diff --git a/src/core/settings.c b/src/core/settings.c
index 9c0999c9..6959453a 100644
--- a/src/core/settings.c
+++ b/src/core/settings.c
@@ -323,6 +323,7 @@ static void init_configfile(void)
 	g_free(str);
 
 	mainconfig = parse_configfile(NULL);
+	config_last_modifycounter = mainconfig->modifycounter;
 
 	/* any errors? */
 	if (config_last_error(mainconfig) != NULL) {
@@ -365,6 +366,7 @@ int settings_reread(const char *fname)
 
 	config_close(mainconfig);
 	mainconfig = tempconfig;
+	config_last_modifycounter = mainconfig->modifycounter;
 
 	signal_emit("setup changed", 0);
 	signal_emit("setup reread", 0);
diff --git a/src/lib-config/set.c b/src/lib-config/set.c
index 342d2b70..e0d3cf08 100644
--- a/src/lib-config/set.c
+++ b/src/lib-config/set.c
@@ -104,9 +104,11 @@ void config_node_set_str(CONFIG_REC *rec, CONFIG_NODE *parent, const char *key,
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (node != NULL)
+	if (node != NULL) {
+		if (strcmp(node->value, value) == 0)
+			return;
                 g_free(node->value);
-	else {
+	} else {
 		node = g_new0(CONFIG_NODE, 1);
 		parent->value = g_slist_append(parent->value, node);