diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/preferences/common/preferencesModels.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/preferences/common/preferencesModels.ts
index a454297d0446649dcff5312d94828681a274f8ca..c44e29375399eed76cb3a6a07661f1f1a3c6d607 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/preferences/common/preferencesModels.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/preferences/common/preferencesModels.ts
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ export class DefaultSettings extends Disposable {
 
 	getContent(forceUpdate = false): string {
 		if (!this._content || forceUpdate) {
-			this._content = this.toContent(true, this.getSettingsGroups(forceUpdate));
+			this.initialize();
 		}
 
 		return this._content;
@@ -461,12 +461,17 @@ export class DefaultSettings extends Disposable {
 
 	getSettingsGroups(forceUpdate = false): ISettingsGroup[] {
 		if (!this._allSettingsGroups || forceUpdate) {
-			this._allSettingsGroups = this.parse();
+			this.initialize();
 		}
 
 		return this._allSettingsGroups;
 	}
 
+	private initialize(): void {
+		this._allSettingsGroups = this.parse();
+		this._content = this.toContent(true, this._allSettingsGroups);
+	}
+
 	private parse(): ISettingsGroup[] {
 		const settingsGroups = this.getRegisteredGroups();
 		this.initAllSettingsMap(settingsGroups);