diff --git a/UI/obs-app.cpp b/UI/obs-app.cpp
index 2758b72e5..67b4c0fed 100644
--- a/UI/obs-app.cpp
+++ b/UI/obs-app.cpp
@@ -583,6 +583,7 @@ static string GetSceneCollectionFileFromName(const char *name)
 bool OBSApp::InitGlobalConfig()
 {
 	char path[512];
+	bool changed = false;
 
 	int len = GetConfigPath(path, sizeof(path),
 			"obs-studio/global.ini");
@@ -606,6 +607,7 @@ bool OBSApp::InitGlobalConfig()
 			config_set_string(globalConfig,
 					"Basic", "SceneCollectionFile",
 					path.c_str());
+			changed = true;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -617,9 +619,24 @@ bool OBSApp::InitGlobalConfig()
 					opt_starting_profile.c_str());
 			config_set_string(globalConfig, "Basic", "ProfileDir",
 					path.c_str());
+			changed = true;
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (!config_has_user_value(globalConfig, "General", "OldDefaults")) {
+		uint32_t lastVersion = config_get_int(globalConfig, "General",
+				"LastVersion");
+		bool useOldDefaults = lastVersion &&
+		    lastVersion < MAKE_SEMANTIC_VERSION(19, 0, 0);
+
+		config_set_bool(globalConfig, "General", "Pre19Defaults",
+				useOldDefaults);
+		changed = true;
+	}
+
+	if (changed)
+		config_save_safe(globalConfig, "tmp", nullptr);
+
 	return InitGlobalConfigDefaults();
 }
 
diff --git a/UI/window-basic-main.cpp b/UI/window-basic-main.cpp
index d788adcc2..3264e94ca 100644
--- a/UI/window-basic-main.cpp
+++ b/UI/window-basic-main.cpp
@@ -913,6 +913,17 @@ bool OBSBasic::InitBasicConfigDefaults()
 	uint32_t cx = primaryScreen->size().width();
 	uint32_t cy = primaryScreen->size().height();
 
+	bool oldResolutionDefaults = config_get_bool(App()->GlobalConfig(),
+			"General", "Pre19Defaults");
+
+	/* use 1920x1080 for new default base res if main monitor is above
+	 * 1920x1080, but don't apply for people from older builds -- only to
+	 * new users */
+	if (!oldResolutionDefaults && (cx * cy) > (1920 * 1080)) {
+		cx = 1920;
+		cy = 1080;
+	}
+
 	/* ----------------------------------------------------- */
 	/* move over mixer values in advanced if older config */
 	if (config_has_user_value(basicConfig, "AdvOut", "RecTrackIndex") &&