diff --git a/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py b/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
index 588395a..5f462d1 100644
--- a/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
+++ b/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
@@ -526,15 +526,14 @@ class Interface(object):
         data = store.get_value(position, 0)
         pic = data.avatar
         if not pic in self._avatars:
-            self._threads.add_work(self._post_download_pic,
-                    self._exception_download_pic,
-                    self._download_pic,
-                    pic)
-
             # set the user avatar to the default image, so it won't get queued
             # again. Once downloaded, the _post_download_pic will update the
             # image and force a redraw.
             self._avatars[pic] = self._images['avatar']
+            self._threads.add_work(self._post_download_pic,
+                    self._exception_download_pic,
+                    self._download_pic,
+                    pic)
 
         cell.set_property('pixbuf', self._avatars[pic])
 
@@ -872,7 +871,7 @@ class Interface(object):
         # NAMESPACE. To set the values, we just run the dictionaries setting
         # self._options.
         self._fields = {self.NAMESPACE: {'refresh_interval':
-            self._refresh_interval_field}}
+            (self._refresh_interval_field, 'int')}}
 
         # next pages are each network settings
         net_options = self._connection.settings()
@@ -904,7 +903,8 @@ class Interface(object):
 
                 row += 1
 
-                self._fields[network_name][option_name] = new_field
+                self._fields[network_name][option_name] = (new_field,
+                        option['type'])
 
             net_box.show_all()
             tabs.insert_page(net_box, gtk.Label(network_name))
@@ -919,8 +919,10 @@ class Interface(object):
         """Update the interface settings."""
         for namespace in self._fields:
             for option in self._fields[namespace]:
-                field = self._fields[namespace][option]
+                (field, field_type) = self._fields[namespace][option]
                 value = field.get_text()
+                if field_type == 'int':
+                    value = int(value)
                 self._options[namespace][option] = value
 
         return True
@@ -1035,11 +1037,6 @@ class Interface(object):
     ### image download function
     def _download_pic(self, url):
         """Download a picture from the web. Can be used in a thread."""
-        # recheck if the image wasn't downloaded by other thread
-        if url in self._avatars:
-            _log.debug('Image %s available already' % (url))
-            return None
-
         request = urllib2.Request(url=url)
         _log.debug('Starting request of %s' % (url))
         response = urllib2.urlopen(request)
@@ -1051,10 +1048,6 @@ class Interface(object):
     ### Results from the picture request
     def _post_download_pic(self, widget, data):
         """Called after the data from the picture is available."""
-        if not data:
-            # image appeared in the queue
-            return
-
         (url, data) = data
 
         loader = gtk.gdk.PixbufLoader()