diff --git a/src/plasma/corona.cpp b/src/plasma/corona.cpp
index 65501f680..e462394e3 100644
--- a/src/plasma/corona.cpp
+++ b/src/plasma/corona.cpp
@@ -74,20 +74,6 @@ Plasma::Package Corona::package() const
     return d->package;
 }
 
-void Corona::setDefaultContainmentPlugin(const QString &name)
-{
-    // we could check if it is in:
-    // Containment::listContainments().contains(name) ||
-    // Containment::listContainments(QString(), QCoreApplication::instance()->applicationName()).contains(name)
-    // but that seems like overkill
-    d->defaultContainmentPlugin = name;
-}
-
-QString Corona::defaultContainmentPlugin() const
-{
-    return d->defaultContainmentPlugin;
-}
-
 void Corona::saveLayout(const QString &configName) const
 {
     KSharedConfigPtr c;
@@ -313,7 +299,6 @@ QHash<QString, QString> Corona::defaultContainmentActionsPlugins(ContainmentType
 CoronaPrivate::CoronaPrivate(Corona *corona)
     : q(corona),
       immutability(Mutable),
-      defaultContainmentPlugin("desktop"),
       config(0),
       configSyncTimer(new QTimer(corona)),
       actions(corona)
@@ -337,6 +322,8 @@ CoronaPrivate::~CoronaPrivate()
 
 void CoronaPrivate::init()
 {
+    desktopDefaultsConfig = KConfigGroup(KSharedConfig::openConfig(package.filePath("defaults")), "Desktop");
+
     configSyncTimer->setSingleShot(true);
     QObject::connect(configSyncTimer, SIGNAL(timeout()), q, SLOT(syncConfig()));
 
@@ -415,7 +402,7 @@ Containment *CoronaPrivate::addContainment(const QString &name, const QVariantLi
 
     if (pluginName.isEmpty() || pluginName == "default") {
         // default to the desktop containment
-        pluginName = defaultContainmentPlugin;
+        pluginName = desktopDefaultsConfig.readEntry("Containment", "org.kde.desktop");
     }
 
     bool loadingNull = pluginName == "null";
diff --git a/src/plasma/corona.h b/src/plasma/corona.h
index f2719fce8..9523375e9 100644
--- a/src/plasma/corona.h
+++ b/src/plasma/corona.h
@@ -61,12 +61,6 @@ public:
      **/
     Plasma::Package package() const;
 
-    /**
-     * @return the default containment plugin type
-     * @since 4.7
-     */
-    QString defaultContainmentPlugin() const;
-
     /**
      * @return all containments on this Corona
      */
@@ -271,12 +265,6 @@ protected:
      */
     void setPreferredToolBoxPlugin(const ContainmentType type, const QString &plugin);
 
-    /**
-     * Sets the default containment plugin to try and load
-     * @since 4.7
-     */
-    void setDefaultContainmentPlugin(const QString &name);
-
 private:
     CoronaPrivate *const d;
 
diff --git a/src/plasma/private/corona_p.h b/src/plasma/private/corona_p.h
index d84c48513..bf8ab4093 100644
--- a/src/plasma/private/corona_p.h
+++ b/src/plasma/private/corona_p.h
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ public:
 
     Corona *q;
     Package package;
+    KConfigGroup desktopDefaultsConfig;
     ImmutabilityType immutability;
     QString configName;
-    QString defaultContainmentPlugin;
     KSharedConfigPtr config;
     QTimer *configSyncTimer;
     QList<Containment*> containments;