diff --git a/toolkit/mozapps/update/content/updates.js b/toolkit/mozapps/update/content/updates.js
index 1847c6ab6d22..971bf67a09f9 100644
--- a/toolkit/mozapps/update/content/updates.js
+++ b/toolkit/mozapps/update/content/updates.js
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ var gUpdates = {
     //
     // Encode version since it could be a non-ascii string (bug 359093)
     var neverPrefName = PREF_UPDATE_NEVER_BRANCH +
-                       encodeURIComponent(gUpdates.update.version);
+                        encodeURIComponent(gUpdates.update.version);
     gPref.setBoolPref(neverPrefName, true);
     this.wiz.cancel();
   },
@@ -762,6 +762,13 @@ var gManualUpdatePage = {
     manualUpdateLinkLabel.value = manualURL;
     manualUpdateLinkLabel.setAttribute("url", manualURL);
 
+    // Prevent multiple notifications for the same update when the user is
+    // unable to apply updates.
+    // Encode version since it could be a non-ascii string (bug 359093)
+    var neverPrefName = PREF_UPDATE_NEVER_BRANCH +
+                        encodeURIComponent(gUpdates.update.version);
+    gPref.setBoolPref(neverPrefName, true);
+
     gUpdates.setButtons(null, null, "okButton", true);
     gUpdates.wiz.getButton("finish").focus();
   }
diff --git a/toolkit/mozapps/update/src/nsUpdateService.js.in b/toolkit/mozapps/update/src/nsUpdateService.js.in
index 4909812c52eb..87785e090755 100644
--- a/toolkit/mozapps/update/src/nsUpdateService.js.in
+++ b/toolkit/mozapps/update/src/nsUpdateService.js.in
@@ -1325,6 +1325,21 @@ UpdateService.prototype = {
     // Encode version since it could be a non-ascii string (bug 359093)
     var neverPrefName = PREF_UPDATE_NEVER_BRANCH +
                         encodeURIComponent(update.version);
+
+    if (!gCanApplyUpdates) {
+      if (getPref("getBoolPref", neverPrefName, false)) {
+        LOG("Checker:_selectAndInstallUpdate - the user is unable to apply " +
+            "updates. Not prompting because the preference " + neverPrefName + 
+            " is true");
+      }
+      else {
+        LOG("Checker:_selectAndInstallUpdate - the user is unable to apply " +
+            "updates... prompting");
+        this._showPrompt(update);
+      }
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (update.type == "major" &&
         getPref("getBoolPref", neverPrefName, false)) {
       LOG("Checker:_selectAndInstallUpdate - not prompting because this is a " +
@@ -1357,13 +1372,6 @@ UpdateService.prototype = {
       return;
     }
 
-    if (!gCanApplyUpdates) {
-      LOG("Checker:_selectAndInstallUpdate - prompting because the user is " +
-          "unable to apply updates");
-      this._showPrompt(update);
-      return;
-    }
-
     if (!getPref("getBoolPref", PREF_APP_UPDATE_AUTO, true)) {
       LOG("Checker:_selectAndInstallUpdate - prompting because silent " +
           "install is disabled");