diff --git a/src/com/timsu/astrid/activities/TaskList.java b/src/com/timsu/astrid/activities/TaskList.java
index 6bd4c72dc..b020fa8eb 100644
--- a/src/com/timsu/astrid/activities/TaskList.java
+++ b/src/com/timsu/astrid/activities/TaskList.java
@@ -127,9 +127,10 @@ public class TaskList extends Activity {
 
         // sync now if requested
         if(synchronizeNow) {
-            Synchronizer.synchronize(this, true, null);
+        	synchronizeNow = false;
+            Synchronizer.synchronize(this, false, null);
         }
-        
+
         // if we have no filter tag, we're not on the last task
         if(getCurrentSubActivity() == taskListWTag &&
                 ((TaskListSubActivity)taskListWTag).getFilterTag() == null) {
diff --git a/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/RTMSyncProvider.java b/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/RTMSyncProvider.java
index be9e49fb3..8cb27336f 100644
--- a/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/RTMSyncProvider.java
+++ b/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/RTMSyncProvider.java
@@ -238,6 +238,9 @@ public class RTMSyncProvider extends SynchronizationProvider {
             Date syncTime = new Date(System.currentTimeMillis() + 1000);
             Preferences.setSyncRTMLastSync(context, syncTime);
 
+            // on with the synchronization
+            Synchronizer.continueSynchronization(context);
+
         } catch (Exception e) {
             showError(context, e, null);
         }
diff --git a/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/SynchronizationProvider.java b/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/SynchronizationProvider.java
index 4895bef20..06d6c6a2a 100644
--- a/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/SynchronizationProvider.java
+++ b/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/SynchronizationProvider.java
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import java.util.LinkedList;
 import android.app.Dialog;
 import android.app.ProgressDialog;
 import android.content.Context;
-import android.content.DialogInterface;
 import android.content.res.Resources;
 import android.os.Handler;
 import android.util.Log;
@@ -497,15 +496,11 @@ public abstract class SynchronizationProvider {
             progressDialog.hide();
             Resources r = context.getResources();
 
-            if(Preferences.shouldSuppressSyncDialogs(context))
+            if(Preferences.shouldSuppressSyncDialogs(context)) {
                 return;
+            }
 
-            Dialog.OnClickListener finishListener = new Dialog.OnClickListener() {
-                public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog,
-                        int which) {
-                    Synchronizer.continueSynchronization(context);
-                }
-            };
+            Dialog.OnClickListener finishListener = null;
 
             // nothing updated
             if(localCreatedTasks + localUpdatedTasks + localDeletedTasks +
diff --git a/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/SynchronizationService.java b/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/SynchronizationService.java
index 18081b2c3..866b8d48c 100644
--- a/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/SynchronizationService.java
+++ b/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/SynchronizationService.java
@@ -60,14 +60,17 @@ public class SynchronizationService extends Service {
     	// figure out last synchronize time
     	Date lastSyncDate = Preferences.getSyncLastSync(context);
     	Date lastAutoSyncDate = Preferences.getSyncLastSyncAttempt(context);
-    	long latestSyncMillis = 0;
+
+    	// if user never synchronized, give them a full offset period before bg sync
+    	long latestSyncMillis = System.currentTimeMillis();
     	if(lastSyncDate != null)
     		latestSyncMillis = lastSyncDate.getTime();
     	if(lastAutoSyncDate != null && lastAutoSyncDate.getTime() > latestSyncMillis)
     		latestSyncMillis = lastAutoSyncDate.getTime();
     	long offset = 0;
     	if(latestSyncMillis != 0)
-    		offset = Math.max(0, latestSyncMillis + interval - System.currentTimeMillis());
+    		offset = Math.min(offset, Math.max(0, latestSyncMillis + interval -
+    				System.currentTimeMillis()));
 
         timer.scheduleAtFixedRate(new TimerTask() {
             @Override
diff --git a/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/Synchronizer.java b/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/Synchronizer.java
index c9a37f46e..90514abf0 100644
--- a/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/Synchronizer.java
+++ b/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/Synchronizer.java
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ public class Synchronizer {
 
     private static boolean autoSync;
 
-    /** Called to do the next step of synchronization. Run me on the UI thread! */
+    /** Called to do the next step of synchronization. */
     static void continueSynchronization(Context context) {
         ServiceWrapper serviceWrapper =
             ServiceWrapper.values()[currentStep];
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ public class Synchronizer {
             continueSynchronization(context);
             break;
         case RTM:
-            if(Preferences.shouldSyncRTM(context)) {
+            if(serviceWrapper.isActivated(context)) {
                 servicesSynced++;
                 serviceWrapper.service.synchronizeService(context, autoSync);
             } else {