diff --git a/code/controllers/configuration/entries/game_options.dm b/code/controllers/configuration/entries/game_options.dm
index 60eda61802..1312183750 100644
--- a/code/controllers/configuration/entries/game_options.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/configuration/entries/game_options.dm
@@ -479,5 +479,4 @@
 	integer = FALSE
 
 //Allows players to set a hexadecimal color of their choice as skin tone, on top of the standard ones.
-/datum/config_entry/number/allow_custom_skintones
-	config_entry_value = 1
+/datum/config_entry/flag/allow_custom_skintones
diff --git a/code/game/objects/structures/mirror.dm b/code/game/objects/structures/mirror.dm
index be783f387e..e32def727a 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/structures/mirror.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/structures/mirror.dm
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@
 
 			if(H.dna.species.use_skintones)
 				var/list/choices = GLOB.skin_tones
-				if(CONFIG_GET(number/allow_custom_skintones))
+				if(CONFIG_GET(flag/allow_custom_skintones))
 					choices += "custom"
 				var/new_s_tone = input(H, "Choose your skin tone:", "Race change")  as null|anything in choices
 				if(new_s_tone)
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
index 30291236e2..37ae8b3b09 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
@@ -1837,7 +1837,7 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(preferences_datums)
 
 				if("s_tone")
 					var/list/choices = GLOB.skin_tones - GLOB.nonstandard_skin_tones
-					if(CONFIG_GET(number/allow_custom_skintones))
+					if(CONFIG_GET(flag/allow_custom_skintones))
 						choices += "custom"
 					var/new_s_tone = input(user, "Choose your character's skin tone:", "Character Preference")  as null|anything in choices
 					if(new_s_tone)
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
index 6fb01f2d58..715829b56e 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
@@ -571,11 +571,16 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 	hair_color						= sanitize_hexcolor(hair_color, 3, 0)
 	facial_hair_color				= sanitize_hexcolor(facial_hair_color, 3, 0)
 	eye_color						= sanitize_hexcolor(eye_color, 3, 0)
-	use_custom_skin_tone			= sanitize_integer(use_custom_skin_tone, FALSE, TRUE, initial(use_custom_skin_tone))
-	if(use_custom_skin_tone && CONFIG_GET(number/allow_custom_skintones))
+
+	var/static/allow_custom_skintones
+	if(isnull(allow_custom_skintones))
+		allow_custom_skintones = CONFIG_GET(flag/allow_custom_skintones)
+	use_custom_skin_tone			= allow_custom_skintones ? sanitize_integer(use_custom_skin_tone, FALSE, TRUE, initial(use_custom_skin_tone)) : FALSE
+	if(use_custom_skin_tone)
 		skin_tone					= sanitize_hexcolor(skin_tone, 6, TRUE, "#FFFFFF")
 	else
 		skin_tone					= sanitize_inlist(skin_tone, GLOB.skin_tones - GLOB.nonstandard_skin_tones, initial(skin_tone))
+
 	horn_color						= sanitize_hexcolor(horn_color, 3, FALSE)
 	wing_color						= sanitize_hexcolor(wing_color, 3, FALSE, "#FFFFFF")
 	backbag							= sanitize_inlist(backbag, GLOB.backbaglist, initial(backbag))