diff --git a/src/scripts/lib/clay-config.js b/src/scripts/lib/clay-config.js
index b2ab0e0..285a064 100644
--- a/src/scripts/lib/clay-config.js
+++ b/src/scripts/lib/clay-config.js
@@ -184,6 +184,9 @@ function ClayConfig(settings, config, $rootContainer, meta) {
    */
   self.serialize = function() {
     _checkBuilt('serialize');
+
+    _settings = {};
+
     _.eachObj(_itemsByAppKey, function(appKey, item) {
       _settings[appKey] = {
         value: item.get()
diff --git a/test/spec/lib/clay-config.js b/test/spec/lib/clay-config.js
index 80d57a9..a977935 100644
--- a/test/spec/lib/clay-config.js
+++ b/test/spec/lib/clay-config.js
@@ -159,6 +159,26 @@ describe('ClayConfig', function() {
         fixtures.clayConfig(config, true, true, loadedSettings);
       });
     });
+
+    it('only returns the settings present in the config', function() {
+      var config = [
+        {type: 'input', appKey: 'test1', defaultValue: 'default val'},
+        {type: 'select', appKey: 'test2', options: [
+          {label: 'label-1', value: 'val-1'},
+          {label: 'label-2', value: 'val-2'}
+        ]}
+      ];
+      var settings = {
+        test2: 'val-2',
+        notInTheConfig: 'Should not exist'
+      };
+
+      var clayConfig = fixtures.clayConfig(config, true, true, settings);
+      assert.deepEqual(clayConfig.serialize(), {
+        test1: {value: 'default val'},
+        test2: {value: 'val-2'}
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe('.registerComponent()', function() {