diff --git a/src/qtgui/confgui/confguiindex.cpp b/src/qtgui/confgui/confguiindex.cpp
index 3875608d..e14a439a 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/confgui/confguiindex.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/confgui/confguiindex.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #ifndef lint
-static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: confguiindex.cpp,v 1.9 2007-10-25 15:51:06 dockes Exp $ (C) 2007 J.F.Dockes";
+static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: confguiindex.cpp,v 1.10 2007-11-21 14:15:48 dockes Exp $ (C) 2007 J.F.Dockes";
 #endif
 
 #include <qglobal.h>
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: confguiindex.cpp,v 1.9 2007-10-25 15:51:06 dockes
 using std::list;
 
 #include "confgui.h"
+#include "recoll.h"
+#include "idxthread.h"
 #include "confguiindex.h"
 #include "smallut.h"
 #include "debuglog.h"
@@ -94,6 +96,10 @@ void ConfIndexW::acceptChanges()
     m_rclconf->updateMainConfig();
 
     QTimer::singleShot(0, this, SLOT(reloadPanels()));
+    if (startIndexingAfterConfig) {
+	startIndexingAfterConfig = 0;
+	startindexing = 1;
+    }
 }
 
 void ConfIndexW::rejectChanges()
diff --git a/src/qtgui/main.cpp b/src/qtgui/main.cpp
index 8e5ae781..a3bcf4cc 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/main.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/main.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #ifndef lint
-static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: main.cpp,v 1.63 2007-11-08 09:35:47 dockes Exp $ (C) 2005 J.F.Dockes";
+static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: main.cpp,v 1.64 2007-11-21 14:15:48 dockes Exp $ (C) 2005 J.F.Dockes";
 #endif
 /*
  *   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ RclConfig* RclConfig::getMainConfig()
 
 RclHistory *g_dynconf;
 int recollNeedsExit;
+int startIndexingAfterConfig;
 static string dbdir;
 static RclMain *mainWindow;
 static string recollsharedir;
@@ -320,8 +321,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     rcldb = new Rcl::Db;
 
+    bool needindexconfig = false;
     if (!maybeOpenDb(reason)) {
-	startindexing = 1;
 
 	switch (QMessageBox::
 #if (QT_VERSION >= 0x030200)
@@ -337,20 +338,27 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			       "Click Cancel if you want to edit the configuration file before indexation starts, or Ok to let it proceed."),
 		 "Ok", "Cancel", 0,   0)) {
 
-	case 0: // Ok
+	case 0: // Ok: indexing is going to start.
+	    startindexing = 1;
 	    break;
 
 	case 1: // Cancel
-	    exit(0);
+	    needindexconfig = true;
+	    startindexing = 0;
+	    break;
 	}
     }
 
     mainWindow->show();
-
-    if (prefs.startWithAdvSearchOpen)
-	mainWindow->showAdvSearchDialog();
-    if (prefs.startWithSortToolOpen)
-	mainWindow->showSortDialog();
+    if (needindexconfig) {
+	startIndexingAfterConfig = 1;
+	mainWindow->showIndexConfig();
+    } else {
+	if (prefs.startWithAdvSearchOpen)
+	    mainWindow->showAdvSearchDialog();
+	if (prefs.startWithSortToolOpen)
+	    mainWindow->showSortDialog();
+    }
 
     // Connect exit handlers etc.. Beware, apparently this must come
     // after mainWindow->show() , else the QMessageBox above never
diff --git a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
index bf7a6fb1..1b974b37 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #ifndef lint
-static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: rclmain_w.cpp,v 1.44 2007-10-09 14:08:24 dockes Exp $ (C) 2005 J.F.Dockes";
+static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: rclmain_w.cpp,v 1.45 2007-11-21 14:15:48 dockes Exp $ (C) 2005 J.F.Dockes";
 #endif
 /*
  *   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ void RclMain::startSearch(RefCntr<Rcl::SearchData> sdata)
     // If indexing is being performed, we reopen the db at each query.
     if (!maybeOpenDb(reason, indexingdone == 0)) {
 	QMessageBox::critical(0, "Recoll", QString(reason.c_str()));
-	exit(1);
+	return;
     }
 
     resList->resetSearch();
@@ -915,7 +915,7 @@ void RclMain::showDocHistory()
     string reason;
     if (!maybeOpenDb(reason)) {
 	QMessageBox::critical(0, "Recoll", QString(reason.c_str()));
-	exit(1);
+	return;
     }
     // Construct a bogus SearchData structure
     m_searchData = 
diff --git a/src/qtgui/recoll.h b/src/qtgui/recoll.h
index 79ca6077..8be10f3b 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/recoll.h
+++ b/src/qtgui/recoll.h
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  */
 #ifndef _RECOLL_H_INCLUDED_
 #define _RECOLL_H_INCLUDED_
-/* @(#$Id: recoll.h,v 1.17 2006-10-11 14:16:26 dockes Exp $  (C) 2004 J.F.Dockes */
+/* @(#$Id: recoll.h,v 1.18 2007-11-21 14:15:48 dockes Exp $  (C) 2004 J.F.Dockes */
 #include <string>
 
 #include "rclconfig.h"
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ extern bool maybeOpenDb(std::string &reason, bool force = true);
 extern RclConfig *rclconfig;
 extern Rcl::Db *rcldb;
 extern int recollNeedsExit;
+extern int startIndexingAfterConfig; // 1st startup
 extern const std::string recoll_datadir;
 extern RclHistory *g_dynconf;
 #ifdef RCL_USE_ASPELL