diff --git a/src/components/extra_notifications/extra_notifications.js b/src/components/extra_notifications/extra_notifications.js
index ec5ceebe1..31ca57aaa 100644
--- a/src/components/extra_notifications/extra_notifications.js
+++ b/src/components/extra_notifications/extra_notifications.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { mapGetters } from 'vuex'
 import { useAnnouncementsStore } from 'src/stores/announcements.js'
 import { useInterfaceStore } from 'src/stores/interface.js'
 import { useMergedConfigStore } from 'src/stores/merged_config.js'
+import { useSyncConfigStore } from 'src/stores/sync_config.js'
 
 import { library } from '@fortawesome/fontawesome-svg-core'
 import {
diff --git a/src/components/post_status_form/post_status_form.js b/src/components/post_status_form/post_status_form.js
index 1f92a7e55..7ebbeeaeb 100644
--- a/src/components/post_status_form/post_status_form.js
+++ b/src/components/post_status_form/post_status_form.js
@@ -325,7 +325,8 @@ const PostStatusForm = {
     },
     hideScopeNotice() {
       return (
-        this.disableNotice || useMergedConfigStore().mergedConfig.hideScopeNotice
+        this.disableNotice ||
+        useMergedConfigStore().mergedConfig.hideScopeNotice
       )
     },
     pollContentError() {
diff --git a/src/components/settings_modal/settings_modal.js b/src/components/settings_modal/settings_modal.js
index f889cc66f..4ca2857b2 100644
--- a/src/components/settings_modal/settings_modal.js
+++ b/src/components/settings_modal/settings_modal.js
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ import Popover from '../popover/popover.vue'
 
 import { useInterfaceStore } from 'src/stores/interface.js'
 import { useLocalConfigStore } from 'src/stores/local_config.js'
-import { useSyncConfigStore } from 'src/stores/sync_config.js'
 import { useMergedConfigStore } from 'src/stores/merged_config.js'
+import { useSyncConfigStore } from 'src/stores/sync_config.js'
 
 import { LOCAL_ONLY_KEYS } from 'src/modules/default_config_state.js'
 import {
diff --git a/src/components/status_action_buttons/buttons_definitions.js b/src/components/status_action_buttons/buttons_definitions.js
index 01b0e8bdb..cdb49b1ac 100644
--- a/src/components/status_action_buttons/buttons_definitions.js
+++ b/src/components/status_action_buttons/buttons_definitions.js
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import { useEditStatusStore } from 'src/stores/editStatus.js'
 import { useInstanceStore } from 'src/stores/instance.js'
 import { useInstanceCapabilitiesStore } from 'src/stores/instance_capabilities.js'
+import { useMergedConfigStore } from 'src/stores/merged_config.js'
 import { useReportsStore } from 'src/stores/reports.js'
 import { useStatusHistoryStore } from 'src/stores/statusHistory.js'
-import { useMergedConfigStore } from 'src/stores/merged_config.js'
 
 const PRIVATE_SCOPES = new Set(['private', 'direct'])
 const PUBLIC_SCOPES = new Set(['public', 'unlisted'])
diff --git a/src/modules/default_config_state.js b/src/modules/default_config_state.js
index 5af6f6c5e..3800d4deb 100644
--- a/src/modules/default_config_state.js
+++ b/src/modules/default_config_state.js
@@ -661,8 +661,8 @@ export const SYNC_DEFAULT_CONFIG_DEFINITIONS = {
   },
   collapseNav: {
     description: 'Collapse navigation panel to header only',
-    default: false
-  }
+    default: false,
+  },
 }
 export const SYNC_DEFAULT_CONFIG = convertDefinitions(
   SYNC_DEFAULT_CONFIG_DEFINITIONS,
@@ -675,12 +675,14 @@ export const THEME_CONFIG_DEFINITIONS = {
     default: null,
   },
   colors: {
-    description: 'VERY old theme store, just colors of V1, probably not even used anymore',
+    description:
+      'VERY old theme store, just colors of V1, probably not even used anymore',
     default: {},
   },
   // V2
   customTheme: {
-    description: '"Snapshot", previously was used as actual theme store for V2 so it\'s still used in case of PleromaFE downgrade event.',
+    description:
+      '"Snapshot", previously was used as actual theme store for V2 so it\'s still used in case of PleromaFE downgrade event.',
     default: null,
   },
   customThemeSource: {
@@ -705,9 +707,7 @@ export const THEME_CONFIG_DEFINITIONS = {
     default: null,
   },
 }
-export const THEME_CONFIG = convertDefinitions(
-  THEME_CONFIG_DEFINITIONS,
-)
+export const THEME_CONFIG = convertDefinitions(THEME_CONFIG_DEFINITIONS)
 
