diff --git a/src/main/java/com/todoroo/astrid/utility/Constants.java b/src/main/java/com/todoroo/astrid/utility/Constants.java
index e1fea5f8d..c5361f7d5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/todoroo/astrid/utility/Constants.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/todoroo/astrid/utility/Constants.java
@@ -21,12 +21,6 @@ public final class Constants {
      */
     public static final MarketStrategy MARKET_STRATEGY = new MarketStrategy.AndroidMarketStrategy();
 
-    /**
-     * Interval to update the widget (in order to detect hidden tasks
-     * becoming visible)
-     */
-    public static final long WIDGET_UPDATE_INTERVAL = 30 * 60 * 1000L;
-
     // --- task list activity source strings
 
     public static final int SOURCE_OTHER = -1;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/todoroo/astrid/widget/WidgetUpdateService.java b/src/main/java/com/todoroo/astrid/widget/WidgetUpdateService.java
index c26bc531c..2c88abcce 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/todoroo/astrid/widget/WidgetUpdateService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/todoroo/astrid/widget/WidgetUpdateService.java
@@ -59,7 +59,12 @@ public class WidgetUpdateService extends InjectingService {
         }).start();
     }
 
-    public void startServiceInBackgroundThread(Intent intent) {
+    @Override
+    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    private void startServiceInBackgroundThread(Intent intent) {
         ComponentName thisWidget = new ComponentName(this,
                 TasksWidget.class);
         AppWidgetManager manager = AppWidgetManager.getInstance(this);
@@ -88,12 +93,7 @@ public class WidgetUpdateService extends InjectingService {
         stopSelf();
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
-        return null;
-    }
-
-    public RemoteViews buildUpdate(Context context, int widgetId) {
+    private RemoteViews buildUpdate(Context context, int widgetId) {
         RemoteViews views = getThemedRemoteViews(context);
 
         int numberOfTasks = NUM_VISIBLE_TASKS;
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/tasks/widget/ScrollableWidgetUpdateService.java b/src/main/java/org/tasks/widget/ScrollableWidgetUpdateService.java
index 9d3f2ea0e..030d58001 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/tasks/widget/ScrollableWidgetUpdateService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/tasks/widget/ScrollableWidgetUpdateService.java
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ public class ScrollableWidgetUpdateService extends InjectingRemoteViewsService {
     @Inject TagDataDao tagDataDao;
     @Inject Preferences preferences;
 
+    @Override
+    public void onStart(Intent intent, int startId) {
+        super.onStart(intent, startId);
+
+        stopSelf();
+    }
+
     @Override
     public RemoteViewsFactory onGetViewFactory(Intent intent) {
         if (intent == null) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/tasks/widget/WidgetHelper.java b/src/main/java/org/tasks/widget/WidgetHelper.java
index 337a4758e..5aab13cde 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/tasks/widget/WidgetHelper.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/tasks/widget/WidgetHelper.java
@@ -34,30 +34,19 @@ import org.tasks.R;
 import org.tasks.preferences.ActivityPreferences;
 import org.tasks.preferences.Preferences;
 
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
+
 import javax.inject.Inject;
 import javax.inject.Singleton;
 
 import static android.content.Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_MULTIPLE_TASK;
 import static android.content.Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK;
-import static com.todoroo.andlib.utility.AndroidUtilities.preIceCreamSandwich;
 
 @Singleton
 public class WidgetHelper {
 
     public static int flags = FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK | FLAG_ACTIVITY_MULTIPLE_TASK;
 
-    public static void startWidgetService(Context context) {
-        Class widgetServiceClass = preIceCreamSandwich()
-                ? WidgetUpdateService.class
-                : ScrollableWidgetUpdateService.class;
-        AlarmManager am = (AlarmManager) context.getSystemService(Context.ALARM_SERVICE);
-        Intent intent = new Intent(context, widgetServiceClass);
-        PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getService(context,
-                0, intent, PendingIntent.FLAG_CANCEL_CURRENT);
-        am.setInexactRepeating(AlarmManager.RTC, 0,
-                Constants.WIDGET_UPDATE_INTERVAL, pendingIntent);
-    }
-
     public static void triggerUpdate(Context context) {
         AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager = AppWidgetManager.getInstance(context);
         if (appWidgetManager == null) {
@@ -81,7 +70,10 @@ public class WidgetHelper {
 
     @TargetApi(Build.VERSION_CODES.ICE_CREAM_SANDWICH)
     public RemoteViews createScrollableWidget(Context context, int id) {
-        startWidgetService(context);
+        AlarmManager am = (AlarmManager) context.getSystemService(Context.ALARM_SERVICE);
+        Intent intent = new Intent(context, ScrollableWidgetUpdateService.class);
+        PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getService(context, 0, intent, PendingIntent.FLAG_CANCEL_CURRENT);
+        am.setInexactRepeating(AlarmManager.RTC, 0, TimeUnit.MINUTES.toMillis(30), pendingIntent);
 
         Filter filter = getFilter(context, id);
         Intent rvIntent = new Intent(context, ScrollableWidgetUpdateService.class);