diff --git a/start-configuration b/start-configuration
index 60e38fd5..602616c6 100644
--- a/start-configuration
+++ b/start-configuration
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ if [[ $RCON_PASSWORD_FILE ]]; then
     log ""
 fi
 
-export SERVER_PROPERTIES=/data/server.properties
 export VERSIONS_JSON=https://launchermeta.mojang.com/mc/game/version_manifest.json
 
 case "X$VERSION" in
diff --git a/start-finalSetupServerProperties b/start-finalSetupServerProperties
index 08f19bef..d1fa9ede 100644
--- a/start-finalSetupServerProperties
+++ b/start-finalSetupServerProperties
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 . ${SCRIPTS:-/}start-utils
 
+: ${SERVER_PROPERTIES:=/data/server.properties}
+
 # FUNCTIONS
 function setServerProp {
   local prop=$1
@@ -12,8 +14,13 @@ function setServerProp {
       TRUE|FALSE)
         var=${var,,} ;;
     esac
-    log "Setting ${prop} to '${var}' in ${SERVER_PROPERTIES}"
-    sed -i "/^${prop}\s*=/ c ${prop}=${var//\\/\\\\}" "$SERVER_PROPERTIES"
+    if grep "${prop}" "$SERVER_PROPERTIES" > /dev/null; then
+      log "Setting ${prop} to '${var}' in ${SERVER_PROPERTIES}"
+      sed -i "/^${prop}\s*=/ c ${prop}=${var//\\/\\\\}" "$SERVER_PROPERTIES"
+    else
+      log "Adding ${prop} with '${var}' in ${SERVER_PROPERTIES}"
+      echo "${prop}=${var//\\/\\\\}" >> "$SERVER_PROPERTIES"
+    fi
   else
     log "Skip setting ${prop}"
   fi