diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/email.py b/src/calibre/gui2/email.py
index 14752f073b..2911222ba8 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/email.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/email.py
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ class Emailer(Thread): # {{{
         self.jobs = Queue()
         self.job_manager = job_manager
         self._run = True
+        self.calculate_rate_limit()
+
+        self.last_send_time = time.time() - self.rate_limit
+
+    def calculate_rate_limit(self):
         self.rate_limit = 1
         opts = email_config().parse()
         rh = opts.relay_host
@@ -80,8 +85,6 @@ class Emailer(Thread): # {{{
             'gmail.com' in rh or 'live.com' in rh):
             self.rate_limit = 301
 
-        self.last_send_time = time.time() - self.rate_limit
-
     def stop(self):
         self._run = False
         self.jobs.put(None)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/emailp.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/emailp.py
index f0b079e209..19007dfcf1 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/emailp.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/emailp.py
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ class ConfigWidget(ConfigWidgetBase, Ui_Form):
         if not self.send_email_widget.set_email_settings(to_set):
             raise AbortCommit('abort')
         self.proxy['accounts'] =  self._email_accounts.accounts
+
         return ConfigWidgetBase.commit(self)
 
     def make_default(self, *args):
@@ -188,6 +189,9 @@ class ConfigWidget(ConfigWidgetBase, Ui_Form):
         self._email_accounts.remove(idx)
         self.changed_signal.emit()
 
+    def refresh_gui(self, gui):
+        gui.emailer.calculate_rate_limit()
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     from PyQt4.Qt import QApplication