diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DlgDelegate.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DlgDelegate.java
index 0bd659205..2f11def02 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DlgDelegate.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DlgDelegate.java
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ public class DlgDelegate {
                                     public void onClick( DialogInterface dlg, 
                                                          int which )
                                     {
-                                        FirstRunDialog.show( m_activity, true );
+                                        FirstRunDialog.show( m_activity );
                                     }
                                 } )
             .create();
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/FirstRunDialog.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/FirstRunDialog.java
index 490b3aafb..eddf433b9 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/FirstRunDialog.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/FirstRunDialog.java
@@ -20,11 +20,8 @@
 
 package org.eehouse.android.xw4;
 
-import android.content.Context;
-import android.content.SharedPreferences;
-import android.content.SharedPreferences.Editor;
-import android.content.pm.PackageInfo;
 import android.app.AlertDialog;
+import android.content.Context;
 import android.webkit.WebView;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
@@ -36,45 +33,7 @@ import java.io.Reader;
  */
 
 public class FirstRunDialog {
-	private static final String HIDDEN_PREFS = "xwprefs_hidden";
-    private static final String SHOWN_VERSION_KEY = "SHOWN_VERSION_KEY";
-
-    static boolean show( Context context, boolean skipCheck )
-    {
-        int thisVersion = 0;
-        int shownVersion = 0;
-
-        if ( !skipCheck ) {
-            try {
-                thisVersion = context.getPackageManager()
-                    .getPackageInfo(context.getPackageName(), 0)
-                    .versionCode;
-                DbgUtils.logf( "versionCode: %d", thisVersion );
-            } catch ( Exception e ) {
-            }
-        }
-
-        SharedPreferences prefs = null;
-        if ( thisVersion > 0 ) {
-            prefs = context.getSharedPreferences( HIDDEN_PREFS, 
-                                                  Context.MODE_PRIVATE );
-            shownVersion = prefs.getInt( SHOWN_VERSION_KEY, 0 );
-        }
-
-        boolean isUpgrade = shownVersion < thisVersion;
-        if ( skipCheck || isUpgrade ) {
-            showDialog( context );
-        
-            if ( !skipCheck ) {
-                Editor editor = prefs.edit();
-                editor.putInt( SHOWN_VERSION_KEY, thisVersion );
-                editor.commit();
-            }
-        }
-        return isUpgrade;
-    }
-
-    private static void showDialog( Context context )
+    public static void show( Context context )
     {
         String page = null;
         InputStream inputStream = null;
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java
index 090c5debb..2bd470399 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ public class GamesList extends XWListActivity
     private static final int SYNC_MENU_ACTION = 5;
     private static final int NEW_FROM_ACTION = 6;
 
+    private static boolean s_firstShown = false;
+
     private GameListAdapter m_adapter;
     private String m_missingDict;
     private Handler m_handler;
@@ -256,7 +258,11 @@ public class GamesList extends XWListActivity
         registerForContextMenu( getListView() );
         DBUtils.setDBChangeListener( this );
 
-        boolean isUpgrade = FirstRunDialog.show( this, false );
+        boolean isUpgrade = Utils.firstBootThisVersion( this );
+        if ( isUpgrade && !s_firstShown ) {
+            FirstRunDialog.show( this );
+            s_firstShown = true;
+        }
         PreferenceManager.setDefaultValues( this, R.xml.xwprefs, isUpgrade );
 
         // setDefaultKeyMode(DEFAULT_KEYS_SHORTCUT);
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/Utils.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/Utils.java
index 22ffefe19..e0d349f1f 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/Utils.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/Utils.java
@@ -22,25 +22,47 @@ package org.eehouse.android.xw4;
 
 import android.app.Activity;
 import android.app.Dialog;
-import android.content.DialogInterface;
 import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.DialogInterface;
 import android.content.Intent;
-import android.widget.CheckBox;
-import android.widget.Toast;
-import android.widget.EditText;
-import android.widget.TextView;
+import android.content.SharedPreferences.Editor;
+import android.content.SharedPreferences;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.view.View;
+import android.widget.CheckBox;
+import android.widget.EditText;
+import android.widget.TextView;
+import android.widget.Toast;
 import junit.framework.Assert;
 
 import org.eehouse.android.xw4.jni.*;
 
 public class Utils {
-    static final String DB_PATH = "XW_GAMES";
+    private static final String DB_PATH = "XW_GAMES";
+	private static final String HIDDEN_PREFS = "xwprefs_hidden";
+    private static final String SHOWN_VERSION_KEY = "SHOWN_VERSION_KEY";
 
+    private static Boolean s_isFirstBootThisVersion = null;
+    private static Boolean s_isFirstBootEver = null;
 
     private Utils() {}
 
+    public static boolean firstBootEver( Context context )
+    {
+        if ( null == s_isFirstBootEver ) {
+            setFirstBootStatics( context );
+        }
+        return s_isFirstBootEver;
+    }
+
+    public static boolean firstBootThisVersion( Context context )
+    {
+        if ( null == s_isFirstBootThisVersion ) {
+            setFirstBootStatics( context );
+        }
+        return s_isFirstBootThisVersion;
+    }
+
     public static void notImpl( Context context ) 
     {
         CharSequence text = "Feature coming soon";
@@ -173,4 +195,35 @@ public class Utils {
         String fmt = context.getString( id );
         return String.format( fmt, args );
     }
+
+    private static void setFirstBootStatics( Context context )
+    {
+        int thisVersion = 0;
+        int prevVersion = 0;
+
+        try {
+            thisVersion = context.getPackageManager()
+                .getPackageInfo(context.getPackageName(), 0)
+                .versionCode;
+        } catch ( Exception e ) {
+        }
+
+        SharedPreferences prefs = null;
+        if ( 0 < thisVersion ) {
+            prefs = context.getSharedPreferences( HIDDEN_PREFS, 
+                                                  Context.MODE_PRIVATE );
+            prevVersion = prefs.getInt( SHOWN_VERSION_KEY, -1 );
+        }
+        boolean newVersion = prevVersion != thisVersion;
+        
+        s_isFirstBootThisVersion = new Boolean( newVersion );
+        s_isFirstBootEver = new Boolean( -1 == prevVersion );
+
+        if ( newVersion ) {
+            Editor editor = prefs.edit();
+            editor.putInt( SHOWN_VERSION_KEY, thisVersion );
+            editor.commit();
+        }
+    }
+
 }