diff --git a/config-file.cpp b/config-file.cpp
index c753f8dadd4..d7e77bcb8bd 100644
--- a/config-file.cpp
+++ b/config-file.cpp
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ void hashconfig::merge(const hashconfig * h)
 // The config-class itself.
 
 Config::Config(const char *cfg, const char *d)
- : filename(Scumm::Strdup(cfg)), domain(d ? Scumm::Strdup(d) : 0), hash(0), ndomains(0)
+ : filename(Scumm::Strdup(cfg)), domain(d ? Scumm::Strdup(d) : 0), hash(0), ndomains(0), willwrite(false)
 {
 	FILE *cfg_file;
 	char t[MAXLINELEN];
@@ -302,6 +302,9 @@ void Config::flush() const
 {
 	FILE *cfg_file;
 	int i;
+	
+	if (!willwrite)
+	    return;
 
 	if (!(cfg_file = fopen(filename, "w"))) {
 		debug(1, "Unable to write configuration file: %s.\n", filename);
@@ -377,3 +380,7 @@ void Config::merge_config(const Config * c)
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+void Config::set_writing(bool w) {
+    willwrite = w;
+}
diff --git a/config-file.h b/config-file.h
index 922724cce41..2e2f20477b6 100644
--- a/config-file.h
+++ b/config-file.h
@@ -38,10 +38,12 @@ class Config {
     void delete_domain(const char *);
     void change_filename(const char *);
     void merge_config(const Config *);
+    void set_writing(bool);
   private:
     char * filename, * domain;
     hashconfig ** hash;
     int ndomains;
+    bool willwrite;
 };
 
 // The global config object
diff --git a/gameDetector.cpp b/gameDetector.cpp
index 3b7651720a7..bad009effb7 100644
--- a/gameDetector.cpp
+++ b/gameDetector.cpp
@@ -230,6 +230,7 @@ void GameDetector::parseCommandLine(int argc, char **argv)
 				exit(1);
 			case 'w':
 				_saveconfig = true;
+				scummcfg->set_writing(true);
 				HANDLE_OPT_OPTION();
 				if (option != NULL)
 					scummcfg->change_filename(option);
@@ -258,7 +259,7 @@ void GameDetector::parseCommandLine(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 	
-	if (_saveconfig)
+	if (_exe_name)
 		scummcfg->flush();
 
 	return;