diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 24e8d2fa..7bc0e963 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ profanity: $(OBJS)
 	$(CC) -o profanity $(OBJS) $(LIBS)
 
 log.o: log.h
-windows.o: windows.h util.h contact_list.h
+windows.o: windows.h util.h contact_list.h preferences.h
 title_bar.o: windows.h
 status_bar.o: windows.h util.h
 input_win.o: windows.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ history.o: history.h prof_history.h
 contact_list.o: contact_list.h contact.h
 prof_history.o: prof_history.h
 contact.o: contact.h
-preferences.o: preferences.h windows.h
+preferences.o: preferences.h
 main.o: profanity.h
 
 test_contact_list.o: contact_list.h contact.h
diff --git a/command.c b/command.c
index ea36aa82..d963b1eb 100644
--- a/command.c
+++ b/command.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "jabber.h"
 #include "windows.h"
 #include "util.h"
+#include "preferences.h"
 
 static gboolean _handle_command(const char * const command, 
     const char * const inp);
@@ -223,10 +224,10 @@ static gboolean _cmd_set_beep(const char * const inp)
 {
     if (strcmp(inp, "/beep on") == 0) {
         cons_show("Sound enabled.");
-        win_set_beep(TRUE);
+        prefs_set_beep(TRUE);
     } else if (strcmp(inp, "/beep off") == 0) {
         cons_show("Sound disabled.");
-        win_set_beep(FALSE);
+        prefs_set_beep(FALSE);
     } else {
         cons_show("Usage: /beep <on/off>");
     }        
@@ -238,10 +239,10 @@ static gboolean _cmd_set_flash(const char * const inp)
 {
     if (strcmp(inp, "/flash on") == 0) {
         cons_show("Screen flash enabled.");
-        status_bar_set_flash(TRUE);
+        prefs_set_flash(TRUE);
     } else if (strcmp(inp, "/flash off") == 0) {
         cons_show("Screen flash disabled.");
-        status_bar_set_flash(FALSE);
+        prefs_set_flash(FALSE);
     } else {
         cons_show("Usage: /flash <on/off>");
     }        
diff --git a/preferences.c b/preferences.c
index f200eab3..7b33b390 100644
--- a/preferences.c
+++ b/preferences.c
@@ -23,25 +23,38 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <glib.h>
 
-#include "windows.h"
+static GKeyFile *prefs;
 
 void prefs_load(void)
 {
     GString *prefs_loc = g_string_new(getenv("HOME"));
     g_string_append(prefs_loc, "/.profanity");
 
-    GKeyFile *g_prefs = g_key_file_new();
-    g_key_file_load_from_file(g_prefs, prefs_loc->str,
-        G_KEY_FILE_NONE, NULL);
-
-    gboolean beep = g_key_file_get_boolean(g_prefs, "ui", "beep", NULL);
-    gboolean flash = g_key_file_get_boolean(g_prefs, "ui", "flash", NULL);
-
-    win_set_beep(beep);
-    status_bar_set_flash(flash);
+    prefs = g_key_file_new();
+    g_key_file_load_from_file(prefs, prefs_loc->str, G_KEY_FILE_NONE, NULL);
 
 //    g_key_file_set_string(g_prefs, "settings", "somekey2", "someothervalue");
 //    gsize g_data_len;
 //    char *g_prefs_data = g_key_file_to_data(g_prefs, &g_data_len, NULL);
 //    g_file_set_contents("/home/james/.profanity", g_prefs_data, g_data_len, NULL);
 }
+
+gboolean prefs_get_beep(void)
+{
+    return g_key_file_get_boolean(prefs, "ui", "beep", NULL);
+}
+
+void prefs_set_beep(gboolean value)
+{
+    g_key_file_set_boolean(prefs, "ui", "beep", value);
+}
+
+gboolean prefs_get_flash(void)
+{
+    return g_key_file_get_boolean(prefs, "ui", "flash", NULL);
+}
+
+void prefs_set_flash(gboolean value)
+{
+    g_key_file_set_boolean(prefs, "ui", "flash", value);
+}
diff --git a/preferences.h b/preferences.h
index a1349592..31754b0e 100644
--- a/preferences.h
+++ b/preferences.h
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@
 #ifndef PREFERENCES_H
 #define PREFERENCES_H
 
