diff --git a/src/freenet/node/updater/NodeUpdater.java b/src/freenet/node/updater/NodeUpdater.java
index 20e43dde20..46a25d97af 100644
--- a/src/freenet/node/updater/NodeUpdater.java
+++ b/src/freenet/node/updater/NodeUpdater.java
@@ -91,13 +91,17 @@ public abstract class NodeUpdater implements ClientGetCallback, USKCallback, Req
 	}
 
 	void start() {
+		subscribe(() -> manager.blow("The auto-update URI isn't valid and can't be used", true));
+	}
+
+	private void subscribe(Runnable onError) {
 		try {
 			// because of UoM, this version is actually worth having as well
 			USK myUsk = USK.create(URI.setSuggestedEdition(currentVersion));
 			core.getUskManager().subscribe(myUsk, this, true, getRequestClient());
-		} catch(MalformedURLException e) {
+		} catch (MalformedURLException e) {
 			Logger.error(this, "The auto-update URI isn't valid and can't be used");
-			manager.blow("The auto-update URI isn't valid and can't be used", true);
+			onError.run();
 		}
 	}
 	
@@ -511,8 +515,9 @@ public synchronized boolean canUpdateNow() {
 	/** Called when the fetch URI has changed. No major locks are held by caller. 
 	 * @param uri The new URI. */
 	public void onChangeURI(FreenetURI uri) {
-		kill();
+		kill(); // unsubscribes from the old uri
 		this.URI = uri;
+		subscribe(() -> {});
 		maybeUpdate();
 	}