diff --git a/app/app.c b/app/app.c
index 903aacbb24..a93b3b1fe0 100644
--- a/app/app.c
+++ b/app/app.c
@@ -197,7 +197,6 @@ app_run (const gchar         *full_prog_name,
   GimpLangRc         *temprc;
   gchar              *language   = NULL;
   GError             *font_error = NULL;
-  gboolean            save_gimprc_at_exit = FALSE;
 
   if (filenames && filenames[0] && ! filenames[1] &&
       g_file_test (filenames[0], G_FILE_TEST_IS_DIR))
@@ -288,12 +287,6 @@ app_run (const gchar         *full_prog_name,
 
   gimp_load_config (gimp, alternate_system_gimprc, alternate_gimprc);
 
-  /* We usually only save gimprc when Preferences are edited.
-   * Thus we have to add a special flag when we make an update
-   * check so that the timestamp is saved.
-   */
-  save_gimprc_at_exit = gimp_update_auto_check (gimp->config);
-
   /* Initialize the error handling after creating/migrating the config
    * directory because it will create some folders for backup and crash
    * logs in advance. Therefore running this before
@@ -347,6 +340,11 @@ app_run (const gchar         *full_prog_name,
    */
   gimp_rc_set_autosave (GIMP_RC (gimp->edit_config), TRUE);
 
+  /*  check for updates *after* enabling config autosave, so that the timestamp
+   *  is saved
+   */
+  gimp_update_auto_check (gimp->edit_config);
+
   loop = run_loop = g_main_loop_new (NULL, FALSE);
 
   g_signal_connect_after (gimp, "exit",
@@ -444,9 +442,6 @@ app_run (const gchar         *full_prog_name,
   if (gimp->be_verbose)
     g_print ("EXIT: %s\n", G_STRFUNC);
 
-  if (save_gimprc_at_exit)
-    gimp_rc_save (GIMP_RC (gimp->config));
-
   g_main_loop_unref (loop);
 
   gimp_gegl_exit (gimp);
diff --git a/app/dialogs/dialogs-constructors.c b/app/dialogs/dialogs-constructors.c
index 06ba9a4704..a64451decc 100644
--- a/app/dialogs/dialogs-constructors.c
+++ b/app/dialogs/dialogs-constructors.c
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ dialogs_about_get (GimpDialogFactory *factory,
                    GimpUIManager     *ui_manager,
                    gint               view_size)
 {
-  return about_dialog_create (context->gimp->config);
+  return about_dialog_create (context->gimp->edit_config);
 }
 
 GtkWidget *