diff --git a/loader/include/Geode/loader/ModSettingsManager.hpp b/loader/include/Geode/loader/ModSettingsManager.hpp
index 6f5db523..296b34bf 100644
--- a/loader/include/Geode/loader/ModSettingsManager.hpp
+++ b/loader/include/Geode/loader/ModSettingsManager.hpp
@@ -40,12 +40,8 @@ namespace geode {
          * The format of the savedata will be an object with the keys being 
          * setting IDs and then the values the values of the saved settings
          * @note If saving a setting fails, it will log a warning to the console
-         * @warning This will overwrite the whole `json` parameter - be sure to 
-         * pass the full settings savedata to `load()` so you can be sure that 
-         * unregistered custom settings' saved values don't disappear!
-         * @todo in v4: make this return the value instead lol
          */
-        void save(matjson::Value& json);
+        matjson::Value save();
 
         /**
          * Get the savedata for settings, aka the JSON object that contains all 
diff --git a/loader/src/loader/ModImpl.cpp b/loader/src/loader/ModImpl.cpp
index acd09801..f8e71ccf 100644
--- a/loader/src/loader/ModImpl.cpp
+++ b/loader/src/loader/ModImpl.cpp
@@ -210,8 +210,7 @@ Result<> Mod::Impl::saveData() {
     }
 
     // ModSettingsManager keeps track of the whole savedata
-    matjson::Value json;
-    m_settings->save(json);
+    matjson::Value json = m_settings->save();
 
     // saveData is expected to be synchronous, and always called from GD thread
     ModStateEvent(m_self, ModEventType::DataSaved).post();
diff --git a/loader/src/loader/ModSettingsManager.cpp b/loader/src/loader/ModSettingsManager.cpp
index 1ab4fb9e..d18b664e 100644
--- a/loader/src/loader/ModSettingsManager.cpp
+++ b/loader/src/loader/ModSettingsManager.cpp
@@ -214,12 +214,12 @@ Result<> ModSettingsManager::load(matjson::Value const& json) {
     }
     return Ok();
 }
-void ModSettingsManager::save(matjson::Value& json) {
+matjson::Value ModSettingsManager::save() {
     for (auto& [key, _] : m_impl->settings) {
         m_impl->saveSettingValueToSave(key);
     }
     // Doing this since `ModSettingsManager` is expected to manage savedata fully
-    json = m_impl->savedata;
+    return m_impl->savedata;
 }
 matjson::Value& ModSettingsManager::getSaveData() {
     return m_impl->savedata;