diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/store/search/search.py b/src/calibre/gui2/store/search/search.py
index 8289c89b96..45808bac1b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/store/search/search.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/store/search/search.py
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ class SearchDialog(QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
         self.restore_state()
 
     def setup_store_checks(self):
+        first_run = self.config.get('first_run', True)
+        
         # Add check boxes for each store so the user
         # can disable searching specific stores on a
         # per search basis.
@@ -98,7 +100,7 @@ class SearchDialog(QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
         icon = QIcon(I('donate.png'))
         for i, x in enumerate(sorted(self.gui.istores.keys(), key=lambda x: x.lower())):
             cbox = QCheckBox(x)
-            cbox.setChecked(existing.get(x, False))
+            cbox.setChecked(existing.get(x, first_run))
             store_list_layout.addWidget(cbox, i, 0, 1, 1)
             if self.gui.istores[x].base_plugin.affiliate:
                 iw = QLabel(self)
@@ -108,6 +110,8 @@ class SearchDialog(QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
             self.store_checks[x] = cbox
         store_list_layout.setRowStretch(store_list_layout.rowCount(), 10)
         self.store_list.setWidget(stores_check_widget)
+        
+        self.config['first_run'] = False
 
     def build_adv_search(self):
         adv = AdvSearchBuilderDialog(self)