 export const makeUndefined = (c) =>
   Object.fromEntries(Object.keys(c).map((key) => [key, undefined]))
diff --git a/src/stores/local_config.js b/src/stores/local_config.js
index f8b76a26c..5b15c6ff1 100644
--- a/src/stores/local_config.js
+++ b/src/stores/local_config.js
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ import { useInstanceStore } from 'src/stores/instance'
 import {
   LOCAL_DEFAULT_CONFIG,
   LOCAL_DEFAULT_CONFIG_DEFINITIONS,
-  validateSetting,
   makeUndefined,
+  validateSetting,
 } from 'src/modules/default_config_state'
 
 export const defaultState = {
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ export const useLocalConfigStore = defineStore('local_config', {
   persist: {
     afterLoad(state) {
       return {
-        prefsStorage: state.prefsStorage ?? { ...makeUndefined(LOCAL_DEFAULT_CONFIG) },
+        prefsStorage: state.prefsStorage ?? {
+          ...makeUndefined(LOCAL_DEFAULT_CONFIG),
+        },
         tempStorage: { ...makeUndefined(LOCAL_DEFAULT_CONFIG) },
       }
     },
diff --git a/src/stores/merged_config.js b/src/stores/merged_config.js
index 80d27fabf..c4f27082c 100644
--- a/src/stores/merged_config.js
+++ b/src/stores/merged_config.js
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ import { useSyncConfigStore } from 'src/stores/sync_config.js'
 import {
   INSTANCE_DEFAULT_CONFIG,
   LOCAL_DEFAULT_CONFIG,
-  THEME_CONFIG,
   LOCAL_ONLY_KEYS,
+  THEME_CONFIG,
 } from 'src/modules/default_config_state.js'
 
 const ROOT_CONFIG = {
@@ -35,10 +35,7 @@ export const useMergedConfigStore = defineStore('merged_config', {
       const getDefault = (k) => instancePrefs[k] ?? ROOT_CONFIG[k]
 
       const result = Object.fromEntries(
-        Object.keys(ROOT_CONFIG).map((k) => [
-          k,
-          getValue(k) ?? getDefault(k),
-        ]),
+        Object.keys(ROOT_CONFIG).map((k) => [k, getValue(k) ?? getDefault(k)]),
       )
       return result
     },
@@ -48,10 +45,7 @@ export const useMergedConfigStore = defineStore('merged_config', {
       const getDefault = (k) => instancePrefs[k] ?? ROOT_CONFIG[k]
 
       const result = Object.fromEntries(
-        Object.keys(ROOT_CONFIG).map((k) => [
-          k,
-          getDefault(k),
-        ]),
+        Object.keys(ROOT_CONFIG).map((k) => [k, getDefault(k)]),
       )
       return result
     },
@@ -65,10 +59,7 @@ export const useMergedConfigStore = defineStore('merged_config', {
         tempPrefs[k] ?? localPrefs[k] ?? syncPrefs.simple[k] ?? instancePrefs[k]
 
       const result = Object.fromEntries(
-        Object.keys(ROOT_CONFIG).map(([k, value]) => [
-          k,
-          getValue(k),
-        ]),
+        Object.keys(ROOT_CONFIG).map(([k, value]) => [k, getValue(k)]),
       )
       return result
     },
diff --git a/src/stores/sync_config.js b/src/stores/sync_config.js
index a6580b5c7..045579e41 100644
--- a/src/stores/sync_config.js
+++ b/src/stores/sync_config.js
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ import { useLocalConfigStore } from 'src/stores/local_config.js'
 
 import { storage } from 'src/lib/storage.js'
 import {
+  makeUndefined,
   ROOT_CONFIG,
   ROOT_CONFIG_DEFINITIONS,
   validateSetting,
-  makeUndefined,
 } from 'src/modules/default_config_state.js'
 import { oldDefaultConfigSync } from 'src/modules/old_default_config_state.js'
 
