diff --git a/pylib/tests/test_cards.py b/pylib/tests/test_cards.py
index 907450c98..e7a1ba830 100644
--- a/pylib/tests/test_cards.py
+++ b/pylib/tests/test_cards.py
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ def test_gendeck():
     assert note.cards()[0].did == 1
     # set the model to a new default col
     newId = col.decks.id("new")
-    cloze["did"] = newId
+    # fixme: dedicated API for this
+    col.set_config(f"_nt_{cloze['id']}_lastDeck", newId)
     col.models.save(cloze, updateReqs=False)
     # a newly generated card should share the first card's col
     note["Text"] += "{{c2::two}}"
diff --git a/rslib/backend.proto b/rslib/backend.proto
index 1acfdb869..a46924882 100644
--- a/rslib/backend.proto
+++ b/rslib/backend.proto
@@ -466,7 +466,8 @@ message Notetype {
     Kind kind = 1;
     uint32 sort_field_idx = 2;
     string css = 3;
-    int64 target_deck_id = 4;  // moved into config var
+    /// This is now stored separately; retrieve with DefaultsForAdding()
+    int64 target_deck_id_unused = 4;
     string latex_pre = 5;
     string latex_post = 6;
     bool latex_svg = 7;
diff --git a/rslib/src/dbcheck.rs b/rslib/src/dbcheck.rs
index 09fd78795..c4d9ea77c 100644
--- a/rslib/src/dbcheck.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/dbcheck.rs
@@ -256,7 +256,9 @@ impl Collection {
                 note.notetype_id = nt.id;
 
                 // write note, updating tags and generating missing cards
-                let ctx = genctx.get_or_insert_with(|| CardGenContext::new(&nt, usn));
+                let ctx = genctx.get_or_insert_with(|| {
+                    CardGenContext::new(&nt, self.get_last_deck_added_to_for_notetype(nt.id), usn)
+                });
                 self.update_note_inner_generating_cards(&ctx, &mut note, &original, false, norm)?;
             }
         }
diff --git a/rslib/src/notes/mod.rs b/rslib/src/notes/mod.rs
index ae744e6a6..692030eae 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notes/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notes/mod.rs
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ impl Collection {
             let nt = col
                 .get_notetype(note.notetype_id)?
                 .ok_or_else(|| AnkiError::invalid_input("missing note type"))?;
-            let ctx = CardGenContext::new(&nt, col.usn()?);
+            let last_deck = col.get_last_deck_added_to_for_notetype(note.notetype_id);
+            let ctx = CardGenContext::new(&nt, last_deck, col.usn()?);
             let norm = col.get_bool(BoolKey::NormalizeNoteText);
             col.add_note_inner(&ctx, note, did, norm)
         })
@@ -383,7 +384,8 @@ impl Collection {
         let nt = self
             .get_notetype(note.notetype_id)?
             .ok_or_else(|| AnkiError::invalid_input("missing note type"))?;
-        let ctx = CardGenContext::new(&nt, self.usn()?);
+        let last_deck = self.get_last_deck_added_to_for_notetype(note.notetype_id);
+        let ctx = CardGenContext::new(&nt, last_deck, self.usn()?);
         let norm = self.get_bool(BoolKey::NormalizeNoteText);
         self.update_note_inner_generating_cards(&ctx, note, &existing_note, true, norm)?;
         Ok(())
@@ -484,7 +486,13 @@ impl Collection {
                 }
 
                 if out.generate_cards {
-                    let ctx = genctx.get_or_insert_with(|| CardGenContext::new(&nt, usn));
+                    let ctx = genctx.get_or_insert_with(|| {
+                        CardGenContext::new(
+                            &nt,
+                            self.get_last_deck_added_to_for_notetype(nt.id),
+                            usn,
+                        )
+                    });
                     self.update_note_inner_generating_cards(
                         &ctx,
                         &mut note,
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/cardgen.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/cardgen.rs
index c269ea77a..1bc103d56 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/cardgen.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/cardgen.rs
@@ -8,16 +8,8 @@ use rand::{rngs::StdRng, Rng, SeedableRng};
 
 use super::Notetype;
 use crate::{
-    card::{Card, CardId},
-    cloze::add_cloze_numbers_in_string,
-    collection::Collection,
-    deckconfig::{DeckConfig, DeckConfigId},
-    decks::DeckId,
-    error::{AnkiError, Result},
-    notes::{Note, NoteId},
-    notetype::NotetypeKind,
+    cloze::add_cloze_numbers_in_string, notetype::NotetypeKind, prelude::*,
     template::ParsedTemplate,
-    types::Usn,
 };
 
