diff --git a/proto/api.proto b/proto/api.proto
index 2e25b41fb6..1be1bf8877 100644
--- a/proto/api.proto
+++ b/proto/api.proto
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ message Player {
 	SimDatabase database = 35;
 
 	double nibelung_average_casts = 43;
+	// hack to set a proper default value
+	bool nibelung_average_casts_set = 44;
 }
 
 message Party {
diff --git a/proto/ui.proto b/proto/ui.proto
index 8f97299c41..d636b6279e 100644
--- a/proto/ui.proto
+++ b/proto/ui.proto
@@ -300,6 +300,8 @@ message SavedSettings {
 	double distance_from_target = 12;
 	HealingModel healing_model = 13;
 	double nibelung_average_casts = 15;
+	// hack to set a proper default value
+	bool nibelung_average_casts_set = 16;
 }
 
 message SavedTalents {
diff --git a/ui/core/components/other_inputs.ts b/ui/core/components/other_inputs.ts
index 4a7ef8687e..fcac703cd2 100644
--- a/ui/core/components/other_inputs.ts
+++ b/ui/core/components/other_inputs.ts
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ export const nibelungAverageCasts =  {
 	changedEvent: (player: Player<any>) => player.changeEmitter,
 	getValue: (player: Player<any>) => player.getNibelungAverageCasts(),
 	setValue: (eventID: EventID, player: Player<any>, newValue: number) => {
+		player.setNibelungAverageCastsSet(eventID, true);
 		player.setNibelungAverageCasts(eventID, newValue);
 	},
 	showWhen: (player: Player<any>) => [49992, 50648].includes(player.getEquippedItem(ItemSlot.ItemSlotMainHand)?.id || 0)
diff --git a/ui/core/player.ts b/ui/core/player.ts
index 9630b94820..fbfd40c894 100644
--- a/ui/core/player.ts
+++ b/ui/core/player.ts
@@ -237,6 +237,7 @@ export class Player<SpecType extends Spec> {
 	private inFrontOfTarget: boolean = false;
 	private distanceFromTarget: number = 0;
 	private nibelungAverageCasts: number = 11;
+	private nibelungAverageCastsSet: boolean = false;
 	private healingModel: HealingModel = HealingModel.create();
 	private healingEnabled: boolean = false;
 
@@ -941,10 +942,21 @@ export class Player<SpecType extends Spec> {
 		return this.nibelungAverageCasts;
 	}
 
+	setNibelungAverageCastsSet(eventID: EventID, newnibelungAverageCastsSet: boolean) {
+		if (newnibelungAverageCastsSet == this.nibelungAverageCastsSet)
+			return;
+
+		this.nibelungAverageCastsSet = newnibelungAverageCastsSet;
+	}
+
 	setNibelungAverageCasts(eventID: EventID, newnibelungAverageCasts: number) {
 		if (newnibelungAverageCasts == this.nibelungAverageCasts)
 			return;
 
+		// only set if nibelungAverageCastsSet is true (via UI). Allows us to give a default other than 0
+		if (!this.nibelungAverageCastsSet)
+			return;
+
 		this.nibelungAverageCasts = Math.min(newnibelungAverageCasts, 16);
 		this.miscOptionsChangeEmitter.emit(eventID);
 	}
@@ -1339,6 +1351,7 @@ export class Player<SpecType extends Spec> {
 				healingModel: this.getHealingModel(),
 				database: forExport ? SimDatabase.create() : this.toDatabase(),
 				nibelungAverageCasts: this.getNibelungAverageCasts(),
+				nibelungAverageCastsSet: this.nibelungAverageCastsSet,
 			}),
 			(aplIsLaunched || (forSimming && aplRotation.type == APLRotationType.TypeAPL))
 				? this.specTypeFunctions.rotationCreate()
@@ -1399,6 +1412,7 @@ export class Player<SpecType extends Spec> {
 			this.setChannelClipDelay(eventID, proto.channelClipDelayMs);
 			this.setInFrontOfTarget(eventID, proto.inFrontOfTarget);
 			this.setDistanceFromTarget(eventID, proto.distanceFromTarget);
+			this.setNibelungAverageCastsSet(eventID, proto.nibelungAverageCastsSet);
 			this.setNibelungAverageCasts(eventID, proto.nibelungAverageCasts);
 			this.setHealingModel(eventID, proto.healingModel || HealingModel.create());
 			this.setSpecOptions(eventID, this.specTypeFunctions.optionsFromPlayer(proto));