diff --git a/src/barebox-state/state.c b/src/barebox-state/state.c
index 37577a4..d07f522 100644
--- a/src/barebox-state/state.c
+++ b/src/barebox-state/state.c
@@ -33,11 +33,6 @@
 /* list of all registered state instances */
 static LIST_HEAD(state_list);
 
-static int state_set_deny(struct param_d *p, void *priv)
-{
-	return -EROFS;
-}
-
 static struct state *state_new(const char *name)
 {
 	struct state *state;
@@ -57,10 +52,11 @@
 	}
 
 	state->dirty = 1;
-	dev_add_param_bool(&state->dev, "dirty", state_set_deny, NULL, &state->dirty,
+	dev_add_param_bool(&state->dev, "dirty", NULL, NULL, &state->dirty,
 			   NULL);
-	dev_add_param_bool(&state->dev, "default", state_set_deny, NULL, &state->state_default,
-			   NULL);
+	state->save_on_shutdown = 1;
+	dev_add_param_bool(&state->dev, "save_on_shutdown", NULL, NULL,
+			   &state->save_on_shutdown, NULL);
 
 	list_add_tail(&state->list, &state_list);
 
@@ -515,7 +511,6 @@
 	ret = state_load(state);
 	if (ret) {
 		dev_warn(&state->dev, "Failed to load persistent state, continuing with defaults, %d\n", ret);
-		state->state_default = 1;
 	}
 
 	dev_info(&state->dev, "New state registered '%s'\n", alias);
diff --git a/src/barebox-state/state.h b/src/barebox-state/state.h
index 58de643..bc6917d 100644
--- a/src/barebox-state/state.h
+++ b/src/barebox-state/state.h
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
 	struct device_d *dev;
 
 	const char *name;
+
 	uint32_t stridesize;
 
 	bool readonly;
@@ -98,8 +99,8 @@
 	uint32_t magic;
 
 	struct list_head variables; /* Sorted list of variables */
-	unsigned int dirty; /* State is different from stored state */
-	unsigned int state_default; /* State has default values  */
+	unsigned int dirty;
+	unsigned int save_on_shutdown;
 
 	struct state_backend backend;
 };
diff --git a/src/barebox-state/state_variables.c b/src/barebox-state/state_variables.c
index 2e4a98c..fd072a0 100644
--- a/src/barebox-state/state_variables.c
+++ b/src/barebox-state/state_variables.c
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@
 	struct state_variable *sv = priv;
 
 	sv->state->dirty = 1;
-	sv->state->state_default = 0;
 
 	return 0;
 }