diff --git a/src/app/index.html b/src/app/index.html
index 458d61fd428..168031572fb 100644
--- a/src/app/index.html
+++ b/src/app/index.html
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
         https://app.getsentry.com
         https://*.google-analytics.com;
       child-src
+        blob:
         https://share.intercom.io
         https://www.youtube.com
         https://player.vimeo.com
diff --git a/src/app/index.js b/src/app/index.js
index d06ef3bf0a8..70dc23e84cd 100644
--- a/src/app/index.js
+++ b/src/app/index.js
@@ -348,6 +348,7 @@ app.extend({
       Action.pluginActivationCompleted.listen(() => {
         global.hadronApp.appRegistry.onActivated();
         global.hadronApp.appRegistry.emit('application-initialized', APP_VERSION);
+        global.hadronApp.appRegistry.emit('preferences-loaded', state.preferences);
         // signal to main process that app is ready
         ipc.call('window:renderer-ready');
         // as soon as dom is ready, render and set up the rest
diff --git a/src/internal-plugins/query/lib/store/query-store.js b/src/internal-plugins/query/lib/store/query-store.js
index 55efb57b4e6..4da99141ec2 100644
--- a/src/internal-plugins/query/lib/store/query-store.js
+++ b/src/internal-plugins/query/lib/store/query-store.js
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ const debug = require('debug')('mongodb-compass:stores:query');
 // constants
 const USER_TYPING_DEBOUNCE_MS = 100;
 
-const FEATURE_FLAG_REGEX = /^(enable|disable) (\w+)\s*$/;
 const RESET_STATE = 'reset';
 const APPLY_STATE = 'apply';
 
@@ -40,17 +39,6 @@ const QueryStore = Reflux.createStore({
   mixins: [StateMixin.store],
   listenables: QueryAction,
 
-  init: function() {
-    // store valid feature flags to recognise in the filter box
-    if (_.get(app.preferences, 'serialize')) {
-      this.validFeatureFlags = _.keys(
-        _.pick(app.preferences.serialize(), _.isBoolean)
-      );
-    } else {
-      this.validFeatureFlags = [];
-    }
-  },
-
   onActivated(appRegistry) {
     this.QueryHistoryActions = appRegistry.getAction('QueryHistory.Actions');
     this.QueryHistoryActions.runQuery.listen(this.autoPopulateQuery.bind(this));
@@ -123,9 +111,6 @@ const QueryStore = Reflux.createStore({
       // query history view.
       autoPopulated: false,
 
-      // was a feature flag recognised in the input
-      featureFlag: false,
-
       // is the query bar component expanded or collapsed?
       expanded: false,
 
@@ -215,10 +200,8 @@ const QueryStore = Reflux.createStore({
   setQueryString(label, input, userTyping) {
     assert(_.includes(QUERY_PROPERTIES, label));
     const validatedInput = this._validateInput(label, input);
-    const isFeatureFlag = Boolean(this._validateFeatureFlag(input));
 
     const state = {
-      featureFlag: isFeatureFlag,
       userTyping: Boolean(userTyping)
     };
     state[`${label}String`] = input;
@@ -305,7 +288,6 @@ const QueryStore = Reflux.createStore({
     if (_.has(query, 'sample')) {
       this.toggleSample(query.sample);
     }
-    state.featureFlag = false;
     state.autoPopulated = autoPopulated;
     state.valid = valid;
     this.setState(state);
@@ -359,37 +341,6 @@ const QueryStore = Reflux.createStore({
     );
   },
 
-  /**
-   * validates if the input is a feature flag directive.
-   *
-   * @param {String} input   The input to validate.
-   *
-   * @return {Boolean|MatchGroup}  the regex match or false if invalid.
-   */
-  _validateFeatureFlag(input) {
-    const match = input.match(FEATURE_FLAG_REGEX);
-    if (match && _.contains(this.validFeatureFlags, match[2])) {
-      return match;
-    }
-    return false;
-  },
-
-  /**
-   * check if the filter input is really a feature flag directive, for example
-   * `enable serverStats`. If so, set the feature flag accordingly.
-   *
-   * @return {Boolean}   if it was a feature flag or not.
-   */
-  _checkFeatureFlagDirective() {
-    const match = this._validateFeatureFlag(this.state.filterString);
-    if (match) {
-      app.preferences.save(match[2], match[1] === 'enable');
-      debug('feature flag %s %sd', match[2], match[1]);
-      return true;
-    }
-    return false;
-  },
-
   /**
    * Sets the value for the given field on the filter.
    *
@@ -627,14 +578,6 @@ const QueryStore = Reflux.createStore({
    * apply the current (valid) query, and store it in `lastExecutedQuery`.
    */
   apply() {
-    // if it's a feature flag directive, then we can just reset the query
-    // to whatever was last executed.
-    if (this._checkFeatureFlagDirective()) {
-      this.setQuery(this.state.lastExecutedQuery);
-      return;
-    }
-    // otherwise, if the query validates ok, modify lastExecutedQuery (which
-    // triggers the QueryChangedStore) and set the "apply" state.
     if (this._validateQuery()) {
       const registry = app.appRegistry;
       if (registry) {
diff --git a/test/unit/query-store.test.js b/test/unit/query-store.test.js
index ec4a7a61bde..7d1b493a84d 100644
--- a/test/unit/query-store.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/query-store.test.js
@@ -91,23 +91,6 @@ describe('QueryStore', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  describe('_validateFeatureFlag', () => {
-    it('accepts a valid feature flag', () => {
-      QueryStore.validFeatureFlags = [
-        'rocketLauncher',
-        'laserWeapon',
-        'turboBoost'
-      ];
-      const res = QueryStore._validateFeatureFlag('enable rocketLauncher');
-      expect(res[1]).to.be.equal('enable');
-      expect(res[2]).to.be.equal('rocketLauncher');
-    });
-    it('rejects an invalid query sort', () => {
-      const res = QueryStore._validateFeatureFlag('{foo: 1}');
-      expect(res).to.be.false;
-    });
-  });
-
   describe('setQuery', () => {
     context('when setting a single query property', () => {
       it('sets a new `filter`', done => {