diff --git a/src/config.coffee b/src/config.coffee
index 66f07516e..595cab280 100644
--- a/src/config.coffee
+++ b/src/config.coffee
@@ -958,9 +958,10 @@ class Config
   setDefaults: (keyPath, defaults) ->
     if defaults? and isPlainObject(defaults)
       keys = splitKeyPath(keyPath)
-      for key, childValue of defaults
-        continue unless defaults.hasOwnProperty(key)
-        @setDefaults(keys.concat([key]).join('.'), childValue)
+      @transact =>
+        for key, childValue of defaults
+          continue unless defaults.hasOwnProperty(key)
+          @setDefaults(keys.concat([key]).join('.'), childValue)
     else
       try
         defaults = @makeValueConformToSchema(keyPath, defaults)