diff --git a/src/BenchmarkDotNet/Extensions/ProcessExtensions.cs b/src/BenchmarkDotNet/Extensions/ProcessExtensions.cs
index 2bdc94d730..7ea7cbb0b7 100644
--- a/src/BenchmarkDotNet/Extensions/ProcessExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/BenchmarkDotNet/Extensions/ProcessExtensions.cs
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ internal static void SetEnvironmentVariables(this ProcessStartInfo start, Benchm
             // we have to set "COMPlus_GC*" environment variables as documented in
             // https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/run-time-config/garbage-collector
             if (benchmarkCase.Job.Infrastructure.Toolchain is CoreRunToolchain _)
-                start.SetCoreRunEnvironmentVariables(benchmarkCase);
+                start.SetCoreRunEnvironmentVariables(benchmarkCase, resolver);
 
             if (!benchmarkCase.Job.HasValue(EnvironmentMode.EnvironmentVariablesCharacteristic))
                 return;
@@ -229,19 +229,21 @@ private static int RunProcessAndIgnoreOutput(string fileName, string arguments,
             }
         }
 
-        private static void SetCoreRunEnvironmentVariables(this ProcessStartInfo start, BenchmarkCase benchmarkCase)
+        private static void SetCoreRunEnvironmentVariables(this ProcessStartInfo start, BenchmarkCase benchmarkCase, IResolver resolver)
         {
             var gcMode = benchmarkCase.Job.Environment.Gc;
-            if (!gcMode.HasChanges)
-                return; // do nothing for the default settings
-
-            start.EnvironmentVariables["COMPlus_gcServer"] = gcMode.Server ? "1" : "0";
-            start.EnvironmentVariables["COMPlus_gcConcurrent"] = gcMode.Concurrent ? "1" : "0";
-            start.EnvironmentVariables["COMPlus_GCCpuGroup"] = gcMode.CpuGroups ? "1" : "0";
-            start.EnvironmentVariables["COMPlus_gcAllowVeryLargeObjects"] = gcMode.AllowVeryLargeObjects ? "1" : "0";
-            start.EnvironmentVariables["COMPlus_GCRetainVM"] = gcMode.RetainVm ? "1" : "0";
-            start.EnvironmentVariables["COMPlus_GCNoAffinitize"] = gcMode.NoAffinitize ? "1" : "0";
 
+            start.EnvironmentVariables["COMPlus_gcServer"] = gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.ServerCharacteristic, resolver) ? "1" : "0";
+            start.EnvironmentVariables["COMPlus_gcConcurrent"] = gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.ConcurrentCharacteristic, resolver) ? "1" : "0";
+
+            if (gcMode.HasValue(GcMode.CpuGroupsCharacteristic))
+                start.EnvironmentVariables["COMPlus_GCCpuGroup"] = gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.CpuGroupsCharacteristic, resolver) ? "1" : "0";
+            if (gcMode.HasValue(GcMode.AllowVeryLargeObjectsCharacteristic))
+                start.EnvironmentVariables["COMPlus_gcAllowVeryLargeObjects"] = gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.AllowVeryLargeObjectsCharacteristic, resolver) ? "1" : "0";
+            if (gcMode.HasValue(GcMode.RetainVmCharacteristic))
+                start.EnvironmentVariables["COMPlus_GCRetainVM"] = gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.RetainVmCharacteristic, resolver) ? "1" : "0";
+            if (gcMode.HasValue(GcMode.NoAffinitizeCharacteristic))
+                start.EnvironmentVariables["COMPlus_GCNoAffinitize"] = gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.NoAffinitizeCharacteristic, resolver) ? "1" : "0";
             if (gcMode.HasValue(GcMode.HeapAffinitizeMaskCharacteristic))
                 start.EnvironmentVariables["COMPlus_GCHeapAffinitizeMask"] = gcMode.HeapAffinitizeMask.ToString("X");
             if (gcMode.HasValue(GcMode.HeapCountCharacteristic))
diff --git a/src/BenchmarkDotNet/Toolchains/AppConfigGenerator.cs b/src/BenchmarkDotNet/Toolchains/AppConfigGenerator.cs
index aa35f039f6..c1db452d2b 100644
--- a/src/BenchmarkDotNet/Toolchains/AppConfigGenerator.cs
+++ b/src/BenchmarkDotNet/Toolchains/AppConfigGenerator.cs
@@ -100,15 +100,15 @@ private static void GenerateJitSettings(XmlDocument xmlDocument, XmlNode runtime
 
