diff --git a/plinth/modules/security/templates/security.html b/plinth/modules/security/templates/security.html
index 56bd907d1..80ecd8646 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/security/templates/security.html
+++ b/plinth/modules/security/templates/security.html
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     {% trans "Show security report" %}
   </a>
 
-  {% if is_backports_enabled %}
+  {% if is_backports_requested %}
     <h3>{% trans "Frequent Feature Updates" %}</h3>
     <p>
       {% blocktrans trimmed %}
diff --git a/plinth/modules/security/views.py b/plinth/modules/security/views.py
index 65bcee4de..2270fb746 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/security/views.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/security/views.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 
 from plinth import action_utils, actions
 from plinth.modules import security
-from plinth.modules.upgrades import is_backports_enabled
+from plinth.modules.upgrades import is_backports_requested
 
 from .forms import SecurityForm
 
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def index(request):
         request, 'security.html', {
             'app_info': security.app.info,
             'form': form,
-            'is_backports_enabled': is_backports_enabled(),
+            'is_backports_requested': is_backports_requested(),
         })
 
 
diff --git a/plinth/modules/upgrades/__init__.py b/plinth/modules/upgrades/__init__.py
index f5808f162..4d733a361 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/upgrades/__init__.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/upgrades/__init__.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 FreedomBox app for upgrades.
 """
 
+import logging
 import os
 import subprocess
 
@@ -42,10 +43,12 @@ _description = [
 
 app = None
 
-BACKPORTS_ENABLED_KEY = 'upgrades_backports_enabled'
+BACKPORTS_REQUESTED_KEY = 'upgrades_backports_requested'
 
 SOURCES_LIST = '/etc/apt/sources.list.d/freedombox2.list'
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 class UpgradesApp(app_module.App):
     """FreedomBox app for software upgrades."""
@@ -139,7 +142,7 @@ def disable():
 
 def setup_repositories(data):
     """Setup apt backport repositories."""
-    if is_backports_enabled():
+    if is_backports_requested():
         command = ['setup-repositories']
         if cfg.develop:
             command += ['--develop']
@@ -147,11 +150,22 @@ def setup_repositories(data):
         actions.superuser_run('upgrades', command)
 
 
-def is_backports_enabled():
-    """Return whether backports are enabled."""
+def is_backports_requested():
+    """Return whether user has chosen to activate backports."""
     from plinth import kvstore
-    return kvstore.get_default(BACKPORTS_ENABLED_KEY,
-                               os.path.exists(SOURCES_LIST))
+    return kvstore.get_default(BACKPORTS_REQUESTED_KEY, False)
+
+
+def set_backports_requested(requested):
+    """Set whether user has chosen to activate backports."""
+    from plinth import kvstore
+    kvstore.set(BACKPORTS_REQUESTED_KEY, requested)
+    logger.info('Backports requested - %s', requested)
+
+
+def is_backports_enabled():
+    """Return whether backports are enabled in the system configuration."""
+    return os.path.exists(SOURCES_LIST)
 
 
 def get_current_release():
@@ -180,9 +194,6 @@ def is_backports_current():
 
 def can_activate_backports():
     """Return whether backports can be activated."""
-    if is_backports_current():
-        return False
-
     release, _ = get_current_release()
     if release == 'unstable' or (release == 'testing' and not cfg.develop):
         return False
diff --git a/plinth/modules/upgrades/forms.py b/plinth/modules/upgrades/forms.py
index 5a92aa70c..db4263ef4 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/upgrades/forms.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/upgrades/forms.py
@@ -18,4 +18,4 @@ class BackportsFirstbootForm(forms.Form):
     """Form to configure backports during first boot wizard."""
     backports_enabled = forms.BooleanField(
         label=_('Activate frequent feature updates (recommended)'),
-        required=False)
+        required=False, initial=True)
diff --git a/plinth/modules/upgrades/templates/upgrades_configure.html b/plinth/modules/upgrades/templates/upgrades_configure.html
index 94262751c..f8c7ecf3b 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/upgrades/templates/upgrades_configure.html
+++ b/plinth/modules/upgrades/templates/upgrades_configure.html
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@
 {% block extra_content %}
   <h3>{% trans "Frequent Feature Updates" %}</h3>
   <p>
-    {% if can_activate_backports %}
+    {% if can_activate_backports and not is_backports_requested %}
       {% blocktrans trimmed %}
         Frequent feature updates can be activated. Activating them is
         recommended.
       {% endblocktrans %}
-    {% elif is_backports_enabled %}
+    {% elif can_activate_backports and is_backports_requested %}
       {% blocktrans trimmed %}
         Frequent feature updates are enabled.
       {% endblocktrans %}
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
     {% endif %}
   </p>
   <p>
-    {% if can_activate_backports or is_backports_enabled %}
+    {% if can_activate_backports %}
       {% blocktrans trimmed %}
         Frequent feature updates allow a very limited set of software, including
         {{box_name}} service, to be updated to receive newer features regularly
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
       {% endblocktrans %}
     {% endif %}
   </p>
-  {% if can_activate_backports %}
+  {% if can_activate_backports and not is_backports_requested %}
     <div class="alert alert-warning" role="alert">
       {% url 'snapshot:index' as snapshot_url %}
       {% blocktrans trimmed %}
diff --git a/plinth/modules/upgrades/views.py b/plinth/modules/upgrades/views.py
index 43648bf28..443227c34 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/upgrades/views.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/upgrades/views.py
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 FreedomBox app for upgrades.
 """
 
