diff --git a/gio/gdelayedsettingsbackend.c b/gio/gdelayedsettingsbackend.c
index 93ced25db..6fff6f71c 100644
--- a/gio/gdelayedsettingsbackend.c
+++ b/gio/gdelayedsettingsbackend.c
@@ -156,7 +156,8 @@ add_to_tree (gpointer key,
              gpointer value,
              gpointer user_data)
 {
-  g_tree_insert (user_data, g_strdup (key), g_variant_ref (value));
+  /* A value may be %NULL if its key has been reset */
+  g_tree_insert (user_data, g_strdup (key), (value != NULL) ? g_variant_ref (value) : NULL);
   return FALSE;
 }
 
diff --git a/gio/gsettings.c b/gio/gsettings.c
index c189a2e62..e96c94e11 100644
--- a/gio/gsettings.c
+++ b/gio/gsettings.c
@@ -343,8 +343,6 @@ struct _GSettingsPrivate
   GSettingsBackend *backend;
   GSettingsSchema *schema;
   gchar *path;
-
-  GDelayedSettingsBackend *delayed;
 };
 
 enum
@@ -642,7 +640,7 @@ g_settings_get_property (GObject    *object,
       break;
 
      case PROP_DELAY_APPLY:
-      g_value_set_boolean (value, settings->priv->delayed != NULL);
+      g_value_set_boolean (value, G_IS_DELAYED_SETTINGS_BACKEND (settings->priv->backend));
       break;
 
      default:
@@ -2256,19 +2254,20 @@ g_settings_set_strv (GSettings           *settings,
 void
 g_settings_delay (GSettings *settings)
 {
+  GDelayedSettingsBackend *delayed = NULL;
+
   g_return_if_fail (G_IS_SETTINGS (settings));
 
-  if (settings->priv->delayed)
+  if (G_IS_DELAYED_SETTINGS_BACKEND (settings->priv->backend))
     return;
 
-  settings->priv->delayed =
-    g_delayed_settings_backend_new (settings->priv->backend,
-                                    settings,
-                                    settings->priv->main_context);
+  delayed = g_delayed_settings_backend_new (settings->priv->backend,
+                                            settings,
+                                            settings->priv->main_context);
   g_settings_backend_unwatch (settings->priv->backend, G_OBJECT (settings));
   g_object_unref (settings->priv->backend);
 
-  settings->priv->backend = G_SETTINGS_BACKEND (settings->priv->delayed);
+  settings->priv->backend = G_SETTINGS_BACKEND (delayed);
   g_settings_backend_watch (settings->priv->backend,
                             &listener_vtable, G_OBJECT (settings),
                             settings->priv->main_context);
@@ -2288,7 +2287,7 @@ g_settings_delay (GSettings *settings)
 void
 g_settings_apply (GSettings *settings)
 {
-  if (settings->priv->delayed)
+  if (G_IS_DELAYED_SETTINGS_BACKEND (settings->priv->backend))
     {
       GDelayedSettingsBackend *delayed;
 
@@ -2311,7 +2310,7 @@ g_settings_apply (GSettings *settings)
 void
 g_settings_revert (GSettings *settings)
 {
-  if (settings->priv->delayed)
+  if (G_IS_DELAYED_SETTINGS_BACKEND (settings->priv->backend))
     {
       GDelayedSettingsBackend *delayed;
 
@@ -2336,7 +2335,7 @@ g_settings_get_has_unapplied (GSettings *settings)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (G_IS_SETTINGS (settings), FALSE);
 
-  return settings->priv->delayed &&
+  return G_IS_DELAYED_SETTINGS_BACKEND (settings->priv->backend) &&
          g_delayed_settings_backend_get_has_unapplied (
            G_DELAYED_SETTINGS_BACKEND (settings->priv->backend));
 }
@@ -2424,7 +2423,10 @@ g_settings_is_writable (GSettings   *settings,
  * @settings.
  *
  * The schema for the child settings object must have been declared
- * in the schema of @settings using a <child> element.
+ * in the schema of @settings using a `<child>` element.
+ *
+ * The created child settings object will inherit the #GSettings:delay-apply
+ * mode from @settings.
  *
  * Returns: (not nullable) (transfer full): a 'child' settings object
  *
diff --git a/gio/tests/gsettings.c b/gio/tests/gsettings.c
index 42eeccd7a..dad1623b7 100644
--- a/gio/tests/gsettings.c
+++ b/gio/tests/gsettings.c
@@ -56,6 +56,15 @@ check_and_free (GVariant    *value,
   g_variant_unref (value);
 }
 
+/* Wrapper around g_assert_cmpstr() which gets a setting from a #GSettings
+ * using g_settings_get(). */
+#define settings_assert_cmpstr(settings, key, op, expected_value) G_STMT_START { \
+  gchar *__str; \
+  g_settings_get ((settings), (key), "s", &__str); \
+  g_assert_cmpstr (__str, op, (expected_value)); \
+  g_free (__str); \
+} G_STMT_END
+
 
 /* Just to get warmed up: Read and set a string, and
  * verify that can read the changed string back
@@ -88,15 +97,10 @@ test_basic (void)
   g_object_unref (b);
   g_free (path);
 
