diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/main.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/main.py
index bd222cdbd2..c04686ed6c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/main.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/polish/main.py
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ def gui_polish(data):
     files = data.pop('files')
     if not data.pop('metadata'):
         data.pop('opf')
+    if not data.pop('do_cover'):
         data.pop('cover')
     file_map = {x:x for x in files}
     opts = ALL_OPTS.copy()
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/polish.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/polish.py
index aeb3a2e332..dd41c0690f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/polish.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/polish.py
@@ -44,13 +44,18 @@ class Polish(QDialog): # {{{
             _('<h3>Smarten punctuation</h3>%s')%HELP['smarten_punctuation'],
 
             'metadata':_('<h3>Updating metadata</h3>'
-                         '<p>This will update all metadata and covers in the'
+                         '<p>This will update all metadata <i>except</i> the cover in the'
                          ' ebook files to match the current metadata in the'
-                         ' calibre library.</p><p>If the ebook file does not have'
-                         ' an identifiable cover, a new cover is inserted.</p>'
+                         ' calibre library.</p>'
                          ' <p>Note that most ebook'
                          ' formats are not capable of supporting all the'
-                         ' metadata in calibre.</p>'),
+                         ' metadata in calibre.</p><p>There is a separate option to'
+                         ' update the cover.</p>'),
+            'do_cover':  _('<p>Update the covers in the ebook files to match the'
+                        ' current cover in the calibre library.</p>'
+                        '<p>If the ebook file does not have'
+                        ' an identifiable cover, a new cover is inserted.</p>'
+                        ),
             'jacket':_('<h3>Book Jacket</h3>%s')%HELP['jacket'],
             'remove_jacket':_('<h3>Remove Book Jacket</h3>%s')%HELP['remove_jacket'],
         }
@@ -63,11 +68,12 @@ class Polish(QDialog): # {{{
 
         count = 0
         self.all_actions = OrderedDict([
-            ('subset', _('Subset all embedded fonts')),
-            ('smarten_punctuation', _('Smarten punctuation')),
-            ('metadata', _('Update metadata in book files')),
-            ('jacket', _('Add metadata as a "book jacket" page')),
-            ('remove_jacket', _('Remove a previously inserted book jacket')),
+            ('subset', _('&Subset all embedded fonts')),
+            ('smarten_punctuation', _('Smarten &punctuation')),
+            ('metadata', _('Update &metadata in the book files')),
+            ('do_cover', _('Update the &cover in the book files')),
+            ('jacket', _('Add metadata as a "book &jacket" page')),
+            ('remove_jacket', _('&Remove a previously inserted book jacket')),
         ])
         prefs = gprefs.get('polishing_settings', {})
         for name, text in self.all_actions.iteritems():