diff --git a/boot.php b/boot.php
index d659ac4e4c..23c5119e0e 100644
--- a/boot.php
+++ b/boot.php
@@ -806,16 +806,12 @@ function is_ajax() {
 
 // Primarily involved with database upgrade, but also sets the
 // base url for use in cmdline programs which don't have
-// $_SERVER variables, and synchronising the state of installed plugins.
+// $_SERVER variables
 
 
 if(! function_exists('check_config')) {
 	function check_config(&$a) {
 
-		$build = get_config('system','build');
-		if(! x($build))
-			$build = set_config('system','build',DB_UPDATE_VERSION);
-
 		$url = get_config('system','url');
 
 		// if the url isn't set or the stored url is radically different
@@ -830,6 +826,10 @@ if(! function_exists('check_config')) {
 			$url = set_config('system','url',$a->get_baseurl());
 
 
+		$build = get_config('system','build');
+		if(! x($build))
+			$build = set_config('system','build',DB_UPDATE_VERSION);
+
 		if($build != DB_UPDATE_VERSION) {
 			$stored = intval($build);
 			$current = intval(DB_UPDATE_VERSION);
@@ -898,6 +898,14 @@ if(! function_exists('check_config')) {
 			}
 		}
 
+		return;
+	}
+}
+
+
+if(! function_exists('check_plugins')) {
+	function check_plugins(&$a) {
+
 		/**
 		 *
 		 * Synchronise plugins:
diff --git a/index.php b/index.php
index 4c98cd6e02..0ea09c0c7a 100644
--- a/index.php
+++ b/index.php
@@ -140,8 +140,10 @@ if($install)
 	$a->module = 'install';
 elseif($maintenance)
 	$a->module = 'maintenance';
-else
+else {
 	proc_run('php', 'include/dbupdate.php');
+	check_plugins($a);
+}
 
 nav_set_selected('nothing');