	classic_keys = list("Unbound")
 	emote_key = initial(faketype.key)
 	name = initial(faketype.key)
 	full_name = capitalize(initial(faketype.key))
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
index 3bdda004e13..651750b1ef4 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
@@ -111,17 +111,18 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 			continue // key is unbound and or bound to something
 		var/addedbind = FALSE
 		if(hotkeys)
-			for(var/hotkeytobind in kb.classic_keys)
-				if(!length(key_bindings[hotkeytobind]))
+			for(var/hotkeytobind in kb.hotkey_keys)
+				if(!length(key_bindings[hotkeytobind]) || hotkeytobind == "Unbound") //Only bind to the key if nothing else is bound expect for Unbound
 					LAZYADD(key_bindings[hotkeytobind], kb.name)
 					addedbind = TRUE
 		else
 			for(var/classickeytobind in kb.classic_keys)
-				if(!length(key_bindings[classickeytobind]))
+				if(!length(key_bindings[classickeytobind]) || classickeytobind == "Unbound") //Only bind to the key if nothing else is bound expect for Unbound
 					LAZYADD(key_bindings[classickeytobind], kb.name)
 					addedbind = TRUE
 		if(!addedbind)
 			notadded += kb
+	save_preferences() //Save the players pref so that new keys that were set to Unbound as default are permanently stored
 	if(length(notadded))
 		addtimer(CALLBACK(src, .proc/announce_conflict, notadded), 5 SECONDS)
 
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 		var/datum/keybinding/conflicted = item
 		to_chat(parent, "<span class='danger'>[conflicted.category]: [conflicted.full_name] needs updating</span>")
 		LAZYADD(key_bindings["Unbound"], conflicted.name) // set it to unbound to prevent this from opening up again in the future
+		save_preferences()