Index: s_file.c
===================================================================
--- s_file.c	(revision 9789)
+++ s_file.c	(working copy)
@@ -235,17 +235,35 @@
 {
     char cmdbuf[256];
     int nread = 0, nleft = size;
-       char embedded_prefs[MAXPDSTRING];
-       char user_prefs[MAXPDSTRING];
-       char *homedir = getenv("HOME");
+	char default_prefs[MAXPDSTRING]; // default prefs embedded in the package
+	char embedded_prefs[MAXPDSTRING]; // overrides others for standalone app
+	char embedded_prefs_file[MAXPDSTRING];
+	char user_prefs_file[MAXPDSTRING];
+	char *homedir = getenv("HOME");
     struct stat statbuf;
-       /* the 'defaults' command expects the filename without .plist at the end */
-       snprintf(embedded_prefs, MAXPDSTRING, "%s/../org.puredata.pd", sys_libdir->s_name);
-       snprintf(user_prefs, MAXPDSTRING, "%s/Library/Preferences/org.puredata.pd.plist", homedir);
-       if (stat(user_prefs, &statbuf) == 0)
-    snprintf(cmdbuf, 256, "defaults read org.puredata.pd %s 2> /dev/null\n", key);
-       else 
-               snprintf(cmdbuf, 256, "defaults read %s %s 2> /dev/null\n", embedded_prefs, key);
+	/* the 'defaults' command expects the filename without .plist at the end */
+	snprintf(default_prefs, MAXPDSTRING, "%s/../org.puredata.pd.default", 
+			 sys_libdir->s_name);
+	snprintf(embedded_prefs, MAXPDSTRING, "%s/../org.puredata.pd", 
+			 sys_libdir->s_name);
+	snprintf(embedded_prefs_file, MAXPDSTRING, "%s.plist", embedded_prefs);
+	snprintf(user_prefs_file, MAXPDSTRING, 
+			 "%s/Library/Preferences/org.puredata.pd.plist", homedir);
+	if (stat(embedded_prefs_file, &statbuf) == 0) 
+	{
+		snprintf(cmdbuf, 256, 
+				 "defaults read %s %s 2> /dev/null\n", embedded_prefs, key);
+	}
+	else if (stat(user_prefs_file, &statbuf) == 0) 
+	{
+		snprintf(cmdbuf, 256, 
+				 "defaults read org.puredata.pd %s 2> /dev/null\n", key);
+	}
+	else 
+	{
+		snprintf(cmdbuf, 256, 
+				 "defaults read %s %s 2> /dev/null\n", default_prefs, key);
+	}
     FILE *fp = popen(cmdbuf, "r");
     while (nread < size)
     {