diff --git a/app/core/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/K9.kt b/app/core/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/K9.kt
index ec786aacd..533819244 100644
--- a/app/core/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/K9.kt
+++ b/app/core/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/K9.kt
@@ -178,7 +178,8 @@ object K9 : KoinComponent {
     @JvmStatic
     val fontSizes = FontSizes()
 
-    private var backgroundOps = BACKGROUND_OPS.WHEN_CHECKED_AUTO_SYNC
+    @JvmStatic
+    var backgroundOps = BACKGROUND_OPS.WHEN_CHECKED_AUTO_SYNC
 
     private var animations = true
 
@@ -301,22 +302,6 @@ object K9 : KoinComponent {
             updateLoggingStatus()
         }
 
-    @JvmStatic
-    fun getBackgroundOps(): BACKGROUND_OPS {
-        return backgroundOps
-    }
-
-    @JvmStatic
-    fun setBackgroundOps(backgroundOps: BACKGROUND_OPS): Boolean {
-        val oldBackgroundOps = K9.backgroundOps
-        K9.backgroundOps = backgroundOps
-        return backgroundOps != oldBackgroundOps
-    }
-
-    fun setBackgroundOps(backgroundOps: String): Boolean {
-        return setBackgroundOps(BACKGROUND_OPS.valueOf(backgroundOps))
-    }
-
     fun gesturesEnabled(): Boolean {
         return gesturesEnabled
     }
@@ -703,12 +688,11 @@ object K9 : KoinComponent {
         isThreadedViewEnabled = storage.getBoolean("threadedView", true)
         fontSizes.load(storage)
 
-        try {
-            setBackgroundOps(BACKGROUND_OPS.valueOf(
-                    storage.getString("backgroundOperations", BACKGROUND_OPS.WHEN_CHECKED_AUTO_SYNC.name)
-            ))
+        backgroundOps = try {
+            val settingValue = storage.getString("backgroundOperations", BACKGROUND_OPS.WHEN_CHECKED_AUTO_SYNC.name)
+            BACKGROUND_OPS.valueOf(settingValue)
         } catch (e: Exception) {
-            setBackgroundOps(BACKGROUND_OPS.WHEN_CHECKED_AUTO_SYNC)
+            BACKGROUND_OPS.WHEN_CHECKED_AUTO_SYNC
         }
 
         isColorizeMissingContactPictures = storage.getBoolean("colorizeMissingContactPictures", true)
diff --git a/app/core/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/service/BootReceiver.kt b/app/core/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/service/BootReceiver.kt
index 18b7c4396..5198f737c 100644
--- a/app/core/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/service/BootReceiver.kt
+++ b/app/core/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/service/BootReceiver.kt
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class BootReceiver : CoreReceiver(), KoinComponent {
             //K9.setServicesEnabled(context, tmpWakeLockId);
             //tmpWakeLockId = null;
         } else if ("com.android.sync.SYNC_CONN_STATUS_CHANGED" == action) {
-            val bOps = K9.getBackgroundOps()
+            val bOps = K9.backgroundOps
             if (bOps == K9.BACKGROUND_OPS.WHEN_CHECKED_AUTO_SYNC) {
                 jobManager.scheduleAllMailJobs()
             }
diff --git a/app/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/external/remotecontrol/RemoteControlService.java b/app/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/external/remotecontrol/RemoteControlService.java
index 146277dce..0117a5d42 100644
--- a/app/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/external/remotecontrol/RemoteControlService.java
+++ b/app/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/external/remotecontrol/RemoteControlService.java
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import com.fsck.k9.K9.BACKGROUND_OPS;
 import com.fsck.k9.Preferences;
 import com.fsck.k9.R;
 import com.fsck.k9.job.K9JobManager;
-import com.fsck.k9.preferences.Storage;
 import com.fsck.k9.preferences.StorageEditor;
 import com.fsck.k9.service.BootReceiver;
 import com.fsck.k9.service.CoreService;
@@ -129,9 +128,12 @@ public class RemoteControlService extends CoreService {
                                 || K9RemoteControl.K9_BACKGROUND_OPERATIONS_NEVER.equals(backgroundOps)
                                 || K9RemoteControl.K9_BACKGROUND_OPERATIONS_WHEN_CHECKED_AUTO_SYNC.equals(backgroundOps)) {
                             BACKGROUND_OPS newBackgroundOps = BACKGROUND_OPS.valueOf(backgroundOps);
-                            boolean needsReset = K9.setBackgroundOps(newBackgroundOps);
-                            needsPushRestart |= needsReset;
-                            needsReschedule |= needsReset;
+                            BACKGROUND_OPS currentBackgroundOps = K9.getBackgroundOps();
+                            if (newBackgroundOps != currentBackgroundOps) {
+                                K9.setBackgroundOps(newBackgroundOps);
+                                needsPushRestart = true;
+                                needsReschedule = true;
+                            }
                         }
 
                         String theme = intent.getStringExtra(K9_THEME);
diff --git a/app/ui/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/ui/settings/general/GeneralSettingsDataStore.kt b/app/ui/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/ui/settings/general/GeneralSettingsDataStore.kt
index fdd7fd120..ad8f4330b 100644
--- a/app/ui/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/ui/settings/general/GeneralSettingsDataStore.kt
+++ b/app/ui/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/ui/settings/general/GeneralSettingsDataStore.kt
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ class GeneralSettingsDataStore(
             "splitview_mode" -> K9.splitViewMode.name
             "notification_quick_delete" -> K9.notificationQuickDeleteBehaviour.name
             "lock_screen_notification_visibility" -> K9.lockScreenNotificationVisibility.name
-            "background_ops" -> K9.getBackgroundOps().name
+            "background_ops" -> K9.backgroundOps.name
             "notification_hide_subject" -> K9.notificationHideSubject.name
             "quiet_time_starts" -> K9.quietTimeStarts
             "quiet_time_ends" -> K9.quietTimeEnds
@@ -240,8 +240,8 @@ class GeneralSettingsDataStore(
 
     private fun setBackgroundOps(value: String) {
         val newBackgroundOps = K9.BACKGROUND_OPS.valueOf(value)
-        if (newBackgroundOps != K9.getBackgroundOps()) {
-            K9.setBackgroundOps(value)
+        if (newBackgroundOps != K9.backgroundOps) {
+            K9.backgroundOps = newBackgroundOps
             jobManager.scheduleAllMailJobs()
         }
     }