diff --git a/src/inkscape.cpp b/src/inkscape.cpp
index 516c14f4e80d20a77d5d6a018a12c4e447580929..04c2b6d103208c23025085a25225736864ee42ff 100644
--- a/src/inkscape.cpp
+++ b/src/inkscape.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <gtkmm/cssprovider.h>
 #include <gtkmm/icontheme.h>
 #include <gtkmm/messagedialog.h>
+#include <gtkmm/settings.h>
 #include "debug/simple-event.h"
 #include "debug/event-tracker.h"
 
@@ -469,34 +470,26 @@ Application::Application(const char* argv, bool use_gui) :
     if (use_gui) {
         add_style_sheet();
         /* Load the preferences and menus */
-        GtkSettings *settings = gtk_settings_get_default();
+        Glib::RefPtr<Gtk::Settings> settings = Gtk::Settings::get_default();
         if (settings) {
-            const gchar *gtkThemeName;
-            g_object_get(settings, "gtk-theme-name", &gtkThemeName, NULL);
-            const gchar *gtkIconThemeName;
-            g_object_get(settings, "gtk-icon-theme-name", &gtkIconThemeName, NULL);
-            prefs->setString("/theme/defaultIconTheme", Glib::ustring(gtkIconThemeName));
-            gboolean gtkApplicationPreferDarkTheme;
-            g_object_get(settings, "gtk-application-prefer-dark-theme", &gtkApplicationPreferDarkTheme, NULL);
             if (prefs->getString("/theme/gtkTheme") != "") {
-                g_object_set(settings, "gtk-theme-name", prefs->getString("/theme/gtkTheme").c_str(), NULL);
+                settings->property_gtk_theme_name() = prefs->getString("/theme/gtkTheme");
             }
             else {
-                prefs->setString("/theme/gtkTheme", Glib::ustring(gtkThemeName));
+                prefs->setString("/theme/gtkTheme", settings->property_gtk_theme_name());
             }
 
+            prefs->setString("/theme/defaultIconTheme", settings->property_gtk_icon_theme_name());
             if (prefs->getString("/theme/iconTheme") != "") {
-                g_object_set(settings, "gtk-icon-theme-name", prefs->getString("/theme/iconTheme").c_str(), NULL);
+                settings->property_gtk_icon_theme_name() = prefs->getString("/theme/iconTheme");
             }
             else {
-                Glib::ustring defaulticontheme = prefs->getString("/theme/defaultIconTheme");
-                if (defaulticontheme == "Adwaita") {
-                    defaulticontheme = "hicolor";
+                if (prefs->getString("/theme/defaultIconTheme") == "Adwaita") {
+                    prefs->setString("/theme/iconTheme", "hicolor");
                 }
-                prefs->setString("/theme/iconTheme", defaulticontheme);
             }
-            g_object_set(settings, "gtk-application-prefer-dark-theme",
-                         prefs->getBool("/theme/darkTheme", gtkApplicationPreferDarkTheme), NULL);
+
+            settings->property_gtk_application_prefer_dark_theme() = prefs->getBool("/theme/darkTheme", settings->property_gtk_application_prefer_dark_theme());
         }
         load_menus();
         Inkscape::DeviceManager::getManager().loadConfig();