         private static void GenerateGCSettings(XmlDocument xmlDocument, XmlNode runtimeElement, GcMode gcMode, IResolver resolver)
         {
-            if (!gcMode.HasChanges)
-                return;
-
             CreateNodeWithAttribute(xmlDocument, runtimeElement, "gcConcurrent", "enabled", gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.ConcurrentCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase());
             CreateNodeWithAttribute(xmlDocument, runtimeElement, "gcServer", "enabled", gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.ServerCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase());
-            CreateNodeWithAttribute(xmlDocument, runtimeElement, "GCCpuGroup", "enabled", gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.CpuGroupsCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase());
-            CreateNodeWithAttribute(xmlDocument, runtimeElement, "gcAllowVeryLargeObjects", "enabled", gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.AllowVeryLargeObjectsCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase());
-            CreateNodeWithAttribute(xmlDocument, runtimeElement, "GCNoAffinitize", "enabled", gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.NoAffinitizeCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase());
 
+            if (gcMode.HasValue(GcMode.CpuGroupsCharacteristic))
+                CreateNodeWithAttribute(xmlDocument, runtimeElement, "GCCpuGroup", "enabled", gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.CpuGroupsCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase());
+            if (gcMode.HasValue(GcMode.AllowVeryLargeObjectsCharacteristic))
+                CreateNodeWithAttribute(xmlDocument, runtimeElement, "gcAllowVeryLargeObjects", "enabled", gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.AllowVeryLargeObjectsCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase());
+            if (gcMode.HasValue(GcMode.NoAffinitizeCharacteristic))
+                CreateNodeWithAttribute(xmlDocument, runtimeElement, "GCNoAffinitize", "enabled", gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.NoAffinitizeCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase());
             if (gcMode.HasValue(GcMode.HeapAffinitizeMaskCharacteristic))
                 CreateNodeWithAttribute(xmlDocument, runtimeElement, "GCHeapAffinitizeMask", "enabled", gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.HeapAffinitizeMaskCharacteristic, resolver).ToString());
             if (gcMode.HasValue(GcMode.HeapCountCharacteristic))
diff --git a/src/BenchmarkDotNet/Toolchains/CsProj/CsProjGenerator.cs b/src/BenchmarkDotNet/Toolchains/CsProj/CsProjGenerator.cs
index 1b490bd4df..821faf574f 100644
--- a/src/BenchmarkDotNet/Toolchains/CsProj/CsProjGenerator.cs
+++ b/src/BenchmarkDotNet/Toolchains/CsProj/CsProjGenerator.cs
@@ -83,16 +83,15 @@ protected override void GenerateProject(BuildPartition buildPartition, Artifacts
         [PublicAPI]
         protected virtual string GetRuntimeSettings(GcMode gcMode, IResolver resolver)
         {
-            if (!gcMode.HasChanges)
-                return string.Empty;
-
-            return new StringBuilder(80)
+            var builder = new StringBuilder(80)
                 .AppendLine("<PropertyGroup>")
-                    .AppendLine($"<ServerGarbageCollection>{gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.ServerCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase()}</ServerGarbageCollection>")
-                    .AppendLine($"<ConcurrentGarbageCollection>{gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.ConcurrentCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase()}</ConcurrentGarbageCollection>")
-                    .AppendLine($"<RetainVMGarbageCollection>{gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.RetainVmCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase()}</RetainVMGarbageCollection>")
-                .AppendLine("</PropertyGroup>")
-                .ToString();
+                .AppendLine($"<ServerGarbageCollection>{gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.ServerCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase()}</ServerGarbageCollection>")
+                .AppendLine($"<ConcurrentGarbageCollection>{gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.ConcurrentCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase()}</ConcurrentGarbageCollection>");
+
+            if (gcMode.HasValue(GcMode.RetainVmCharacteristic))
+                builder.AppendLine($"<RetainVMGarbageCollection>{gcMode.ResolveValue(GcMode.RetainVmCharacteristic, resolver).ToLowerCase()}</RetainVMGarbageCollection>");
+
+            return builder.AppendLine("</PropertyGroup>").ToString();
         }
 
