diff --git a/browser/brave_profile_prefs.cc b/browser/brave_profile_prefs.cc
index 94cca403239..b805cc6a377 100644
--- a/browser/brave_profile_prefs.cc
+++ b/browser/brave_profile_prefs.cc
@@ -33,10 +33,6 @@
 #include "brave/components/brave_webtorrent/browser/webtorrent_util.h"
 #endif
 
-#if !defined(OS_ANDROID)
-#include "chrome/browser/first_run/first_run.h"
-#endif
-
 #if !BUILDFLAG(USE_GCM_FROM_PLATFORM)
 #include "components/gcm_driver/gcm_channel_status_syncer.h"
 #endif
@@ -103,12 +99,7 @@ void RegisterProfilePrefs(user_prefs::PrefRegistrySyncable* registry) {
   registry->RegisterBooleanPref(kHTTPSEVerywhereControlType, true);
   registry->RegisterBooleanPref(kNoScriptControlType, false);
   registry->RegisterBooleanPref(kAdControlType, true);
-  // > advanced view is defaulted to true for EXISTING users; false for new
-  bool is_new_user = false;
-
-#if !defined(OS_ANDROID)
-  is_new_user = first_run::IsChromeFirstRun();
-#endif
+  registry->RegisterBooleanPref(kShieldsAdvancedViewEnabled, false);
 
 #if !BUILDFLAG(USE_GCM_FROM_PLATFORM)
   // PushMessaging
@@ -116,8 +107,6 @@ void RegisterProfilePrefs(user_prefs::PrefRegistrySyncable* registry) {
                                 base::Value(false));
 #endif
 
-  registry->RegisterBooleanPref(kShieldsAdvancedViewEnabled,
-                                is_new_user == false);
   registry->RegisterBooleanPref(kShieldsStatsBadgeVisible, true);
   registry->RegisterBooleanPref(kGoogleLoginControlType, true);
   registry->RegisterBooleanPref(kFBEmbedControlType, true);
diff --git a/browser/brave_profile_prefs_browsertest.cc b/browser/brave_profile_prefs_browsertest.cc
index f970f5eb3f3..f036a4332f7 100644
--- a/browser/brave_profile_prefs_browsertest.cc
+++ b/browser/brave_profile_prefs_browsertest.cc
@@ -82,17 +82,28 @@ typedef FirstRunMasterPrefsBrowserTestT<kFirstRunEmptyPrefs>
     BraveProfilePrefsFirstRunBrowserTest;
 IN_PROC_BROWSER_TEST_F(BraveProfilePrefsFirstRunBrowserTest,
                        AdvancedShieldsNewUserValue) {
-  EXPECT_FALSE(
-        browser()->profile()->GetPrefs()->GetBoolean(
+  // verify value of pref (default to simple view)
+  EXPECT_FALSE(browser()->profile()->GetPrefs()->GetBoolean(
           kShieldsAdvancedViewEnabled));
+  // verify that pref was set (and is not default)
+  const PrefService::Preference* pref =
+      browser()->profile()->GetPrefs()->FindPreference(
+          kShieldsAdvancedViewEnabled);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(pref->HasUserSetting());
 }
 
 // Existing Brave users should default shields to Advanced view
 IN_PROC_BROWSER_TEST_F(BraveProfilePrefsBrowserTest,
                        AdvancedShieldsExistingUserValue) {
+  // verify value of pref (default to advanced view)
   EXPECT_TRUE(
         browser()->profile()->GetPrefs()->GetBoolean(
           kShieldsAdvancedViewEnabled));
+  // verify that pref was set (and is not default)
+  const PrefService::Preference* pref =
+      browser()->profile()->GetPrefs()->FindPreference(
+          kShieldsAdvancedViewEnabled);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(pref->HasUserSetting());
 }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/browser/profiles/brave_profile_impl.cc b/browser/profiles/brave_profile_impl.cc
index d465ae30498..86050a5dfb6 100644
--- a/browser/profiles/brave_profile_impl.cc
+++ b/browser/profiles/brave_profile_impl.cc
@@ -7,11 +7,16 @@
 
 #include "base/task/post_task.h"
 #include "brave/browser/profiles/profile_util.h"
+#include "brave/common/pref_names.h"
 #include "chrome/browser/browser_process.h"
 #include "chrome/browser/chrome_notification_types.h"
 #include "chrome/browser/profiles/profile_manager.h"
 #include "content/public/browser/notification_source.h"
 
+#if !defined(OS_ANDROID)
+#include "chrome/browser/first_run/first_run.h"
+#endif
+
 BraveProfileImpl::BraveProfileImpl(
     const base::FilePath& path,
     Delegate* delegate,
@@ -20,6 +25,17 @@ BraveProfileImpl::BraveProfileImpl(
     scoped_refptr<base::SequencedTaskRunner> io_task_runner)
     : ProfileImpl(path, delegate, create_mode, creation_time, io_task_runner),
       weak_ptr_factory_(this) {
+#if !defined(OS_ANDROID)
+  const PrefService::Preference* pref =
+      GetPrefs()->FindPreference(kShieldsAdvancedViewEnabled);
+  if (!pref->HasUserSetting()) {
+    // advanced view is defaulted to true for EXISTING users; false for new.
+    // preference needs to be explicitly set to hold its value
+    const bool default_value = !first_run::IsChromeFirstRun();
+    GetPrefs()->SetBoolean(kShieldsAdvancedViewEnabled, default_value);
+  }
+#endif
+
   // In sessions profiles, prefs are created from the original profile like how
   // incognito profile works. By the time chromium start to observe prefs
   // initialization in ProfileImpl constructor for the async creation case,