+#include <glib.h>
+
 void prefs_load(void);
 
+gboolean prefs_get_beep(void);
+void prefs_set_beep(gboolean value);
+gboolean prefs_get_flash(void);
+void prefs_set_flash(gboolean value);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/profanity.c b/profanity.c
index ad914567..5eacb95a 100644
--- a/profanity.c
+++ b/profanity.c
@@ -64,11 +64,11 @@ void profanity_run(void)
 
 void profanity_init(const int disable_tls)
 {
+    prefs_load();
     log_init();
     gui_init();
     jabber_init(disable_tls);
     command_init();
-    prefs_load();
     atexit(_profanity_shutdown);
 }
 
diff --git a/status_bar.c b/status_bar.c
index 2101f8b0..84d6b306 100644
--- a/status_bar.c
+++ b/status_bar.c
@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
 #include <ncurses.h>
+
 #include "windows.h"
 #include "util.h"
+#include "preferences.h"
 
 static WINDOW *status_bar;
 static char *message = NULL;
@@ -35,9 +37,6 @@ static int is_new[9];
 static int dirty;
 static char curr_time[80];
 
-// allow flash?
-static int do_flash = FALSE;
-
 static void _status_bar_update_time(void);
 
 void create_status_bar(void)
@@ -161,17 +160,12 @@ void status_bar_new(const int win)
     wattroff(status_bar, COLOR_PAIR(3));
     wattroff(status_bar, A_BLINK);
 
-    if (do_flash == TRUE)
+    if (prefs_get_flash())
         flash();
 
     dirty = TRUE;
 }
 
-void status_bar_set_flash(int val)
-{
-    do_flash = val;
-}
-
 void status_bar_get_password(void)
 {
     status_bar_print_message("Enter password:");
diff --git a/windows.c b/windows.c
index 6462a790..2bc8a175 100644
--- a/windows.c
+++ b/windows.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "windows.h"
 #include "util.h"
 #include "contact.h"
+#include "preferences.h"
 
 #define CONS_WIN_TITLE "_cons"
 #define PAD_SIZE 200
@@ -49,9 +50,6 @@ static int dirty;
 // max columns for main windows, never resize below
 static int max_cols = 0;
 
-// allow beep?
-static int do_beep = FALSE;
-
 static void _create_windows(void);
 static int _find_prof_win_index(const char * const contact);
 static int _new_prof_win(const char * const contact);
@@ -156,11 +154,6 @@ int win_in_chat(void)
         (strcmp(_wins[_curr_prof_win].from, "") != 0));
 }
 
-void win_set_beep(int val)
-{
-    do_beep = val;
-}
-
 char *win_get_recipient(void)
 {
     struct prof_win current = _wins[_curr_prof_win];
@@ -192,7 +185,7 @@ void win_show_incomming_msg(const char * const from, const char * const message)
         _cons_show_incoming_message(short_from, win_index);
     }
 
-    if (do_beep == TRUE)
+    if (prefs_get_beep())
         beep();
 }
 
diff --git a/windows.h b/windows.h
index d5a951fa..920142d7 100644
--- a/windows.h
+++ b/windows.h
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ void win_contact_online(const char * const from, const char * const show,
 void win_contact_offline(const char * const from, const char * const show, 
     const char * const status);
 void win_disconnected(void);
-void win_set_beep(int val);
 
 // console window actions
 void cons_help(void);
@@ -87,7 +86,6 @@ void status_bar_inactive(const int win);
 void status_bar_active(const int win);
 void status_bar_new(const int win);
 void status_bar_update_time(void);
-void status_bar_set_flash(int val);
 
 // input window actions
 void inp_get_char(int *ch, char *input, int *size);