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "Hello, earthlings");
-  g_free (str);
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "Hello, earthlings");
 
   g_settings_set (settings, "greeting", "s", "goodbye world");
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "goodbye world");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "goodbye world");
 
   if (!backend_set && g_test_undefined ())
     {
@@ -110,10 +114,7 @@ test_basic (void)
       g_object_unref (tmp_settings);
     }
 
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "goodbye world");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "goodbye world");
 
   g_settings_reset (settings, "greeting");
   str = g_settings_get_string (settings, "greeting");
@@ -342,10 +343,7 @@ test_basic_types (void)
   g_settings_get (settings, "test-double", "d", &d);
   g_assert_cmpfloat (d, ==, G_MAXDOUBLE);
 
-  g_settings_get (settings, "test-string", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "a string, it seems");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "test-string", ==, "a string, it seems");
 
   g_settings_get (settings, "test-objectpath", "o", &str);
   g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "/a/object/path");
@@ -484,7 +482,6 @@ test_delay_apply (void)
 {
   GSettings *settings;
   GSettings *settings2;
-  gchar *str;
   gboolean writable;
   GVariant *v;
   const gchar *s;
@@ -530,20 +527,14 @@ test_delay_apply (void)
   writable = g_settings_is_writable (settings, "greeting");
   g_assert_true (writable);
 
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "greetings from test_delay_apply");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "greetings from test_delay_apply");
 
   v = g_settings_get_user_value (settings, "greeting");
   s = g_variant_get_string (v, NULL);
   g_assert_cmpstr (s, ==, "greetings from test_delay_apply");
   g_variant_unref (v);
 
-  g_settings_get (settings2, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "top o' the morning");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings2, "greeting", ==, "top o' the morning");
 
   g_assert_true (g_settings_get_has_unapplied (settings));
   g_assert_false (g_settings_get_has_unapplied (settings2));
@@ -556,15 +547,8 @@ test_delay_apply (void)
   g_assert_false (changed_cb_called);
   g_assert_true (changed_cb_called2);
 
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "greetings from test_delay_apply");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
-
-  g_settings_get (settings2, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "greetings from test_delay_apply");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "greetings from test_delay_apply");
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings2, "greeting", ==, "greetings from test_delay_apply");
 
   g_assert_false (g_settings_get_has_unapplied (settings));
   g_assert_false (g_settings_get_has_unapplied (settings2));
@@ -572,9 +556,7 @@ test_delay_apply (void)
   g_settings_reset (settings, "greeting");
   g_settings_apply (settings);
 
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "Hello, earthlings");
-  g_free (str);
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "Hello, earthlings");
 
   g_object_unref (settings2);
   g_object_unref (settings);
@@ -588,30 +570,20 @@ test_delay_revert (void)
 {
   GSettings *settings;
   GSettings *settings2;
-  gchar *str;
 
   settings = g_settings_new ("org.gtk.test");
   settings2 = g_settings_new ("org.gtk.test");
 
   g_settings_set (settings2, "greeting", "s", "top o' the morning");
 
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "top o' the morning");
-  g_free (str);
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "top o' the morning");
 
   g_settings_delay (settings);
 
   g_settings_set (settings, "greeting", "s", "greetings from test_delay_revert");
 
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "greetings from test_delay_revert");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
-
-  g_settings_get (settings2, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "top o' the morning");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "greetings from test_delay_revert");
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings2, "greeting", ==, "top o' the morning");
 
   g_assert_true (g_settings_get_has_unapplied (settings));
 
@@ -619,15 +591,8 @@ test_delay_revert (void)
 
   g_assert_false (g_settings_get_has_unapplied (settings));
 
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "top o' the morning");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
-
-  g_settings_get (settings2, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "top o' the morning");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "top o' the morning");
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings2, "greeting", ==, "top o' the morning");
 
   g_object_unref (settings2);
   g_object_unref (settings);
@@ -654,7 +619,7 @@ test_delay_child (void)
   g_assert_nonnull (child);
 
   g_object_get (child, "delay-apply", &delay, NULL);
-  g_assert_false (delay);
+  g_assert_true (delay);
 
   g_settings_get (child, "test-byte", "y", &byte);
   g_assert_cmpuint (byte, ==, 36);
@@ -665,18 +630,66 @@ test_delay_child (void)
   g_settings_get (base, "test-byte", "y", &byte);
   g_assert_cmpuint (byte, ==, 36);
 
+  /* apply the child and the changes should be saved */
+  g_settings_apply (child);
+  g_settings_get (base, "test-byte", "y", &byte);
+  g_assert_cmpuint (byte, ==, 42);
+
   g_object_unref (child);
   g_object_unref (settings);
   g_object_unref (base);
 }
 