-import logging
-
 from django.contrib import messages
 from django.http import HttpResponseRedirect
 from django.shortcuts import redirect
@@ -12,15 +10,13 @@ from django.urls import reverse_lazy
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from django.views.generic.edit import FormView
 
-from plinth import actions, kvstore, package
+from plinth import actions, package
 from plinth.errors import ActionError
 from plinth.modules import first_boot, upgrades
 from plinth.views import AppView
 
 from .forms import BackportsFirstbootForm, ConfigureForm
 
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-
 
 class UpgradesConfigurationView(AppView):
     """Serve configuration page."""
@@ -35,7 +31,7 @@ class UpgradesConfigurationView(AppView):
     def get_context_data(self, *args, **kwargs):
         context = super().get_context_data(*args, **kwargs)
         context['can_activate_backports'] = upgrades.can_activate_backports()
-        context['is_backports_enabled'] = upgrades.is_backports_enabled()
+        context['is_backports_requested'] = upgrades.is_backports_requested()
         context['is_busy'] = package.is_package_manager_busy()
         context['log'] = get_log()
         context['refresh_page_sec'] = 3 if context['is_busy'] else None
@@ -90,7 +86,7 @@ def upgrade(request):
 def activate_backports(request):
     """Activate backports."""
     if request.method == 'POST':
-        kvstore.set(upgrades.BACKPORTS_ENABLED_KEY, True)
+        upgrades.set_backports_requested(True)
         upgrades.setup_repositories(None)
         messages.success(request, _('Frequent feature updates activated.'))
 
@@ -107,24 +103,18 @@ class BackportsFirstbootView(FormView):
         if upgrades.is_backports_enabled():
             # Backports is already enabled. Record this preference and
             # skip first boot step.
-            kvstore.set(upgrades.BACKPORTS_ENABLED_KEY, True)
+            upgrades.set_backports_requested(True)
             first_boot.mark_step_done('backports_wizard')
             return HttpResponseRedirect(reverse_lazy(first_boot.next_step()))
 
         if not upgrades.can_activate_backports():
             # Skip first boot step.
+            upgrades.set_backports_requested(False)
             first_boot.mark_step_done('backports_wizard')
             return HttpResponseRedirect(reverse_lazy(first_boot.next_step()))
 
         return super().dispatch(request, *args, *kwargs)
 
-    def get_initial(self):
-        """Get initial form data."""
-        return {
-            'backports_enabled':
-                kvstore.get_default(upgrades.BACKPORTS_ENABLED_KEY, True)
-        }
-
     def get_success_url(self):
         """Return next firstboot step."""
         return reverse_lazy(first_boot.next_step())
@@ -132,12 +122,7 @@ class BackportsFirstbootView(FormView):
     def form_valid(self, form):
         """Mark the first wizard step as done, save value and redirect."""
         enabled = form.cleaned_data['backports_enabled']
-        kvstore.set(upgrades.BACKPORTS_ENABLED_KEY, enabled)
-        if enabled:
-            upgrades.setup_repositories(None)
-            logger.info('Backports enabled.')
-        else:
-            logger.info('Backports not enabled.')
-
+        upgrades.set_backports_requested(enabled)
+        upgrades.setup_repositories(None)
         first_boot.mark_step_done('backports_wizard')
         return super().form_valid(form)