         // the host project or one of the .props file that it imports might contain some custom settings that needs to be copied, sth like
diff --git a/tests/BenchmarkDotNet.IntegrationTests/BenchmarkDotNet.IntegrationTests.csproj b/tests/BenchmarkDotNet.IntegrationTests/BenchmarkDotNet.IntegrationTests.csproj
index 5afd242d86..e213a47f05 100755
--- a/tests/BenchmarkDotNet.IntegrationTests/BenchmarkDotNet.IntegrationTests.csproj
+++ b/tests/BenchmarkDotNet.IntegrationTests/BenchmarkDotNet.IntegrationTests.csproj
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     <DebugType>pdbonly</DebugType>
     <DebugSymbols>true</DebugSymbols>
     <NoWarn>$(NoWarn);CA2007</NoWarn>
+    <ServerGarbageCollection>true</ServerGarbageCollection>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <Content Include="xunit.runner.json">
diff --git a/tests/BenchmarkDotNet.IntegrationTests/GcModeTests.cs b/tests/BenchmarkDotNet.IntegrationTests/GcModeTests.cs
index 75769e8b77..123218d7ff 100644
--- a/tests/BenchmarkDotNet.IntegrationTests/GcModeTests.cs
+++ b/tests/BenchmarkDotNet.IntegrationTests/GcModeTests.cs
@@ -18,10 +18,14 @@ public GcModeTests(ITestOutputHelper outputHelper) : base(outputHelper) { }
         private IConfig CreateConfig(GcMode gc) => ManualConfig.CreateEmpty().AddJob(new Job(Job.Dry, gc));
 
         [Fact]
-        public void CanHostGcMode()
+        public void HostProcessSettingsAreCopiedByDefault()
         {
             var config = CreateConfig(GcMode.Default);
-            CanExecute<WorkstationGcOnly>(config);
+
+            if (GCSettings.IsServerGC)
+                CanExecute<ServerModeEnabled>(config);
+            else
+                CanExecute<WorkstationGcOnly>(config);
         }
 
         [Fact]
diff --git a/tests/BenchmarkDotNet.Tests/AppConfigGeneratorTests.cs b/tests/BenchmarkDotNet.Tests/AppConfigGeneratorTests.cs
index baa1b2ab43..227fd85c9b 100644
--- a/tests/BenchmarkDotNet.Tests/AppConfigGeneratorTests.cs
+++ b/tests/BenchmarkDotNet.Tests/AppConfigGeneratorTests.cs
@@ -5,9 +5,11 @@
 using System.Text;
 using BenchmarkDotNet.Characteristics;
 using BenchmarkDotNet.Environments;
+using BenchmarkDotNet.Extensions;
 using BenchmarkDotNet.Running;
 using Xunit;
 using BenchmarkDotNet.Tests.XUnit;
+using System.Runtime;
 
 namespace BenchmarkDotNet.Tests
 {
@@ -20,10 +22,10 @@ public void GeneratesMinimalRequiredAppConfigForEmptySource()
         {
             using (var destination = new Utf8StringWriter())
             {
-                const string expectedMinimal =
+                string expectedMinimal =
                     "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>" +
                     "<configuration>" +
-                    "<runtime/>" +
+                    $"<runtime>{GcSettings}</runtime>" +
                     "</configuration>";
 
                 AppConfigGenerator.Generate(Job.Default, TextReader.Null, destination, Resolver);
@@ -38,10 +40,10 @@ public void GeneratesMinimalRequiredAppConfigForAlmostEmptySource()
             using (var source = new StringReader("<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>"))
             using (var destination = new Utf8StringWriter())
             {
-                const string expectedMinimal =
+                string expectedMinimal =
                     "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>" +
                     "<configuration>" +
-                    "<runtime/>" +
+                    $"<runtime>{GcSettings}</runtime>" +
                     "</configuration>";
 
                 AppConfigGenerator.Generate(Job.Default, source, destination, Resolver);
@@ -53,50 +55,69 @@ public void GeneratesMinimalRequiredAppConfigForAlmostEmptySource()
         [Fact]
         public void RewritesCustomSettings()
         {
-            const string customSettings =
+            string customSettingsWithoutRuntimeNode =
                 "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>" +
                 "<!--" +
                 "commentsAreSupported" +
                 "-->" +
                 "<configuration>" +
                 "<someConfig>withItsValue</someConfig>" +
-                "<runtime/>" +
                 "</configuration>";
 
-            using (var source = new StringReader(customSettings))
+            string customSettingsWithRuntimeNode =
+                "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>" +
+                "<!--" +
+                "commentsAreSupported" +
+                "-->" +
+                "<configuration>" +
+                "<someConfig>withItsValue</someConfig>" +
+                $"<runtime>{GcSettings}</runtime>" +
+                "</configuration>";
+
+            using (var source = new StringReader(customSettingsWithoutRuntimeNode))
             using (var destination = new Utf8StringWriter())
             {
                 AppConfigGenerator.Generate(Job.Default, source, destination, Resolver);
 
-                AssertAreEqualIgnoringWhitespacesAndCase(customSettings, destination.ToString());
+                AssertAreEqualIgnoringWhitespacesAndCase(customSettingsWithRuntimeNode, destination.ToString());
             }
         }
 
