diff --git a/src/EntityManager.cpp b/src/EntityManager.cpp
index e9e35b8..ec1b285 100644
--- a/src/EntityManager.cpp
+++ b/src/EntityManager.cpp
@@ -1257,9 +1257,12 @@
                 registerCallbacks(io, dbusMatches, systemConfiguration,
                                   objServer);
                 io.post([&, newConfiguration]() {
+
+#ifdef OVERLAYS
                     // todo: for now, only add new configurations,
                     // unload to come later unloadOverlays();
                     loadOverlays(newConfiguration);
+#endif
                     io.post([&]() {
                         if (!writeJsonFiles(systemConfiguration))
                         {