diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java
index 228e9f960..f17c237a0 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ public final class Preferences implements SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceCh
     private static final boolean DEFAULT_SHOW_INCOMPAT_VERSIONS = false;
     private static final boolean DEFAULT_SHOW_ROOT_APPS = true;
     private static final boolean DEFAULT_SHOW_ANTI_FEATURE_APPS = true;
+    private static final int DEFAULT_UPD_INTERVAL = 24;
     private static final boolean DEFAULT_PRIVILEGED_INSTALLER = true;
     //private static final boolean DEFAULT_LOCAL_REPO_BONJOUR = true;
     private static final long DEFAULT_KEEP_CACHE_TIME = TimeUnit.DAYS.toMillis(1);
@@ -157,6 +158,16 @@ public final class Preferences implements SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceCh
      */
     private static final String PREF_CACHE_APK = "cacheDownloaded";
 
+    public int getUpdateInterval() {
+        try {
+            String value = preferences.getString(PREF_UPD_INTERVAL,
+                    String.valueOf(DEFAULT_UPD_INTERVAL));
+            return Integer.parseInt(value);
+        } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
+            return DEFAULT_UPD_INTERVAL;
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Time in millis to keep cached files.  Anything that has been around longer will be deleted
      */
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/UpdateService.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/UpdateService.java
index 20360a5f8..96f6038f9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/UpdateService.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/UpdateService.java
@@ -121,11 +121,7 @@ public class UpdateService extends IntentService {
      * is changed, or c) on startup, in case we get upgraded.
      */
     public static void schedule(Context ctx) {
-
-        SharedPreferences prefs = PreferenceManager
-                .getDefaultSharedPreferences(ctx);
-        String sint = prefs.getString(Preferences.PREF_UPD_INTERVAL, "0");
-        int interval = Integer.parseInt(sint);
+        int interval = Preferences.get().getUpdateInterval();
 
         Intent intent = new Intent(ctx, UpdateService.class);
         PendingIntent pending = PendingIntent.getService(ctx, 0, intent, 0);
@@ -290,13 +286,12 @@ public class UpdateService extends IntentService {
      * @return True if we are due for a scheduled update.
      */
     private boolean verifyIsTimeForScheduledRun() {
-        SharedPreferences prefs = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(getBaseContext());
-        String sint = prefs.getString(Preferences.PREF_UPD_INTERVAL, "0");
-        int interval = Integer.parseInt(sint);
+        int interval = Preferences.get().getUpdateInterval();
         if (interval == 0) {
             Log.i(TAG, "Skipping update - disabled");
             return false;
         }
+        SharedPreferences prefs = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(getBaseContext());
         long lastUpdate = prefs.getLong(STATE_LAST_UPDATED, 0);
         long elapsed = System.currentTimeMillis() - lastUpdate;
         if (elapsed < interval * 60 * 60 * 1000) {