         [Fact]
         public void RewritesCustomRuntimeSettings()
         {
-            const string customSettings =
+            string customSettingsBefore =
                 "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>" +
                 "<!--" +
                 "commentsAreSupported" +
                 "-->" +
                 "<configuration>" +
                 "<someConfig>withItsValue</someConfig>" +
-                "<runtime><AppContextSwitchOverrides value=\"Switch.System.IO.UseLegacyPathHandling=false\"/></runtime>" +
+                $"<runtime><AppContextSwitchOverrides value=\"Switch.System.IO.UseLegacyPathHandling=false\"/></runtime>" +
                 "</configuration>";
 
-            using (var source = new StringReader(customSettings))
+            string customSettingsAfter =
+                "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>" +
+                "<!--" +
+                "commentsAreSupported" +
+                "-->" +
+                "<configuration>" +
+                "<someConfig>withItsValue</someConfig>" +
+                $"<runtime><AppContextSwitchOverrides value=\"Switch.System.IO.UseLegacyPathHandling=false\"/>{GcSettings}</runtime>" +
+                "</configuration>";
+
+            using (var source = new StringReader(customSettingsBefore))
             using (var destination = new Utf8StringWriter())
             {
                 AppConfigGenerator.Generate(Job.Default, source, destination, Resolver);
 
-                AssertAreEqualIgnoringWhitespacesAndCase(customSettings, destination.ToString());
+                AssertAreEqualIgnoringWhitespacesAndCase(customSettingsAfter, destination.ToString());
             }
         }
 
         [Theory]
-        [InlineData(Jit.LegacyJit, "<runtime><useLegacyJit enabled=\"1\" /></runtime>")]
-        [InlineData(Jit.RyuJit, "<runtime><useLegacyJit enabled=\"0\" /></runtime>")]
+        [InlineData(Jit.LegacyJit, "<useLegacyJit enabled=\"1\" />")]
+        [InlineData(Jit.RyuJit, "<useLegacyJit enabled=\"0\" />")]
         public void GeneratesRightJitSettings(Jit jit, string expectedRuntimeNode)
         {
             const string customSettings =
@@ -109,7 +130,7 @@ public void GeneratesRightJitSettings(Jit jit, string expectedRuntimeNode)
                 "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>" +
                 "<configuration>" +
                 "<someConfig>withItsValue</someConfig>" +
-                expectedRuntimeNode +
+                $"<runtime>{expectedRuntimeNode}{GcSettings}</runtime>" +
                 "</configuration>" + Environment.NewLine;
 
             using (var source = new StringReader(customSettings))
@@ -133,7 +154,7 @@ public void RemovesStartupSettingsForPrivateBuildsOfClr()
             string withoutStartup =
                 "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>" +
                 "<configuration>" +
-                "<runtime/>" +
+                $"<runtime>{GcSettings}</runtime>" +
                 "</configuration>" + Environment.NewLine;
 
             using (var source = new StringReader(input))
@@ -158,7 +179,7 @@ public void LeavsStartupSettingsIntactForNonPrivateBuildsOfClr()
                 "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>" +
                 "<configuration>" +
                 "<startup><supportedRuntime version=\"v4.0\" sku=\".NETFramework,Version=v4.6.1\" /></startup>" +
-                "<runtime/>" +
+                $"<runtime>{GcSettings}</runtime>" +
                 "</configuration>" + Environment.NewLine;
 
             using (var source = new StringReader(input))
@@ -186,7 +207,7 @@ public void RewritesCustomAssemblyBindingRedirects()
                 "</runtime>" +
                 "</configuration>";
 
-            const string settingsWithBindingsAndJit =
+            string settingsWithBindingsAndJit =
                 "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>" +
                 "<configuration>" +
                 "<runtime>" +
@@ -197,6 +218,7 @@ public void RewritesCustomAssemblyBindingRedirects()
                 "</dependentAssembly>" +
                 "</assemblyBinding>" +
                 "<useLegacyJit enabled =\"0\" />" +
+                GcSettings +
                 "</runtime>" +
                 "</configuration>";
 
@@ -234,6 +256,8 @@ private static string RemoveWhiteSpaces(string input)
                 }
             return buffer.ToString();
         }
+
+        private static readonly string GcSettings = $"<gcConcurrentenabled=\"{(GCSettings.LatencyMode != GCLatencyMode.Batch).ToLowerCase()}\"/><gcServerenabled=\"{GCSettings.IsServerGC.ToLowerCase()}\"/>";
     }
 
     internal class Utf8StringWriter : StringWriter