diff --git a/airtime_mvc/application/models/Preference.php b/airtime_mvc/application/models/Preference.php
index e4cdd73fb..e8bf5adf5 100644
--- a/airtime_mvc/application/models/Preference.php
+++ b/airtime_mvc/application/models/Preference.php
@@ -138,7 +138,13 @@ class Application_Model_Preference
         $st->execute();
     }
 
-    private static function getValue($key, $isUserValue = false)
+    /**
+     * @param string $key               the preference key string
+     * @param bool|false $isUserValue   select the preference for the current user
+     * @param bool|false $forceDefault  only look for default (no user ID) values
+     * @return mixed the preference value
+     */
+    private static function getValue($key, $isUserValue = false, $forceDefault = false)
     {
         $cache = new Cache();
         
@@ -164,6 +170,8 @@ class Application_Model_Preference
             if ($isUserValue) {
                 $sql .= " AND subjid = :id";
                 $paramMap[':id'] = $userId;
+            } else if ($forceDefault) {
+                $sql .= " AND subjid IS NULL";
             }
 
             $result = Application_Common_Database::prepareAndExecute($sql, $paramMap, Application_Common_Database::COLUMN);
@@ -1482,6 +1490,11 @@ class Application_Model_Preference
     public static function getWhatsNewDialogViewed()
     {
         $val = self::getValue("whats_new_dialog_viewed", true);
+        if (empty($val)) {
+            // Check the default (no user ID) value if the user value is empty
+            // This is so that new stations won't see the popup
+            $val = self::getValue("whats_new_dialog_viewed", false, true);
+        }
         return empty($val) ? false : $val;
     }
 
diff --git a/airtime_mvc/build/sql/defaultdata.sql b/airtime_mvc/build/sql/defaultdata.sql
index 1f0db0e05..a9af73ff3 100644
--- a/airtime_mvc/build/sql/defaultdata.sql
+++ b/airtime_mvc/build/sql/defaultdata.sql
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ INSERT INTO cc_pref("keystr", "valstr") VALUES('stream_bitrate', '24, 32, 48, 64
 INSERT INTO cc_pref("keystr", "valstr") VALUES('num_of_streams', '3');
 INSERT INTO cc_pref("keystr", "valstr") VALUES('max_bitrate', '320');
 INSERT INTO cc_pref("keystr", "valstr") VALUES('plan_level', 'disabled');
--- For now, just needs to be truthy - to be updated later; we should find a better way to implement this...
-INSERT INTO cc_pref("keystr", "valstr") VALUES('whats_new_dialog_viewed', 1);
 
 INSERT INTO cc_stream_setting ("keyname", "value", "type") VALUES ('output_sound_device', 'false', 'boolean');
 INSERT INTO cc_stream_setting ("keyname", "value", "type") VALUES ('output_sound_device_type', 'ALSA', 'string');
@@ -386,8 +384,7 @@ ALTER TABLE cc_pref ALTER COLUMN subjid SET DEFAULT NULL;
 CREATE UNIQUE INDEX cc_pref_key_idx ON cc_pref (keystr) WHERE subjid IS NULL;
 ANALYZE cc_pref; -- this validates the new partial index
 
---end added in 2.5.14
+-- end added in 2.5.14
 
-INSERT INTO cc_pref (keystr, valstr, subjid) VALUES ('whats_new_dialog_viewed', 'true', '0');
-INSERT INTO cc_pref (keystr, valstr, subjid) VALUES ('whats_new_dialog_viewed', 'true', '1');
-INSERT INTO cc_pref (keystr, valstr, subjid) VALUES ('whats_new_dialog_viewed', 'true', '2');
\ No newline at end of file
+-- For now, just needs to be truthy - to be updated later; we should find a better way to implement this...
+INSERT INTO cc_pref("keystr", "valstr") VALUES('whats_new_dialog_viewed', 1);
\ No newline at end of file