diff --git a/lib/controller.js b/lib/controller.js
index 5dc05be5..8ef7e79d 100644
--- a/lib/controller.js
+++ b/lib/controller.js
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ class Controller {
         }
 
         const options = {
-            retain: entity.settings.retain,
+            retain: entity.settings.hasOwnProperty('retain') ? entity.settings.retain : false,
             qos: entity.settings.hasOwnProperty('qos') ? entity.settings.qos : 0,
         };
 
diff --git a/lib/util/settings.js b/lib/util/settings.js
index b6810a1c..54db7827 100644
--- a/lib/util/settings.js
+++ b/lib/util/settings.js
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ const schema = {
                         retain: {type: 'boolean'},
                         qos: {type: 'number'},
                     },
-                    required: ['friendly_name', 'retain'],
+                    required: ['friendly_name'],
                 },
             },
         },
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ const schema = {
                         optimistic: {type: 'boolean'},
                         qos: {type: 'number'},
                     },
-                    required: ['friendly_name', 'retain'],
+                    required: ['friendly_name'],
                 },
             },
         },
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ function addDevice(ID) {
         settings.devices = {};
     }
 
-    settings.devices[ID] = {friendly_name: ID, retain: false};
+    settings.devices[ID] = {friendly_name: ID};
     write();
     return getDevice(ID);
 }
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ function addGroup(name, ID=null) {
         }
     }
 
-    settings.groups[ID] = {friendly_name: name, retain: false};
+    settings.groups[ID] = {friendly_name: name};
     write();
 
     return getGroup(ID);
diff --git a/test/bridgeConfig.test.js b/test/bridgeConfig.test.js
index 5fcc4474..0cc81e08 100644
--- a/test/bridgeConfig.test.js
+++ b/test/bridgeConfig.test.js
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ describe('Bridge config', () => {
         zigbeeHerdsman.createGroup.mockClear();
         MQTT.events.message('zigbee2mqtt/bridge/config/add_group', 'new_group');
         await flushPromises();
-        expect(settings.getGroup('new_group')).toStrictEqual({"ID": 3, "friendlyName": "new_group", "friendly_name": "new_group", "retain": false, devices: [], optimistic: true});
+        expect(settings.getGroup('new_group')).toStrictEqual({"ID": 3, "friendlyName": "new_group", "friendly_name": "new_group", devices: [], optimistic: true});
         expect(zigbeeHerdsman.createGroup).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
         expect(zigbeeHerdsman.createGroup).toHaveBeenCalledWith(3)
     });
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ describe('Bridge config', () => {
         zigbeeHerdsman.createGroup.mockClear();
         MQTT.events.message('zigbee2mqtt/bridge/config/add_group', '{"friendly_name": "new_group"}');
         await flushPromises();
-        expect(settings.getGroup('new_group')).toStrictEqual({"ID": 3, "friendlyName": "new_group", "friendly_name": "new_group", "retain": false, devices: [], optimistic: true});
+        expect(settings.getGroup('new_group')).toStrictEqual({"ID": 3, "friendlyName": "new_group", "friendly_name": "new_group", devices: [], optimistic: true});
         expect(zigbeeHerdsman.createGroup).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
         expect(zigbeeHerdsman.createGroup).toHaveBeenCalledWith(3)
     });
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ describe('Bridge config', () => {
         zigbeeHerdsman.createGroup.mockClear();
         MQTT.events.message('zigbee2mqtt/bridge/config/add_group', '{"friendly_name": "new_group", "id": 42}');
         await flushPromises();
-        expect(settings.getGroup('new_group')).toStrictEqual({"ID": 42, "friendlyName": "new_group", "friendly_name": "new_group", "retain": false, devices: [], optimistic: true});
+        expect(settings.getGroup('new_group')).toStrictEqual({"ID": 42, "friendlyName": "new_group", "friendly_name": "new_group", devices: [], optimistic: true});
         expect(zigbeeHerdsman.createGroup).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
         expect(zigbeeHerdsman.createGroup).toHaveBeenCalledWith(42)
     });
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ describe('Bridge config', () => {
         zigbeeHerdsman.createGroup.mockClear();
         MQTT.events.message('zigbee2mqtt/bridge/config/add_group', '{"id": 42}');
         await flushPromises();
-        expect(settings.getGroup('group_42')).toStrictEqual({"ID": 42, "friendlyName": "group_42", "friendly_name": "group_42", "retain": false, devices: [], optimistic: true});
+        expect(settings.getGroup('group_42')).toStrictEqual({"ID": 42, "friendlyName": "group_42", "friendly_name": "group_42", devices: [], optimistic: true});
         expect(zigbeeHerdsman.createGroup).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
         expect(zigbeeHerdsman.createGroup).toHaveBeenCalledWith(42)
     });
diff --git a/test/controller.test.js b/test/controller.test.js
index 02af3a79..5dda197f 100644
--- a/test/controller.test.js
+++ b/test/controller.test.js
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ describe('Controller', () => {
         const payload = {device, endpoint: device.getEndpoint(1), type: 'attributeReport', linkquality: 10, groupID: 0, cluster: 'genBasic', data: {modelId: device.modelID}};
         await zigbeeHerdsman.events.message(payload);
         await flushPromises();
-        expect(settings.getDevice(device.ieeeAddr)).toStrictEqual({"ID": "0x0017880104e45519", "friendlyName": "0x0017880104e45519", "friendly_name": "0x0017880104e45519", "retain": false});
+        expect(settings.getDevice(device.ieeeAddr)).toStrictEqual({"ID": "0x0017880104e45519", "friendlyName": "0x0017880104e45519", "friendly_name": "0x0017880104e45519"});
     });
 
