diff --git a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/networkdb/kademlia/PersistentDataStore.java b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/networkdb/kademlia/PersistentDataStore.java
index 3fe88f5e6e6c50ac69df39d48eb80382b57dda55..5691faa32af96bef6238ab1666d4031f3dec5060 100644
--- a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/networkdb/kademlia/PersistentDataStore.java
+++ b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/networkdb/kademlia/PersistentDataStore.java
@@ -364,11 +364,12 @@ class PersistentDataStore extends TransientDataStore {
             }
             if (shouldScan) {
                 _log.info("Rereading new files");
-                _lastModified = now;
                 // synch with the writer job
                 synchronized (_dbDir) {
+                    // _lastModified must be 0 for the first run
                     readFiles();
                 }
+                _lastModified = now;
             }
             requeue(READ_DELAY);
         }