diff --git a/src/ui/public/config/__tests__/config.js b/src/ui/public/config/__tests__/config.js
index f072ece7b8f3d7..116075ed2b9e39 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/config/__tests__/config.js
+++ b/src/ui/public/config/__tests__/config.js
@@ -57,13 +57,6 @@ describe('config component', function () {
       expect(config.set).withArgs('unrecognizedProperty', 'somevalue').to.not.throwException();
       expect(config.get('unrecognizedProperty')).to.be('somevalue');
     });
-
-    // there is currently no way to make it return false without significant changes to the code
-    it('returns true for success', async () => {
-      expect(await config.set('random', 'value')).to.be(true);
-      // setting to the same should set it to true as well
-      expect(await config.set('random', 'value')).to.be(true);
-    });
   });
 
   describe('#$bind', function () {
@@ -74,7 +67,7 @@ describe('config component', function () {
       expect($scope).to.have.property('dateFormat', dateFormat);
     });
 
-    it('alows overriding the property name', function () {
+    it('allows overriding the property name', function () {
       const dateFormat = config.get('dateFormat');
       config.bindToScope($scope, 'dateFormat', 'defaultDateFormat');
       expect($scope).to.not.have.property('dateFormat');
@@ -95,4 +88,24 @@ describe('config component', function () {
 
   });
 
+  describe('#_change', () => {
+
+    it('returns true for success', async () => {
+      // immediately resolve to avoid timing issues
+      const delayedUpdate = Promise.resolve();
+
+      expect(await config._change('random', 'value', { _delayedUpdate: delayedUpdate })).to.be(true);
+      // setting to the same should set it to true as well
+      expect(await config._change('random', 'value')).to.be(true);
+    });
+
+    it('returns false for failure', async () => {
+      // immediately resolve to avoid timing issues
+      const delayedUpdate = Promise.reject();
+
+      expect(await config._change('random', 'value', { _delayedUpdate: delayedUpdate })).to.be(false);
+    });
+
+  });
+
 });
diff --git a/src/ui/public/config/config.js b/src/ui/public/config/config.js
index 1e55143d2488b1..7a10a14b7ae296 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/config/config.js
+++ b/src/ui/public/config/config.js
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ module.service(`config`, function (Private, $rootScope, chrome, uiSettings) {
 
   config.getAll = () => cloneDeep(settings);
   config.get = (key, defaultValue) => getCurrentValue(key, defaultValue);
-  config.set = (key, val) => change(key, isPlainObject(val) ? angular.toJson(val) : val);
-  config.remove = key => change(key, null);
+  config.set = (key, val) => config._change(key, isPlainObject(val) ? angular.toJson(val) : val);
+  config.remove = key => config._change(key, null);
   config.isDeclared = key => key in settings;
   config.isDefault = key => !config.isDeclared(key) || nullOrEmpty(settings[key].userValue);
   config.isCustom = key => config.isDeclared(key) && !('value' in settings[key]);
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ any custom setting configuration watchers for "${key}" may fix this issue.`);
     return scope.$on(`change:config`, update);
   }
 
-  function change(key, value) {
+  config._change = (key, value, { _delayedUpdate = delayedUpdate }) => {
     const declared = config.isDeclared(key);
     const oldVal = declared ? settings[key].userValue : undefined;
     const newVal = key in defaults && defaults[key].defaultValue === value ? null : value;
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ any custom setting configuration watchers for "${key}" may fix this issue.`);
     const initialVal = declared ? config.get(key) : undefined;
     localUpdate(key, newVal, initialVal);
 
-    return delayedUpdate(key, newVal)
+    return _delayedUpdate(key, newVal)
       .then(updatedSettings => {
         settings = mergeSettings(defaults, updatedSettings);
         return true;
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ any custom setting configuration watchers for "${key}" may fix this issue.`);
         notify.error(reason);
         return false;
       });
-  }
+  };
 
   function localUpdate(key, newVal, oldVal) {
     patch(key, newVal);