diff --git a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/settings/backend/OsmandSettings.java b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/settings/backend/OsmandSettings.java
index 9652fc3bad..6725bf4db3 100644
--- a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/settings/backend/OsmandSettings.java
+++ b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/settings/backend/OsmandSettings.java
@@ -848,7 +848,8 @@ public class OsmandSettings {
 	public final OsmandPreference<DrivingRegion> DRIVING_REGION = new EnumStringPreference<DrivingRegion>(this,
 			"default_driving_region", DrivingRegion.EUROPE_ASIA, DrivingRegion.values()) {
 		public boolean setValue(Object prefs, DrivingRegion val) {
-			if (val != null) {
+			boolean overrideMetricSystem = !DRIVING_REGION_AUTOMATIC.getValue(prefs, DRIVING_REGION_AUTOMATIC.getDefaultValue());
+			if (overrideMetricSystem && val != null) {
 				METRIC_SYSTEM.set(val.defMetrics);
 			}
 			return super.setValue(prefs, val);