diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index e066b7431..b36d2f121 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ DFHack future
 
   Internals:
     - support for displaying active keybindings properly.
+  Notable bugfixes:
+    - autobutcher can be re-enabled again after being stopped.
   Misc improvements:
     - fastdwarf: new mode using debug flags, and some internal consistency fixes.
 
diff --git a/plugins/zone.cpp b/plugins/zone.cpp
index c496f49b6..f32a77a2a 100644
--- a/plugins/zone.cpp
+++ b/plugins/zone.cpp
@@ -3408,10 +3408,10 @@ command_result start_autobutcher(color_ostream &out)
     auto pworld = Core::getInstance().getWorld();
 
     enable_autobutcher = true;
+
     if (!config_autobutcher.isValid())
     {
         config_autobutcher = pworld->AddPersistentData("autobutcher/config");
-        config_autobutcher.ival(0) = enable_autobutcher;
         config_autobutcher.ival(1) = sleep_autobutcher;
         config_autobutcher.ival(2) = enable_autobutcher_autowatch;
         config_autobutcher.ival(3) = default_fk;
@@ -3420,6 +3420,8 @@ command_result start_autobutcher(color_ostream &out)
         config_autobutcher.ival(6) = default_ma;
     }
 
+    config_autobutcher.ival(0) = enable_autobutcher;
+
     out << "Starting autobutcher." << endl;
 	init_autobutcher(out);
     return CR_OK;