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ export const _mergePrefs = (recent, stale) => {
       )
     }
     switch (operation) {
-      case 'set':
+      case 'set': {
         if (path.startsWith('collections')) {
           return console.error('Illegal operation "set" on a collection')
         }
@@ -306,8 +306,22 @@ export const _mergePrefs = (recent, stale) => {
             `Calling set on depth <= 1 (path: ${path}) is not allowed`,
           )
         }
-        set(resultOutput, path, args[0])
+
+        const definition = path.startsWith('simple.muteFilters')
+          ? { default: {} }
+          : ROOT_CONFIG_DEFINITIONS[path.split('.')[1]]
+
+        const finalValue = validateSetting({
+          path: path.split('.')[1],
+          value: args[0],
+          definition,
+          throwError: false,
+          defaultState: ROOT_CONFIG,
+        })
+
+        set(resultOutput, path, finalValue)
         break
+      }
       case 'unset':
         if (path.startsWith('collections')) {
           return console.error('Illegal operation "unset" on a collection')
@@ -488,8 +502,8 @@ export const useSyncConfigStore = defineStore('sync_config', {
       }
 
       const definition = path.startsWith('simple.muteFilters')
-            ? { default: {} }
-            : ROOT_CONFIG_DEFINITIONS[path.split('.')[1]]
+        ? { default: {} }
+        : ROOT_CONFIG_DEFINITIONS[path.split('.')[1]]
 
       const finalValue = validateSetting({
         path: path.split('.')[1],
diff --git a/src/stores/user_highlight.js b/src/stores/user_highlight.js
index c70c7f57f..3627886ea 100644
--- a/src/stores/user_highlight.js
+++ b/src/stores/user_highlight.js
@@ -153,8 +153,9 @@ const _mergeJournal = (...journals) => {
 export const _mergeHighlights = (recent, stale) => {
   if (!stale) return recent
   if (!recent) return stale
-  const { _journal: recentJournal, ...recentData } = recent
+  const { _journal: recentJournal, highlight: recentHighlight } = recent
   const { _journal: staleJournal } = stale
+  console.log(recentHighlight)
   /** Journal entry format:
    * user: user to entry in highlight storage
    * timestamp: timestamp of the change
@@ -164,7 +165,7 @@ export const _mergeHighlights = (recent, stale) => {
    * currently only supported operation type is "set" which just sets the value
    * to requested one. Intended only to be used with simple preferences (boolean, number)
    */
-  const resultOutput = { ...recentData }
+  const resultHighlight = { ...recentHighlight }
   const Journal = _mergeJournal(staleJournal, recentJournal)
   Journal.forEach(({ user, operation, args }) => {
     if (user.startsWith('_')) {
@@ -174,16 +175,16 @@ export const _mergeHighlights = (recent, stale) => {
     }
     switch (operation) {
       case 'set':
-        resultOutput[user] = args[0]
+        resultHighlight[user] = args[0]
         break
       case 'unset':
-        delete resultOutput[user]
+        delete resultHighlight[user]
         break
       default:
         return console.error(`Unknown journal operation: '${operation}'`)
     }
   })
-  return { ...resultOutput, _journal: Journal }
+  return { highlight: resultHighlight, _journal: Journal }
 }
 
 export const useUserHighlightStore = defineStore('user_highlight', {
@@ -333,7 +334,6 @@ export const useUserHighlightStore = defineStore('user_highlight', {
         this.cache._timestamp = Math.min(stale._timestamp, recent._timestamp)
       }
       this.highlight = this.cache.highlight
-      this.pushHighlight()
     },
     pushHighlight({ force = false } = {}) {
       const needPush = this.dirty || force
diff --git a/test/unit/specs/components/draft.spec.js b/test/unit/specs/components/draft.spec.js
index 386b2a761..6abf2d75b 100644
--- a/test/unit/specs/components/draft.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/specs/components/draft.spec.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { nextTick } from 'vue'
 import PostStatusForm from 'src/components/post_status_form/post_status_form.vue'
 import { $t, mountOpts, waitForEvent } from '../../../fixtures/setup_test'
 
