diff --git a/kcms/style/gtkpage.cpp b/kcms/style/gtkpage.cpp
index 4f96836f2..155d236ab 100644
--- a/kcms/style/gtkpage.cpp
+++ b/kcms/style/gtkpage.cpp
@@ -31,12 +31,6 @@ GtkPage::GtkPage(QObject *parent)
 
 GtkPage::~GtkPage() = default;
 
-QString GtkPage::gtkThemeFromConfig()
-{
-    // FIXME make aysnc but that requires some refactoring on the UI side
-    return m_gtkConfigInterface.gtkTheme().value();
-}
-
 bool GtkPage::gtkPreviewAvailable()
 {
     return !QStandardPaths::findExecutable(QStringLiteral("gtk3_preview"), {CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_LIBEXECDIR}).isEmpty();
@@ -94,17 +88,21 @@ void GtkPage::save()
 
 void GtkPage::defaults()
 {
-    Q_EMIT selectGtkThemeInCombobox(QStringLiteral("Breeze"));
+    m_gtkThemesModel->setSelectedTheme(QStringLiteral("Breeze"));
 }
 
 void GtkPage::load()
 {
     m_gtkThemesModel->load();
     m_gtkThemesModel->setSelectedTheme(m_gtkConfigInterface.gtkTheme());
-    Q_EMIT selectGtkThemeInCombobox(gtkThemeFromConfig());
 }
 
 bool GtkPage::isDefaults() const
 {
     return m_gtkThemesModel->selectedTheme() == QLatin1String("Breeze");
 }
+
+bool GtkPage::isSaveNeeded()
+{
+    return m_gtkThemesModel->selectedTheme() != m_gtkConfigInterface.gtkTheme();
+}
diff --git a/kcms/style/gtkpage.h b/kcms/style/gtkpage.h
index efcdd7259..1e9c29502 100644
--- a/kcms/style/gtkpage.h
+++ b/kcms/style/gtkpage.h
@@ -27,10 +27,9 @@ public:
     void save();
     void defaults();
     bool isDefaults() const;
+    bool isSaveNeeded();
 
 public Q_SLOTS:
-    QString gtkThemeFromConfig();
-
     bool gtkPreviewAvailable();
 
     void showGtkPreview();
@@ -43,7 +42,6 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
     void gtkThemesModelChanged(GtkThemesModel *model);
 
     void showErrorMessage(const QString &message);
-    void selectGtkThemeInCombobox(const QString &themeName);
 
     void gtkThemeSettingsChanged();
 
diff --git a/kcms/style/gtkthemesmodel.cpp b/kcms/style/gtkthemesmodel.cpp
index cc8ec389e..b8face2d9 100644
--- a/kcms/style/gtkthemesmodel.cpp
+++ b/kcms/style/gtkthemesmodel.cpp
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ QMap<QString, QString> GtkThemesModel::themesList()
 void GtkThemesModel::setSelectedTheme(const QString &themeName)
 {
     m_selectedTheme = themeName;
+    Q_EMIT selectedThemeChanged(themeName);
 }
 
 QString GtkThemesModel::selectedTheme()
diff --git a/kcms/style/kcmstyle.cpp b/kcms/style/kcmstyle.cpp
index 9af4b64f3..3581886ee 100644
--- a/kcms/style/kcmstyle.cpp
+++ b/kcms/style/kcmstyle.cpp
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ KCMStyle::KCMStyle(QObject *parent, const KPluginMetaData &data, const QVariantL
     m_gtkPage = new GtkPage(this);
     connect(m_gtkPage, &GtkPage::gtkThemeSettingsChanged, this, [this]() {
         settingsChanged();
-        setNeedsSave(true);
     });
 }
 
@@ -338,4 +337,9 @@ bool KCMStyle::isDefaults() const
     return m_gtkPage->isDefaults();
 }
 
+bool KCMStyle::isSaveNeeded() const
+{
+    return m_gtkPage->isSaveNeeded();
+}
+
 #include "kcmstyle.moc"
diff --git a/kcms/style/kcmstyle.h b/kcms/style/kcmstyle.h
index 05ed04071..8224a4c66 100644
--- a/kcms/style/kcmstyle.h
+++ b/kcms/style/kcmstyle.h
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ public:
     void defaults() override;
 
     bool isDefaults() const override;
+    bool isSaveNeeded() const override;
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
     void showErrorMessage(const QString &message);
diff --git a/kcms/style/package/contents/ui/GtkStylePage.qml b/kcms/style/package/contents/ui/GtkStylePage.qml
index 4ea61ad3a..7d100880d 100644
--- a/kcms/style/package/contents/ui/GtkStylePage.qml
+++ b/kcms/style/package/contents/ui/GtkStylePage.qml
@@ -49,20 +49,13 @@ Kirigami.Page {
                     QtControls.ComboBox {
                         id: gtkThemeCombo
                         model: kcm.gtkPage.gtkThemesModel
-                        currentIndex: model.findThemeIndex(kcm.gtkPage.gtkThemeFromConfig())
+                        currentIndex: model.findThemeIndex(kcm.gtkPage.gtkThemesModel.selectedTheme)
                         onCurrentTextChanged: function() {
                             model.selectedTheme = currentText
                             gtkRemoveButton.enabled = model.selectedThemeRemovable()
                         }
                         onActivated: model.setSelectedThemeDirty()
                         textRole: "theme-name"
-
-                        Connections {
-                            target: kcm.gtkPage
-                            function onSelectGtkThemeInCombobox(themeName) {
-                                gtkThemeCombo.currentIndex = gtkThemeCombo.model.findThemeIndex(themeName)
-                            }
-                        }
                     }
 
                     QtControls.Button {