diff --git a/kcms/kded/kcmkded.cpp b/kcms/kded/kcmkded.cpp
--- a/kcms/kded/kcmkded.cpp
+++ b/kcms/kded/kcmkded.cpp
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@
     m_filteredModel->setSourceModel(m_model);
 
     connect(m_model, &ModulesModel::autoloadedModulesChanged, this, [this] {
-        setNeedsSave(true);
+        setNeedsSave(m_model->needsSave());
+        setRepresentsDefaults(m_model->representsDefault());
     });
 
     connect(m_kdedWatcher, &QDBusServiceWatcher::serviceOwnerChanged, this,
@@ -212,6 +213,7 @@
     m_model->load();
 
     setNeedsSave(false);
+    setRepresentsDefaults(m_model->representsDefault());
 }
 
 void KDEDConfig::save()
@@ -234,7 +236,7 @@
     }
 
     kdedrc.sync();
-
+    m_model->refreshAutoloadEnabledSavedState();
     setNeedsSave(false);
 
     m_runningModulesBeforeReconfigure = m_model->runningModules();
@@ -262,8 +264,8 @@
 {
     for (int i = 0; i < m_model->rowCount(); ++i) {
         const QModelIndex idx = m_model->index(i, 0);
-        if (m_model->setData(idx, true, ModulesModel::AutoloadEnabledRole)) {
-            setNeedsSave(true);
+        if (!idx.data(ModulesModel::ImmutableRole).toBool()) {
+            m_model->setData(idx, true, ModulesModel::AutoloadEnabledRole);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/kcms/kded/modulesmodel.h b/kcms/kded/modulesmodel.h
--- a/kcms/kded/modulesmodel.h
+++ b/kcms/kded/modulesmodel.h
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
     KDEDConfig::ModuleType type;
     bool autoloadEnabled;
     QString moduleName;
+    bool immutable;
+    bool autoloadEnabledSaved;
 };
 Q_DECLARE_TYPEINFO(ModulesModelData, Q_MOVABLE_TYPE);
 
@@ -49,7 +51,8 @@
         TypeRole,
         AutoloadEnabledRole,
         StatusRole,
-        ModuleNameRole
+        ModuleNameRole,
+        ImmutableRole,
     };
 
     int rowCount(const QModelIndex &parent = QModelIndex()) const override;
@@ -65,6 +68,10 @@
     QStringList runningModules() const;
     void setRunningModules(const QStringList &runningModules);
 
+    bool representsDefault() const;
+    bool needsSave() const;
+    void refreshAutoloadEnabledSavedState();
+
 signals:
     void autoloadedModulesChanged();
 
diff --git a/kcms/kded/modulesmodel.cpp b/kcms/kded/modulesmodel.cpp
--- a/kcms/kded/modulesmodel.cpp
+++ b/kcms/kded/modulesmodel.cpp
@@ -75,11 +75,38 @@
         return KDEDConfig::NotRunning;
     }
     case ModuleNameRole: return item.moduleName;
+    case ImmutableRole: return item.immutable;
     }
 
     return QVariant();
 }
 
+bool ModulesModel::representsDefault() const
+{
+    bool isDefault = true;
+    for (int i = 0; i < m_data.count(); ++i) {
+        auto &item = m_data[i];
+        if (item.type != KDEDConfig::AutostartType || item.immutable) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        isDefault &= item.autoloadEnabled;
+    }
+    return isDefault;
+}
+
+bool ModulesModel::needsSave() const
+{
+    bool save = false;
+    for (int i = 0; i < m_data.count(); ++i) {
+        auto &item = m_data[i];
+        if (item.type != KDEDConfig::AutostartType || item.immutable) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        save |= item.autoloadEnabled != item.autoloadEnabledSaved;
+    }
+    return save;
+}
+
 bool ModulesModel::setData(const QModelIndex &index, const QVariant &value, int role)
 {
     bool dirty = false;
@@ -90,18 +117,21 @@
 
     auto &item = m_data[index.row()];
 
+    if (item.type != KDEDConfig::AutostartType || item.immutable) {
+        return dirty;
+    }
+
     switch (role) {
-    case AutoloadEnabledRole:
+    case AutoloadEnabledRole: {
         const bool autoloadEnabled = value.toBool();
-        if (item.type == KDEDConfig::AutostartType
-                && item.autoloadEnabled != autoloadEnabled) {
-            item.autoloadEnabled = value.toBool();
+        if (item.autoloadEnabled != autoloadEnabled) {
+            item.autoloadEnabled = autoloadEnabled;
             dirty = true;
-
-            emit autoloadedModulesChanged();
         }
+        emit autoloadedModulesChanged();
         break;
     }
+    }
 
     if (dirty) {
         emit dataChanged(index, index, {role});
@@ -119,6 +149,7 @@
         {AutoloadEnabledRole, QByteArrayLiteral("autoloadEnabled")},
         {StatusRole, QByteArrayLiteral("status")},
         {ModuleNameRole, QByteArrayLiteral("moduleName")},
+        {ImmutableRole, QByteArrayLiteral("immutable")},
     };
 }
 
@@ -177,6 +208,7 @@
 
         // autoload defaults to false if it is not found
         const bool autoload = module.rawData().value(QStringLiteral("X-KDE-Kded-autoload")).toVariant().toBool();
+
         // keep estimating dbusModuleName in sync with KDEDModule (kdbusaddons) and kded (kded)
         // currently (KF5) the module name in the D-Bus object path is set by the pluginId
         const QString dbusModuleName = module.pluginId();
@@ -190,13 +222,16 @@
 
         KConfigGroup cg(&kdedrc, QStringLiteral("Module-%1").arg(dbusModuleName));
         const bool autoloadEnabled = cg.readEntry("autoload", true);
+        const bool immutable = cg.isEntryImmutable("autoload");
 
         ModulesModelData data{
             module.name(),
             module.description(),
             KDEDConfig::UnknownType,
             autoloadEnabled,
-            dbusModuleName
+            dbusModuleName,
+            immutable,
+            autoloadEnabled
         };
 
         // The logic has to be identical to Kded::initModules.
@@ -258,3 +293,11 @@
         emit dataChanged(index(0, 0), index(m_data.count() - 1, 0), {StatusRole});
     }
 }
+
+void ModulesModel::refreshAutoloadEnabledSavedState()
+{
+    for (int i = 0; i < m_data.count(); ++i) {
+        auto &item = m_data[i];
+        item.autoloadEnabledSaved = item.autoloadEnabled;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/kcms/kded/package/contents/ui/main.qml b/kcms/kded/package/contents/ui/main.qml
--- a/kcms/kded/package/contents/ui/main.qml
+++ b/kcms/kded/package/contents/ui/main.qml
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@
 <p><b>Use this with care: some services are vital for Plasma; do not deactivate services if you
  do not know what you are doing.</b></p>")
 
-    // TODO immutable somehow?
-
     Binding {
         target: kcm.filteredModel
         property: "query"
@@ -164,6 +162,7 @@
                 id: delegate
                 // FIXME why does the padding logic to dodge the ScrollBars not work here?
                 text: model.display
+                enabled: !model.immutable
                 checkable: model.type !== Private.KCM.OnDemandType
                 checked: model.autoloadEnabled === true
                 hoverEnabled: checkable