diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/filesConfiguration/common/filesConfigurationService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/filesConfiguration/common/filesConfigurationService.ts
index 1cc2b478326474c3fee3321fde0b59efd6fd4ba8..a2dbb755a975d38b4951f84232bac649a5174c4b 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/filesConfiguration/common/filesConfigurationService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/filesConfiguration/common/filesConfigurationService.ts
@@ -8,9 +8,8 @@ import { registerSingleton } from 'vs/platform/instantiation/common/extensions';
 import { Event, Emitter } from 'vs/base/common/event';
 import { Disposable } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
 import { RawContextKey, IContextKey, IContextKeyService } from 'vs/platform/contextkey/common/contextkey';
-import { IConfigurationService, ConfigurationTarget } from 'vs/platform/configuration/common/configuration';
+import { IConfigurationService } from 'vs/platform/configuration/common/configuration';
 import { IFilesConfiguration, AutoSaveConfiguration, HotExitConfiguration } from 'vs/platform/files/common/files';
-import { isUndefinedOrNull } from 'vs/base/common/types';
 import { equals } from 'vs/base/common/objects';
 import { URI } from 'vs/base/common/uri';
 import { isWeb } from 'vs/base/common/platform';
@@ -185,19 +184,15 @@ export class FilesConfigurationService extends Disposable implements IFilesConfi
 
 	async toggleAutoSave(): Promise<void> {
 		const setting = this.configurationService.inspect('files.autoSave');
-		let userAutoSaveConfig = setting.userValue;
-		if (isUndefinedOrNull(userAutoSaveConfig)) {
-			userAutoSaveConfig = setting.defaultValue; // use default if setting not defined
-		}
 
 		let newAutoSaveValue: string;
-		if ([AutoSaveConfiguration.AFTER_DELAY, AutoSaveConfiguration.ON_FOCUS_CHANGE, AutoSaveConfiguration.ON_WINDOW_CHANGE].some(s => s === userAutoSaveConfig)) {
+		if ([AutoSaveConfiguration.AFTER_DELAY, AutoSaveConfiguration.ON_FOCUS_CHANGE, AutoSaveConfiguration.ON_WINDOW_CHANGE].some(s => s === setting.value)) {
 			newAutoSaveValue = AutoSaveConfiguration.OFF;
 		} else {
 			newAutoSaveValue = AutoSaveConfiguration.AFTER_DELAY;
 		}
 
-		return this.configurationService.updateValue('files.autoSave', newAutoSaveValue, ConfigurationTarget.USER);
+		return this.configurationService.updateValue('files.autoSave', newAutoSaveValue);
 	}
 
 	get isHotExitEnabled(): boolean {