diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/wm/DisplayWindowSettingsProvider.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/wm/DisplayWindowSettingsProvider.java
index 737f8107f83fc..8fcdf2e96889c 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/wm/DisplayWindowSettingsProvider.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/wm/DisplayWindowSettingsProvider.java
@@ -109,12 +109,13 @@ class DisplayWindowSettingsProvider implements SettingsProvider {
      */
     void setBaseSettingsFilePath(@Nullable String path) {
         AtomicFile settingsFile;
-        if (path != null) {
-            settingsFile = new AtomicFile(new File(path), WM_DISPLAY_COMMIT_TAG);
+        File file = path != null ? new File(path) : null;
+        if (file != null && file.exists()) {
+            settingsFile = new AtomicFile(file, WM_DISPLAY_COMMIT_TAG);
         } else {
+            Slog.w(TAG, "display settings " + path + " does not exist, using vendor defaults");
             settingsFile = getVendorSettingsFile();
         }
-
         setBaseSettingsStorage(new AtomicFileStorage(settingsFile));
     }