 /// Info about an existing card required when generating new cards
@@ -49,6 +41,8 @@ pub(crate) struct SingleCardGenContext {
 pub(crate) struct CardGenContext<'a> {
     pub usn: Usn,
     pub notetype: &'a Notetype,
+    /// The last deck that was added to with this note type
+    pub last_deck: Option<DeckId>,
     cards: Vec<SingleCardGenContext>,
 }
 
@@ -60,9 +54,10 @@ pub(crate) struct CardGenCache {
 }
 
 impl CardGenContext<'_> {
-    pub(crate) fn new(nt: &Notetype, usn: Usn) -> CardGenContext<'_> {
+    pub(crate) fn new(nt: &Notetype, last_deck: Option<DeckId>, usn: Usn) -> CardGenContext<'_> {
         CardGenContext {
             usn,
+            last_deck,
             notetype: &nt,
             cards: nt
                 .templates
@@ -233,13 +228,7 @@ impl Collection {
         note: &Note,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         let existing = self.storage.existing_cards_for_note(note.id)?;
-        self.generate_cards_for_note(
-            ctx,
-            note,
-            &existing,
-            Some(ctx.notetype.target_deck_id()),
-            &mut Default::default(),
-        )
+        self.generate_cards_for_note(ctx, note, &existing, ctx.last_deck, &mut Default::default())
     }
 
     fn generate_cards_for_note(
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/emptycards.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/emptycards.rs
index 228147e0b..b15e06455 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/emptycards.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/emptycards.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ pub struct EmptyCardsForNote {
 
 impl Collection {
     fn empty_cards_for_notetype(&self, nt: &Notetype) -> Result<Vec<EmptyCardsForNote>> {
-        let ctx = CardGenContext::new(nt, self.usn()?);
+        let last_deck = self.get_last_deck_added_to_for_notetype(nt.id);
+        let ctx = CardGenContext::new(nt, last_deck, self.usn()?);
         let existing_cards = self.storage.existing_cards_for_notetype(nt.id)?;
         let by_note = group_generated_cards_by_note(existing_cards);
         let mut out = Vec::with_capacity(by_note.len());
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs
index acb342567..9ac15517f 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs
@@ -35,16 +35,11 @@ pub use crate::backend_proto::{
     Notetype as NotetypeProto,
 };
 use crate::{
-    collection::Collection,
-    decks::DeckId,
     define_newtype,
-    error::{AnkiError, Result, TemplateSaveError},
-    notes::Note,
+    error::TemplateSaveError,
     prelude::*,
     template::{FieldRequirements, ParsedTemplate},
     text::ensure_string_in_nfc,
-    timestamp::TimestampSecs,
-    types::Usn,
 };
 
 define_newtype!(NotetypeId, i64);
@@ -99,10 +94,6 @@ impl Notetype {
 
         template.ok_or(AnkiError::NotFound)
     }
-
-    pub fn target_deck_id(&self) -> DeckId {
-        DeckId(self.config.target_deck_id)
-    }
 }
 
 impl Collection {
@@ -320,14 +311,6 @@ impl Notetype {
         self.templates.push(CardTemplate::new(name, qfmt, afmt));
     }
 
