diff --git a/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/portal/settings/branding.svelte b/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/portal/settings/branding.svelte
index ae22d310a1..ec2159d62b 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/portal/settings/branding.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/portal/settings/branding.svelte
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@
   let config = {}
   let updated = false
 
-  $: onConfigUpdate(config, mounted)
-  $: init = Object.keys(config).length > 0
+  $: onConfigUpdate(config)
+  $: initialised = Object.keys(config).length > 0
 
   $: isCloud = $admin.cloud
   $: brandingEnabled = $licensing.brandingEnabled
 
   const onConfigUpdate = () => {
-    if (!mounted || updated || !init) {
+    if (!mounted || updated || !initialised) {
       return
     }
     updated = true
@@ -122,34 +122,27 @@
     return response
   }
 
-  async function saveConfig() {
-    saving = true
-
+  async function saveFiles() {
     if (logoFile) {
       const logoResp = await uploadLogo(logoFile)
       if (logoResp.url) {
-        config = {
-          ...config,
-          logoUrl: logoResp.url,
-        }
         logoFile = null
         logoPreview = null
       }
+      config.logoUrl = undefined
     }
 
     if (faviconFile) {
       const faviconResp = await uploadFavicon(faviconFile)
       if (faviconResp.url) {
-        config = {
-          ...config,
-          faviconUrl: faviconResp.url,
-        }
         faviconFile = null
         faviconPreview = null
       }
+      config.faviconUrl = undefined
     }
+  }
 
-    // Trim
+  function trimFields() {
     const userStrings = [
       "metaTitle",
       "platformTitle",
@@ -168,11 +161,18 @@
       ...config,
       ...trimmed,
     }
+  }
+
+  async function saveConfig() {
+    saving = true
+
+    await saveFiles()
+    trimFields()
 
     try {
       // Update settings
       await organisation.save(config)
-      await organisation.init()
+      await init()
       notifications.success("Branding settings updated")
     } catch (e) {
       console.error("Branding updated failed", e)
@@ -182,9 +182,10 @@
     saving = false
   }
 
-  onMount(async () => {
-    await organisation.init()
-
+  async function init() {
+    if (!$organisation.loaded) {
+      await organisation.init()
+    }
     config = {
       faviconUrl: $organisation.faviconUrl,
       logoUrl: $organisation.logoUrl,
@@ -197,6 +198,10 @@
       metaImageUrl: $organisation.metaImageUrl,
       metaTitle: $organisation.metaTitle,
     }
+  }
+
+  onMount(async () => {
+    await init()
     mounted = true
   })
 </script>
@@ -262,6 +267,7 @@
               faviconFile = e.detail
               faviconPreview = null
             } else {
+              faviconFile = null
               clone.faviconUrl = ""
             }
             config = clone
@@ -408,7 +414,11 @@
           Upgrade
         </Button>
       {/if}
-      <Button on:click={saveConfig} cta disabled={saving || !updated || !init}>
+      <Button
+        on:click={saveConfig}
+        cta
+        disabled={saving || !updated || !$organisation.loaded}
+      >
         Save
       </Button>
     </div>
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/stores/portal/organisation.js b/packages/builder/src/stores/portal/organisation.js
index ed7dd36636..ab33c7a5fa 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/stores/portal/organisation.js
+++ b/packages/builder/src/stores/portal/organisation.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ const DEFAULT_CONFIG = {
   oidcCallbackUrl: "",
   googleCallbackUrl: "",
   isSSOEnforced: false,
+  loaded: false,
 }
 
 export function createOrganisationStore() {
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ export function createOrganisationStore() {
   async function init() {
     const tenantId = get(auth).tenantId
     const settingsConfigDoc = await API.getTenantConfig(tenantId)
-    set({ ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, ...settingsConfigDoc.config })
+    set({ ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, ...settingsConfigDoc.config, loaded: true })
   }
 
   async function save(config) {
@@ -43,6 +44,10 @@ export function createOrganisationStore() {
     delete storeConfig.googleDatasourceConfigured
     delete storeConfig.oidcCallbackUrl
     delete storeConfig.googleCallbackUrl
+
+    // delete internal store field
+    delete storeConfig.loaded
+
     await API.saveConfig({
       type: "settings",
       config: { ...storeConfig, ...config },
diff --git a/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/configs.ts b/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/configs.ts
index afbb7c931d..0f22d4aae0 100644
--- a/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/configs.ts
+++ b/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/configs.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import {
   isSettingsConfig,
   isSMTPConfig,
   OIDCConfigs,
+  SettingsBrandingConfig,
   SettingsInnerConfig,
   SSOConfig,
   SSOConfigType,
@@ -142,13 +143,29 @@ async function hasActivatedConfig(ssoConfigs?: SSOConfigs) {
   return !!Object.values(ssoConfigs).find(c => c?.activated)
 }
 
-async function verifySettingsConfig(config: SettingsInnerConfig) {
+async function verifySettingsConfig(
+  config: SettingsInnerConfig & SettingsBrandingConfig,
+  existingConfig?: SettingsInnerConfig & SettingsBrandingConfig
+) {
   if (config.isSSOEnforced) {
     const valid = await hasActivatedConfig()
     if (!valid) {
       throw new Error("Cannot enforce SSO without an activated configuration")
     }
   }
+
+  // always preserve file attributes
+  // these should be set via upload instead
+  // only allow for deletion by checking empty string to bypass this behaviour
+
+  if (existingConfig && config.logoUrl !== "") {
+    config.logoUrl = existingConfig.logoUrl
+    config.logoUrlEtag = existingConfig.logoUrlEtag
+  }
+  if (existingConfig && config.faviconUrl !== "") {
+    config.faviconUrl = existingConfig.faviconUrl
+    config.faviconUrlEtag = existingConfig.faviconUrlEtag
+  }
 }
 
 async function verifySSOConfig(type: SSOConfigType, config: SSOConfig) {
@@ -198,7 +215,7 @@ export async function save(ctx: UserCtx<Config>) {
         await email.verifyConfig(config)
         break
       case ConfigType.SETTINGS:
-        await verifySettingsConfig(config)
+        await verifySettingsConfig(config, existingConfig?.config)
         break
       case ConfigType.GOOGLE:
         await verifyGoogleConfig(config)
@@ -320,14 +337,15 @@ export async function publicSettings(
       )
     }
 
-    if (branding.faviconUrl && branding.faviconUrl !== "") {
-      // @ts-ignore
-      config.faviconUrl = objectStore.getGlobalFileUrl(
-        "settings",
-        "faviconUrl",
-        branding.faviconUrl
-      )
-    }
+    // enrich the favicon url - empty url means deleted
+    const faviconUrl =
+      branding.faviconUrl && branding.faviconUrl !== ""
+        ? objectStore.getGlobalFileUrl(
+            "settings",
+            "faviconUrl",
+            branding.faviconUrlEtag
+          )
+        : undefined
 
     // google
     const googleConfig = await configs.getGoogleConfig()
@@ -352,6 +370,7 @@ export async function publicSettings(
       config: {
         ...config,
         ...branding,
+        ...{ faviconUrl },
         google,
         googleDatasourceConfigured,
         oidc,