diff --git a/src/filesystem.rs b/src/filesystem.rs
index 717de1c..d052e7c 100644
--- a/src/filesystem.rs
+++ b/src/filesystem.rs
@@ -48,7 +48,11 @@ fn initialize_types(connection: &UpEndConnection) -> Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
-pub async fn rescan_vault(db: Arc<UpEndDatabase>, job_container: Arc<RwLock<JobContainer>>) {
+pub async fn rescan_vault(
+    db: Arc<UpEndDatabase>,
+    job_container: Arc<RwLock<JobContainer>>,
+    initial: bool,
+) {
     let job_id = job_container
         .write()
         .unwrap()
@@ -57,7 +61,8 @@ pub async fn rescan_vault(db: Arc<UpEndDatabase>, job_container: Arc<RwLock<JobC
 
     let job_container_rescan = job_container.clone();
     let result =
-        actix_web::web::block(move || _rescan_vault(db, job_container_rescan, job_id)).await;
+        actix_web::web::block(move || _rescan_vault(db, job_container_rescan, job_id, initial))
+            .await;
 
     if result.is_err() {
         let err = result.err().unwrap();
@@ -99,6 +104,7 @@ fn _rescan_vault<D: Borrow<UpEndDatabase>>(
     db: D,
     job_container: Arc<RwLock<JobContainer>>,
     job_id: JobId,
+    initial: bool,
 ) -> Result<Vec<UpdatePathOutcome>> {
     let start = Instant::now();
     info!("Vault rescan started.");
@@ -111,9 +117,12 @@ fn _rescan_vault<D: Borrow<UpEndDatabase>>(
     initialize_types(&connection)?;
 
     // Disable syncing in SQLite for the duration of the import
-    debug!("Disabling SQLite synchronous mode");
-    connection.execute("PRAGMA synchronous = OFF;")?;
-    let _guard = PragmaSynchronousGuard(&connection);
+    let mut _guard: Option<PragmaSynchronousGuard> = None;
+    if initial {
+        debug!("Disabling SQLite synchronous mode");
+        connection.execute("PRAGMA synchronous = OFF;")?;
+        _guard = Some(PragmaSynchronousGuard(&connection));
+    }
 
     // Walk through the vault, find all paths
     debug!("Traversing vault directory");
@@ -418,7 +427,7 @@ mod test {
             .unwrap();
 
         // Initial scan
-        let rescan_result = _rescan_vault(&open_result.db, job_container.clone(), job_id);
+        let rescan_result = _rescan_vault(&open_result.db, job_container.clone(), job_id, true);
 
         assert!(rescan_result.is_ok());
         let rescan_result = rescan_result.unwrap();
@@ -429,7 +438,7 @@ mod test {
 
         // Modification-less rescan
 
-        let rescan_result = _rescan_vault(&open_result.db, job_container.clone(), job_id);
+        let rescan_result = _rescan_vault(&open_result.db, job_container.clone(), job_id, false);
 
         assert!(rescan_result.is_ok());
         let rescan_result = rescan_result.unwrap();
@@ -442,7 +451,7 @@ mod test {
 
         std::fs::remove_file(temp_dir.path().join("hello-world.txt")).unwrap();
 
-        let rescan_result = _rescan_vault(&open_result.db, job_container, job_id);
+        let rescan_result = _rescan_vault(&open_result.db, job_container, job_id, false);
 
         assert!(rescan_result.is_ok());
         let rescan_result = rescan_result.unwrap();
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 69b1aec..eab28cb 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
 
     if !matches.is_present("NO_INITIAL_UPDATE") {
         info!("Running initial update...");
-        actix::spawn(filesystem::rescan_vault(upend, job_container));
+        actix::spawn(filesystem::rescan_vault(upend, job_container, true));
     }
 
     #[cfg(feature = "desktop")]
diff --git a/src/routes.rs b/src/routes.rs
index fbaa275..4212460 100644
--- a/src/routes.rs
+++ b/src/routes.rs
@@ -378,6 +378,7 @@ pub async fn api_refresh(state: web::Data<State>) -> Result<HttpResponse, Error>
     actix::spawn(crate::filesystem::rescan_vault(
         state.upend.clone(),
         state.job_container.clone(),
+        false,
     ));
     Ok(HttpResponse::Ok().finish())
 }