diff --git a/clock.c b/clock.c
index 73cf016..8c20d64 100644
--- a/clock.c
+++ b/clock.c
@@ -824,7 +824,7 @@ struct clock *clock_create(struct config *config, int phc_index,
 	}
 
 	c->config = config;
-	c->free_running = dds->free_running;
+	c->free_running = config_get_int(config, NULL, "free_running");
 	c->freq_est_interval = config_get_int(config, NULL, "freq_est_interval");
 	c->grand_master_capable = dds->grand_master_capable;
 	c->kernel_leap = dds->kernel_leap;
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index d0451e3..8049045 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ struct config_item config_tab[] = {
 	PORT_ITEM_INT("egressLatency", 0, INT_MIN, INT_MAX),
 	GLOB_ITEM_DBL("first_step_threshold", 0.00002, 0.0, DBL_MAX),
 	PORT_ITEM_INT("follow_up_info", 0, 0, 1),
+	GLOB_ITEM_INT("free_running", 0, 0, 1),
 	PORT_ITEM_INT("freq_est_interval", 1, 0, INT_MAX),
 	PORT_ITEM_INT("ingressLatency", 0, INT_MIN, INT_MAX),
 	PORT_ITEM_INT("logAnnounceInterval", 1, INT8_MIN, INT8_MAX),
@@ -454,12 +455,6 @@ static enum parser_result parse_global_setting(const char *option,
 			return r;
 		dds->clockQuality.offsetScaledLogVariance = uval;
 
-	} else if (!strcmp(option, "free_running")) {
-		r = get_ranged_int(value, &val, 0, 1);
-		if (r != PARSED_OK)
-			return r;
-		cfg->dds.free_running = val;
-
 	} else if (!strcmp(option, "sanity_freq_limit")) {
 		r = get_ranged_int(value, &val, 0, INT_MAX);
 		if (r != PARSED_OK)
diff --git a/ds.h b/ds.h
index b252f39..963a033 100644
--- a/ds.h
+++ b/ds.h
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ struct clock_description {
 
 struct default_ds {
 	struct defaultDS dds;
-	int free_running;
 	int grand_master_capable; /*802.1AS only*/
 	int stats_interval; /*log seconds*/
 	int kernel_leap;
diff --git a/ptp4l.c b/ptp4l.c
index 0da5b1a..b6cd815 100644
--- a/ptp4l.c
+++ b/ptp4l.c
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ static struct config cfg_settings = {
 			.priority2 = 128,
 			.domainNumber = 0,
 		},
-		.free_running = 0,
 		.grand_master_capable = 1,
 		.stats_interval = 0,
 		.kernel_leap = 1,
@@ -313,7 +312,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	/* determine PHC Clock index */
 	iface = STAILQ_FIRST(&cfg_settings.interfaces);
-	if (cfg_settings.dds.free_running) {
+	if (config_get_int(cfg, NULL, "free_running")) {
 		phc_index = -1;
 	} else if (*timestamping == TS_SOFTWARE || *timestamping == TS_LEGACY_HW) {
 		phc_index = -1;