-import { useSyncConfigStore } from 'src/stores/sync_config.js'
+import { useMergedConfigStore } from 'src/stores/merged_config.js'
 
 const autoSaveOrNot = (caseFn, caseTitle, runFn) => {
   caseFn(`${caseTitle} with auto-save`, function () {
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ describe('Draft saving', () => {
     'should save when the button is clicked',
     async (autoSave) => {
       const wrapper = mount(PostStatusForm, mountOpts())
-      const store = useSyncConfigStore()
+      const store = useMergedConfigStore()
       store.mergedConfig = {
         autoSaveDraft: autoSave,
       }
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ describe('Draft saving', () => {
   it('should auto-save if it is enabled', async function () {
     vi.useFakeTimers()
     const wrapper = mount(PostStatusForm, mountOpts())
-    const store = useSyncConfigStore()
+    const store = useMergedConfigStore()
     store.mergedConfig = {
       autoSaveDraft: true,
     }
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ describe('Draft saving', () => {
         },
       }),
     )
-    const store = useSyncConfigStore()
+    const store = useMergedConfigStore()
     store.mergedConfig = {
       autoSaveDraft: true,
     }
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ describe('Draft saving', () => {
         },
       }),
     )
-    const store = useSyncConfigStore()
+    const store = useMergedConfigStore()
     store.mergedConfig = {
       autoSaveDraft: false,
       unsavedPostAction: 'save',
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ describe('Draft saving', () => {
         },
       }),
     )
-    const store = useSyncConfigStore()
+    const store = useMergedConfigStore()
     store.mergedConfig = {
       autoSaveDraft: false,
       unsavedPostAction: 'discard',
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ describe('Draft saving', () => {
         },
       }),
     )
-    const store = useSyncConfigStore(createTestingPinia())
+    const store = useMergedConfigStore(createTestingPinia())
     store.mergedConfig = {
       autoSaveDraft: false,
       unsavedPostAction: 'confirm',
diff --git a/test/unit/specs/components/emoji_input.spec.js b/test/unit/specs/components/emoji_input.spec.js
index 62f90caa4..6a7c67fdb 100644
--- a/test/unit/specs/components/emoji_input.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/specs/components/emoji_input.spec.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ createTestingPinia()
 
 import EmojiInput from 'src/components/emoji_input/emoji_input.vue'
 
-import { useSyncConfigStore } from 'src/stores/sync_config.js'
+import { useMergedConfigStore } from 'src/stores/merged_config.js'
 
 const generateInput = (value, padEmoji = true) => {
   const wrapper = shallowMount(EmojiInput, {
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ const generateInput = (value, padEmoji = true) => {
 
 describe('EmojiInput', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
-    const store = useSyncConfigStore(createTestingPinia())
+    const store = useMergedConfigStore(createTestingPinia())
     store.mergedConfig = {
       padEmoji: true,
     }
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ describe('EmojiInput', () => {
     it('inserts string without any padding if padEmoji setting is set to false', () => {
       const initialString = 'Eat some spam!'
       const wrapper = generateInput(initialString, false)
-      const store = useSyncConfigStore(createTestingPinia())
+      const store = useMergedConfigStore(createTestingPinia())
       store.mergedConfig = {
         padEmoji: false,
       }
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ describe('EmojiInput', () => {
     it('correctly sets caret after insertion if padEmoji setting is set to false', async () => {
       const initialString = '1234'
       const wrapper = generateInput(initialString, false)
-      const store = useSyncConfigStore(createTestingPinia())
+      const store = useMergedConfigStore(createTestingPinia())
       store.mergedConfig = {
         padEmoji: false,
       }
diff --git a/test/unit/specs/stores/sync_config.spec.js b/test/unit/specs/stores/sync_config.spec.js
index eef6e39ac..adf447930 100644
--- a/test/unit/specs/stores/sync_config.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/specs/stores/sync_config.spec.js
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 import { cloneDeep } from 'lodash'
 import { createPinia, setActivePinia } from 'pinia'
 
