diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/UpdateService.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/UpdateService.java
index 3759f61ed..05f459e11 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/UpdateService.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/UpdateService.java
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ public class UpdateService extends JobIntentService {
 
     private static final int NOTIFY_ID_UPDATING = 0;
 
+    private static UpdateService updateService;
     private static Handler toastHandler;
 
     private NotificationManager notificationManager;
@@ -189,6 +190,8 @@ public class UpdateService extends JobIntentService {
     /**
      * Whether or not a repo update is currently in progress. Used to show feedback throughout
      * the app to users, so they know something is happening.
+     *
+     * @see <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/a/608600">set a global variable when it is running that your client can check</a>
      */
     public static boolean isUpdating() {
         return updateService != null;
@@ -240,8 +243,6 @@ public class UpdateService extends JobIntentService {
 
     }
 
-    private static UpdateService updateService;
-
     public static void stopNow(Context context) {
         if (updateService != null) {
             updateService.stopSelf(JOB_ID);
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/views/main/MainActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/views/main/MainActivity.java
index beb172523..888dd0aec 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/views/main/MainActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/views/main/MainActivity.java
@@ -158,13 +158,8 @@ public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements BottomNavigationB
         bottomNavigation.selectTab(adapter.adapterPositionFromItemId(selectedMenuId));
     }
 
-    /**
-     * The first time the app is run, we will have an empty app list. To deal with this, we will
-     * attempt to update with the default repo. However, if we have tried this at least once, then
-     * don't try to do it automatically again.
-     */
     private void initialRepoUpdateIfRequired() {
-        if (!Preferences.get().isIndexNeverUpdated()) {
+        if (Preferences.get().isIndexNeverUpdated() && !UpdateService.isUpdating()) {
             Utils.debugLog(TAG, "We haven't done an update yet. Forcing repo update.");
             UpdateService.updateNow(this);
         }