diff --git a/server/models/Team.ts b/server/models/Team.ts
index dc7668423..066e08cee 100644
--- a/server/models/Team.ts
+++ b/server/models/Team.ts
@@ -195,12 +195,11 @@ class Team extends ParanoidModel {
    * Returns the passed preference value
    *
    * @param preference The user preference to retrieve
+   * @param fallback An optional fallback value, defaults to false.
    * @returns The preference value if set, else undefined
    */
-  public getPreference = (preference: TeamPreference) => {
-    return !!this.preferences && this.preferences[preference]
-      ? this.preferences[preference]
-      : undefined;
+  public getPreference = (preference: TeamPreference, fallback = false) => {
+    return this.preferences?.[preference] ?? fallback;
   };
 
   provisionFirstCollection = async (userId: string) => {
diff --git a/server/models/User.ts b/server/models/User.ts
index 76ca48428..7c6b79ce4 100644
--- a/server/models/User.ts
+++ b/server/models/User.ts
@@ -324,12 +324,11 @@ class User extends ParanoidModel {
    * Returns the passed preference value
    *
    * @param preference The user preference to retrieve
+   * @param fallback An optional fallback value, defaults to false.
    * @returns The preference value if set, else undefined
    */
-  public getPreference = (preference: UserPreference) => {
-    return !!this.preferences && this.preferences[preference]
-      ? this.preferences[preference]
-      : undefined;
+  public getPreference = (preference: UserPreference, fallback = false) => {
+    return this.preferences?.[preference] ?? fallback;
   };
 
   collectionIds = async (options = {}) => {