diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js
index b2de8ea73..1b5476a3f 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js
@@ -322,7 +322,10 @@ async function start(type,diff,muteLog,isDeploy) {
         return;
     }
 
-    const runtimeState = settings.get('runtimeFlowState') || 'start'
+    let runtimeState
+    try {
+        runtimeState = settings.get('runtimeFlowState') || 'start'
+    } catch (err) {}
     if (runtimeState === 'stop') {
         log.info(log._("nodes.flows.stopped-flows"));
         events.emit("runtime-event",{id:"runtime-state",payload:{ state: 'stop', deploy:isDeploy },retain:true});
diff --git a/test/unit/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index_spec.js b/test/unit/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index_spec.js
index 5e8f8a46e..1a0f2a73c 100644
--- a/test/unit/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index_spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index_spec.js
@@ -321,59 +321,6 @@ describe('flows/index', function() {
                 return flows.startFlows();
             });
         });
-        it('emits runtime-event "flows-run-state" "started"', async function () {
-            var originalConfig = [
-                { id: "t1-1", x: 10, y: 10, z: "t1", type: "test", wires: [] },
-                { id: "t1", type: "tab" }
-            ];
-            storage.getFlows = function () {
-                return Promise.resolve({ flows: originalConfig });
-            }
-            let receivedEvent = null;
-            const handleEvent = (data) => {
-                if(data && data.id === 'flows-run-state') {
-                    receivedEvent = data;
-                }
-            }
-            events.on('runtime-event', handleEvent);
-            flows.init({ log: mockLog, settings: {}, storage: storage });
-            await flows.load()
-            await flows.startFlows()
-            events.removeListener("runtime-event", handleEvent);
-
-            //{id:"flows-run-state", payload: {started: true, state: "started"}
-            should(receivedEvent).not.be.null()
-            receivedEvent.should.have.property("id", "flows-run-state")
-            receivedEvent.should.have.property("payload", { started: true, state: "started" })
-            receivedEvent.should.have.property("retain", true)
-        });
-        it('emits runtime-event "flows-run-state" "stopped"', async function () {
-            const originalConfig = [
-                { id: "t1-1", x: 10, y: 10, z: "t1", type: "test", wires: [] },
-                { id: "t1", type: "tab" }
-            ];
-            storage.getFlows = function () {
-                return Promise.resolve({ flows: originalConfig });
-            }
-            let receivedEvent = null;
-            const handleEvent = (data) => {
-                if(data && data.id === 'flows-run-state') {
-                    receivedEvent = data;
-                }
-            }
-            events.on('runtime-event', handleEvent);
-            flows.init({ log: mockLog, settings: {}, storage: storage });
-            await flows.load()
-            await flows.startFlows()
-            await flows.stopFlows()
-            events.removeListener("runtime-event", handleEvent);
-
-            //{id:"flows-run-state", payload: {started: true, state: "started"}
-            should(receivedEvent).not.be.null()
-            receivedEvent.should.have.property("id", "flows-run-state")
-            receivedEvent.should.have.property("payload", { started: false, state: "stopped" })
-            receivedEvent.should.have.property("retain", true)
-        });
         it('does not start if nodes missing', function(done) {
             var originalConfig = [
                 {id:"t1-1",x:10,y:10,z:"t1",type:"test",wires:[]},
@@ -449,12 +396,13 @@ describe('flows/index', function() {
                 try {
                     flowCreate.called.should.be.false();
                     receivedEvent.should.have.property('id','runtime-state');
-                    receivedEvent.should.have.property('payload',
-                       { error: 'missing-modules',
-                         type: 'warning',
-                         text: 'notification.warnings.missing-modules',
-                         modules: [] }
-                     );
+                    receivedEvent.should.have.property('payload', {
+                        state: 'stop',
+                        error: 'missing-modules',
+                        type: 'warning',
+                        text: 'notification.warnings.missing-modules',
+                        modules: []
+                     });
 
                     done();
                 }catch(err) {