Index: binaries/data/mods/public/gui/gamesetup/Controllers/GameSettingsController.js
===================================================================
--- binaries/data/mods/public/gui/gamesetup/Controllers/GameSettingsController.js
+++ binaries/data/mods/public/gui/gamesetup/Controllers/GameSettingsController.js
@@ -85,8 +85,18 @@
 			if (initData?.gameSettings)
 				this.persistentMatchSettings.enabled = !!initData.gameSettings?.usePersistence;
 			const settings = initData?.gameSettings || this.persistentMatchSettings.loadFile();
-			if (settings)
-				this.parseSettings(settings);
+			// This initial settings parsing in wrapped in a try-catch because it can fail unexpectedly,
+			// and particularly could fail with mods that change persistent settings, so this is
+			// difficult to fully fix from the gameSettings code.
+			try {
+				if (settings)
+					this.parseSettings(settings);
+			} catch(err) {
+				error("There was an error loading game settings. You may need to disable persistent match settings.");
+				warn(err?.toString() ?? uneval(err));
+				if (err.stack)
+					warn(err.stack)
+			}
 		}
 		// If the new settings led to AI & players conflict, remove the AI.
 		for (const guid in g_PlayerAssignments)