diff --git a/frontend/ui/screensaver.lua b/frontend/ui/screensaver.lua
index cd97b120c..801ae97a8 100644
--- a/frontend/ui/screensaver.lua
+++ b/frontend/ui/screensaver.lua
@@ -587,23 +587,21 @@ function Screensaver:show()
     local message_height
     if self.show_message then
         -- Handle user settings & fallbacks, with that prefix mess on top...
-        local screensaver_message
+        local screensaver_message = self.default_screensaver_message
         if G_reader_settings:has(self.prefix .. "screensaver_message") then
             screensaver_message = G_reader_settings:readSetting(self.prefix .. "screensaver_message")
-        else
-            if G_reader_settings:has("screensaver_message") then
-                screensaver_message = G_reader_settings:readSetting("screensaver_message")
-            else
-                -- In the absence of a custom message, use the event message if any, barring that, use the default message.
-                if self.event_message then
-                    screensaver_message = self.event_message
-                    -- The overlay is only ever populated with the event message, and we only want to show it once ;).
-                    self.overlay_message = nil
-                else
-                    screensaver_message = self.default_screensaver_message
-                end
+        elseif G_reader_settings:has("screensaver_message") then
+            screensaver_message = G_reader_settings:readSetting("screensaver_message")
+        end
+        -- If the message is set to the defaults (which is also the case when it's unset), prefer the event message if there is one.
+        if screensaver_message == self.default_screensaver_message then
+            if self.event_message then
+                screensaver_message = self.event_message
+                -- The overlay is only ever populated with the event message, and we only want to show it once ;).
+                self.overlay_message = nil
             end
         end
+
         -- NOTE: Only attempt to expand if there are special characters in the message.
         if screensaver_message:find("%%") then
             screensaver_message = self:expandSpecial(screensaver_message, self.event_message or self.default_screensaver_message)