-import { CURRENT_UPDATE_COUNTER } from 'src/components/update_notification/update_notification.js'
-
 import {
   _getAllFlags,
   _getRecentData,
@@ -75,7 +73,7 @@ describe('The SyncConfig store', () => {
             _version: VERSION,
             flagStorage: {
               ...defaultState.flagStorage,
-              updateCounter: CURRENT_UPDATE_COUNTER,
+              updateCounter: 1,
             },
             prefsStorage: {
               ...defaultState.prefsStorage,
@@ -85,7 +83,7 @@ describe('The SyncConfig store', () => {
 
         expect(store.flagStorage).to.eql({
           ...defaultState.flagStorage,
-          updateCounter: CURRENT_UPDATE_COUNTER,
+          updateCounter: 1,
         })
       })
 
@@ -118,7 +116,7 @@ describe('The SyncConfig store', () => {
             _version: VERSION,
             flagStorage: {
               ...defaultState.flagStorage,
-              updateCounter: CURRENT_UPDATE_COUNTER,
+              updateCounter: 1,
             },
             prefsStorage: {
               ...defaultState.prefsStorage,
diff --git a/test/unit/specs/stores/user_highlight.spec.js b/test/unit/specs/stores/user_highlight.spec.js
index 742eec522..4e66a9bbb 100644
--- a/test/unit/specs/stores/user_highlight.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/specs/stores/user_highlight.spec.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { createPinia, setActivePinia } from 'pinia'
 
 import {
   _getRecentData,
-  _mergePrefs,
+  _mergeHighlights,
   _moveItemInArray,
   useUserHighlightStore,
 } from 'src/stores/user_highlight.js'
@@ -11,6 +11,15 @@ import {
 describe('The UserHighlight store', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     setActivePinia(createPinia())
+    window.vuex = {
+      state: {
+        users: {
+          currentUser: {
+            fqn: 'foo@bar.tld',
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    }
   })
 
   describe('mutations', () => {
@@ -20,23 +29,23 @@ describe('The UserHighlight store', () => {
         storage: {},
       }
 
-      it('should initialize storage if none present', () => {
+      it('should initialize storage if none present', async () => {
         const store = useUserHighlightStore()
-        store.initUserHighlight({ ...user })
+        await store.initUserHighlight({ ...user })
         expect(store.cache._timestamp).to.be.a('number')
         expect(store.cache.highlight).to.eql({ _journal: [] })
       })
 
-      it('should initialize storage for new users if none present', () => {
+      it('should initialize storage for new users if none present', async () => {
         const store = useUserHighlightStore()
-        store.initUserHighlight({ ...user, created_at: new Date() })
+        await store.initUserHighlight({ ...user, created_at: new Date() })
         expect(store.cache._timestamp).to.be.a('number')
         expect(store.cache.highlight).to.eql({ _journal: [] })
       })
 
-      it('should use remote version if local missing', () => {
+      it('should use remote version if local missing', async () => {
         const store = useUserHighlightStore()
-        store.initUserHighlight(store, user)
+        await store.initUserHighlight(store, user)
         expect(store.cache._timestamp).to.be.a('number')
       })
     })
@@ -161,10 +170,10 @@ describe('The UserHighlight store', () => {
       })
     })
 
-    describe('_mergePrefs', () => {
+    describe('_mergeHighlights', () => {
       it('should prefer recent and apply journal to it', () => {
         expect(
-          _mergePrefs(
+          _mergeHighlights(
             // RECENT
             {
               highlight: {
@@ -227,7 +236,7 @@ describe('The UserHighlight store', () => {
 
       it('should work with objects', () => {
         expect(
-          _mergePrefs(
+          _mergeHighlights(
             // RECENT
             {
               highlight: { 'a@test.xyz': { type: 'foo' } },
@@ -268,7 +277,7 @@ describe('The UserHighlight store', () => {
 
       it('should work with unset', () => {
         expect(
-          _mergePrefs(
+          _mergeHighlights(
             // RECENT
             {
               highlight: { 'a@test.xyz': { type: 'foo' } },