diff --git a/src/command.c b/src/command.c
index c3f5140fc..47c6d2e5f 100644
--- a/src/command.c
+++ b/src/command.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ CV_PossibleValue_t CV_Natural[] = {{1, "MIN"}, {999999999, "MAX"}, {0, NULL}};
 // Filter consvars by MODVERSION
 // First implementation is 26 (2.1.21), so earlier configs default at 25 (2.1.20)
 // Also set CV_HIDEN during runtime, after config is loaded
-consvar_t cv_execversion = {"execversion","25",CV_SAVE,CV_Unsigned, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
+consvar_t cv_execversion = {"execversion","25",0,CV_Unsigned, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 
 // for default joyaxis detection
 static boolean joyaxis_default = false;
diff --git a/src/m_misc.c b/src/m_misc.c
index 760894a66..1ab5f1fe3 100644
--- a/src/m_misc.c
+++ b/src/m_misc.c
@@ -489,6 +489,9 @@ void M_FirstLoadConfig(void)
 	// load default control
 	G_Controldefault();
 
+	// register execversion here before we load any configs
+	CV_RegisterVar(&cv_execversion);
+
 	// temporarily reset execversion to default
 	// we shouldn't need to do this, but JUST in case...
 	cv_execversion.flags &= ~CV_HIDEN;