+static void
+test_delay_reset_key (void)
+{
+  GSettings *direct_settings = NULL, *delayed_settings = NULL;
+
+  g_test_summary ("Test that resetting a key on a delayed settings instance works");
+
+  delayed_settings = g_settings_new ("org.gtk.test");
+  direct_settings = g_settings_new ("org.gtk.test");
+
+  g_settings_set (direct_settings, "greeting", "s", "ey up");
+
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (delayed_settings, "greeting", ==, "ey up");
+
+  /* Set up a delayed settings backend. */
+  g_settings_delay (delayed_settings);
+
+  g_settings_set (delayed_settings, "greeting", "s", "how do");
+
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (delayed_settings, "greeting", ==, "how do");
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (direct_settings, "greeting", ==, "ey up");
+
+  g_assert_true (g_settings_get_has_unapplied (delayed_settings));
+
+  g_settings_reset (delayed_settings, "greeting");
+
+  /* There are still unapplied settings, because the reset is resetting to the
+   * value from the schema, not the value from @direct_settings. */
+  g_assert_true (g_settings_get_has_unapplied (delayed_settings));
+
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (delayed_settings, "greeting", ==, "Hello, earthlings");
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (direct_settings, "greeting", ==, "ey up");
+
+  /* Apply the settings changes (i.e. the reset). */
+  g_settings_apply (delayed_settings);
+
+  g_assert_false (g_settings_get_has_unapplied (delayed_settings));
+
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (delayed_settings, "greeting", ==, "Hello, earthlings");
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (direct_settings, "greeting", ==, "Hello, earthlings");
+
+  g_object_unref (direct_settings);
+  g_object_unref (delayed_settings);
+}
+
 static void
 keys_changed_cb (GSettings    *settings,
                  const GQuark *keys,
                  gint          n_keys)
 {
-  gchar *str;
-
   g_assert_cmpint (n_keys, ==, 2);
 
   g_assert_true ((keys[0] == g_quark_from_static_string ("greeting") &&
@@ -684,15 +697,8 @@ keys_changed_cb (GSettings    *settings,
                  (keys[1] == g_quark_from_static_string ("greeting") &&
                   keys[0] == g_quark_from_static_string ("farewell")));
 
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "greetings from test_atomic");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
-
-  g_settings_get (settings, "farewell", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "atomic bye-bye");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "greetings from test_atomic");
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "farewell", ==, "atomic bye-bye");
 }
 
 /* Check that delay-applied changes appear atomically.
@@ -704,7 +710,6 @@ test_atomic (void)
 {
   GSettings *settings;
   GSettings *settings2;
-  gchar *str;
 
   settings = g_settings_new ("org.gtk.test");
   settings2 = g_settings_new ("org.gtk.test");
@@ -724,25 +729,10 @@ test_atomic (void)
 
   g_settings_apply (settings);
 
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "greetings from test_atomic");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
-
-  g_settings_get (settings, "farewell", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "atomic bye-bye");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
-
-  g_settings_get (settings2, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "greetings from test_atomic");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
-
-  g_settings_get (settings2, "farewell", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "atomic bye-bye");
-  g_free (str);
-  str = NULL;
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "greetings from test_atomic");
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "farewell", ==, "atomic bye-bye");
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings2, "greeting", ==, "greetings from test_atomic");
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings2, "farewell", ==, "atomic bye-bye");
 
   g_object_unref (settings2);
   g_object_unref (settings);
@@ -851,13 +841,7 @@ test_l10n_context (void)
   setlocale (LC_MESSAGES, "de_DE.UTF-8");
   /* Only do the test if translation is actually working... */
   if (g_str_equal (dgettext ("test", "\"Unnamed\""), "\"Unbenannt\""))
-    {
-      g_settings_get (settings, "backspace", "s", &str);
-
-      g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "Löschen");
-      g_free (str);
-      str = NULL;
-    }
+    settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "backspace", ==, "Löschen");
   else
     g_printerr ("warning: translation is not working... skipping test.  ");
 
@@ -2767,14 +2751,10 @@ test_null_backend (void)
   g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "org.gtk.test");
   g_free (str);
 
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "Hello, earthlings");
-  g_free (str);
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "Hello, earthlings");
 
   g_settings_set (settings, "greeting", "s", "goodbye world");
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "Hello, earthlings");
-  g_free (str);
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "Hello, earthlings");
 
   writable = g_settings_is_writable (settings, "greeting");
   g_assert_false (writable);
@@ -2784,9 +2764,7 @@ test_null_backend (void)
   g_settings_delay (settings);
   g_settings_set (settings, "greeting", "s", "goodbye world");
   g_settings_apply (settings);
-  g_settings_get (settings, "greeting", "s", &str);
-  g_assert_cmpstr (str, ==, "Hello, earthlings");
-  g_free (str);
+  settings_assert_cmpstr (settings, "greeting", ==, "Hello, earthlings");
 
   g_object_unref (settings);
   g_object_unref (backend);
@@ -3114,6 +3092,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
   g_test_add_func ("/gsettings/delay-apply", test_delay_apply);
   g_test_add_func ("/gsettings/delay-revert", test_delay_revert);
   g_test_add_func ("/gsettings/delay-child", test_delay_child);
+  g_test_add_func ("/gsettings/delay-reset-key", test_delay_reset_key);
   g_test_add_func ("/gsettings/atomic", test_atomic);
 
   g_test_add_func ("/gsettings/simple-binding", test_simple_binding);