-    pub(crate) fn prepare_for_adding(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
-        // defaults to 0
-        if self.config.target_deck_id == 0 {
-            self.config.target_deck_id = 1;
-        }
-        self.prepare_for_update(None)
-    }
-
     pub(crate) fn prepare_for_update(&mut self, existing: Option<&Notetype>) -> Result<()> {
         if self.fields.is_empty() {
             return Err(AnkiError::invalid_input("1 field required"));
@@ -489,7 +472,7 @@ impl Collection {
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn add_notetype_inner(&mut self, nt: &mut Notetype, usn: Usn) -> Result<()> {
-        nt.prepare_for_adding()?;
+        nt.prepare_for_update(None)?;
         self.ensure_notetype_name_unique(nt, usn)?;
         self.storage.add_new_notetype(nt)
     }
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/schema11.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/schema11.rs
index f708bd31a..fd2e9ffae 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/schema11.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/schema11.rs
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ impl From<NotetypeSchema11> for Notetype {
                 kind: nt.kind as i32,
                 sort_field_idx: nt.sortf as u32,
                 css: nt.css,
-                target_deck_id: nt.did.unwrap_or(DeckId(0)).0,
+                target_deck_id_unused: nt.did.unwrap_or(DeckId(0)).0,
                 latex_pre: nt.latex_pre,
                 latex_post: nt.latex_post,
                 latex_svg: nt.latexsvg,
@@ -148,10 +148,10 @@ impl From<Notetype> for NotetypeSchema11 {
             mtime: p.mtime_secs,
             usn: p.usn,
             sortf: c.sort_field_idx as u16,
-            did: if c.target_deck_id == 0 {
+            did: if c.target_deck_id_unused == 0 {
                 None
             } else {
-                Some(DeckId(c.target_deck_id))
+                Some(DeckId(c.target_deck_id_unused))
             },
             tmpls: p.templates.into_iter().map(Into::into).collect(),
             flds: p.fields.into_iter().map(Into::into).collect(),
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/schemachange.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/schemachange.rs
index 296af2a92..57b2f1e8a 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/schemachange.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/schemachange.rs
@@ -127,7 +127,8 @@ impl Collection {
                 .move_cards_for_repositioned_templates(nt.id, &changes.moved)?;
         }
 
-        let ctx = CardGenContext::new(nt, self.usn()?);
+        let last_deck = self.get_last_deck_added_to_for_notetype(nt.id);
+        let ctx = CardGenContext::new(nt, last_deck, self.usn()?);
         self.generate_cards_for_notetype(&ctx)?;
 
         Ok(())
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/stock.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/stock.rs
index 0d8cf6d3e..0679e882e 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/stock.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/stock.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ use crate::{
 impl SqliteStorage {
     pub(crate) fn add_stock_notetypes(&self, tr: &I18n) -> Result<()> {
         for (idx, mut nt) in all_stock_notetypes(tr).into_iter().enumerate() {
+            nt.prepare_for_update(None)?;
             self.add_new_notetype(&mut nt)?;
             if idx == Kind::Basic as usize {
                 self.set_config_entry(&ConfigEntry::boxed(
@@ -63,7 +64,6 @@ pub(crate) fn basic(tr: &I18n) -> Notetype {
             fieldref(back),
         ),
     );
-    nt.prepare_for_adding().unwrap();
     nt
 }
 
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ pub(crate) fn basic_typing(tr: &I18n) -> Notetype {
         fieldref(front),
         back
     );
-    nt.prepare_for_adding().unwrap();
     nt
 }
 
@@ -97,7 +96,6 @@ pub(crate) fn basic_forward_reverse(tr: &I18n) -> Notetype {
             fieldref(front),
         ),
     );
-    nt.prepare_for_adding().unwrap();
     nt
 }
 
@@ -108,7 +106,6 @@ pub(crate) fn basic_optional_reverse(tr: &I18n) -> Notetype {
     nt.add_field(addrev.as_ref());
     let tmpl = &mut nt.templates[1].config;
     tmpl.q_format = format!("{{{{#{}}}}}{}{{{{/{}}}}}", addrev, tmpl.q_format, addrev);
-    nt.prepare_for_adding().unwrap();
     nt
 }
 
@@ -134,6 +131,5 @@ pub(crate) fn cloze(tr: &I18n) -> Notetype {
  color: lightblue;
 }
 ";
-    nt.prepare_for_adding().unwrap();
     nt
 }