     it('On zigbee deviceJoined', async () => {
diff --git a/test/settings.test.js b/test/settings.test.js
index 6765e6c5..6ce094c0 100644
--- a/test/settings.test.js
+++ b/test/settings.test.js
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ describe('Settings', () => {
             devices: {
                 '0x12345678': {
                     friendly_name: '0x12345678',
-                    retain: false,
                 },
             },
         };
@@ -178,7 +177,6 @@ describe('Settings', () => {
             },
             '0x1234': {
                 friendly_name: '0x1234',
-                retain: false,
             },
         };
 
@@ -199,7 +197,6 @@ describe('Settings', () => {
         const expected = {
             '0x1234': {
                 friendly_name: '0x1234',
-                retain: false,
             },
         };
 
@@ -302,7 +299,6 @@ describe('Settings', () => {
         const expectedDevice = {
             '0x1234': {
                 friendly_name: '0x1234',
-                retain: false,
             },
         };
 
@@ -325,7 +321,6 @@ describe('Settings', () => {
             ID: '0x1234',
             friendlyName: '0x1234',
             friendly_name: '0x1234',
-            retain: false,
         };
 
         expect(settings.getDevice('0x1234')).toStrictEqual(expectedDevice2);
@@ -338,7 +333,6 @@ describe('Settings', () => {
         const expected = {
             '1': {
                 friendly_name: 'test123',
-                retain: false,
             },
         };
 
@@ -352,7 +346,6 @@ describe('Settings', () => {
         const expected = {
             '123': {
                 friendly_name: 'test123',
-                retain: false,
             },
         };
 
@@ -369,7 +362,6 @@ describe('Settings', () => {
         const expected = {
             '1': {
                 friendly_name: 'test123',
-                retain: false,
             },
         };
 
@@ -386,7 +378,6 @@ describe('Settings', () => {
         const expected = {
             '123': {
                 friendly_name: 'test123',
-                retain: false,
             },
         };
 
@@ -408,7 +399,6 @@ describe('Settings', () => {
         const expected = {
             '1': {
                 friendly_name: 'test123',
-                retain: false,
                 devices: ['0x123'],
             },
         };