diff --git a/extensions/settings/pkg/config/defaults/defaultconfig.go b/extensions/settings/pkg/config/defaults/defaultconfig.go
index a1eeb3c9a9..c787af7bd3 100644
--- a/extensions/settings/pkg/config/defaults/defaultconfig.go
+++ b/extensions/settings/pkg/config/defaults/defaultconfig.go
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func EnsureDefaults(cfg *config.Config) {
 	}
 
 	if cfg.Metadata.MachineAuthAPIKey == "" && cfg.Commons != nil && cfg.Commons.MachineAuthAPIKey != "" {
-		cfg.MachineAuthAPIKey = cfg.Commons.MachineAuthAPIKey
+		cfg.Metadata.MachineAuthAPIKey = cfg.Commons.MachineAuthAPIKey
 	}
 }