diff --git a/backend.php b/backend.php
index 71a952258..0c8929f57 100644
--- a/backend.php
+++ b/backend.php
@@ -239,11 +239,11 @@
 			}
 
 
-			if (get_pref($link, "SYNC_COUNTERS") || ($mode == "prefetch" && $csync)) {
+//			if (get_pref($link, "SYNC_COUNTERS") || ($mode == "prefetch" && $csync)) {
 				print "<counters>";
 				getAllCounters($link, $omode);
 				print "</counters>";
-			}
+//			}
 
 			print "</reply>";
 		break; // view
@@ -348,12 +348,12 @@
 				$viewfeed_ctr_interval = 60;
 			}
 
-			if (get_pref($link, "SYNC_COUNTERS") ||				
-					time() - $_SESSION["get_all_counters_stamp"] > $viewfeed_ctr_interval) {
+//			if (get_pref($link, "SYNC_COUNTERS") ||				
+//					time() - $_SESSION["get_all_counters_stamp"] > $viewfeed_ctr_interval) {
 				print "<counters>";
 				getAllCounters($link, $omode, $feed);
 				print "</counters>";
-			}
+//			}
 
 			if ($_GET["debug"]) $timing_info = print_checkpoint("30", $timing_info);
 
diff --git a/feedlist.js b/feedlist.js
index d4adacb66..2b5b4f8d3 100644
--- a/feedlist.js
+++ b/feedlist.js
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ function request_counters() {
 //		if (getInitParam("sync_counters") == "1" || 
 //				timestamp - counters_last_request > 10) {
 
-		if (timestamp - counters_last_request > 5) {
+		if (timestamp - counters_last_request > 10) {
 			debug("scheduling request of counters...");
 			window.setTimeout("request_counters_real()", 1000);
 			counters_last_request = timestamp;
diff --git a/functions.php b/functions.php
index 53ad3ce70..239e74e6c 100644
--- a/functions.php
+++ b/functions.php
@@ -2296,8 +2296,8 @@
 
 
 
-		if (get_pref($link, "SYNC_COUNTERS") || 
-				time() - $_SESSION["get_all_counters_stamp"] > 5) {
+//		if (get_pref($link, "SYNC_COUNTERS") || 
+//				time() - $_SESSION["get_all_counters_stamp"] > 5) {
 
 			if (!$omode) $omode = "flc";
 	
@@ -2313,7 +2313,7 @@
 			}
 
 			$_SESSION["get_all_counters_stamp"] = time();
-		}
+//		}
 
 	}	
 
@@ -3140,8 +3140,10 @@
 		print "<param key=\"bw_limit\" value=\"".
 			(int) $_SESSION["bw_limit"]."\"/>";
 
-		print "<param key=\"sync_counters\" value=\"" . 
-			(int) get_pref($link, "SYNC_COUNTERS") . "\"/>";
+//		print "<param key=\"sync_counters\" value=\"" . 
+//			(int) get_pref($link, "SYNC_COUNTERS") . "\"/>";
+
+		print "<param key=\"sync_counters\" value=\"1\"/>";
 
 		print "</init-params>";
 	}
diff --git a/modules/pref-prefs.php b/modules/pref-prefs.php
index 0add856db..0889eb7e2 100644
--- a/modules/pref-prefs.php
+++ b/modules/pref-prefs.php
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 
 		$subop = $_REQUEST["subop"];
 
-		$prefs_blacklist = array("HIDE_FEEDLIST");
+		$prefs_blacklist = array("HIDE_FEEDLIST", "SYNC_COUNTERS");
 
 		if ($subop == "change-password") {