diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/__init__.py
index a4d041a9ec..8c78d907ab 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/__init__.py
@@ -102,3 +102,5 @@ def set_book_locale(lang):
             raise ValueError('')
     except ValueError:
         dictionaries.default_locale = dictionaries.ui_locale
+    from calibre.gui2.tweak_book.editor.syntax.html import refresh_spell_check_status
+    refresh_spell_check_status()
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/boss.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/boss.py
index b71ba9f4ce..fa9e8c05f6 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/boss.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/boss.py
@@ -123,9 +123,9 @@ class Boss(QObject):
         self.gui.manage_fonts.subset_all_fonts.connect(self.manage_fonts_subset)
 
     def preferences(self):
+        orig_spell = tprefs['inline_spell_check']
         p = Preferences(self.gui)
         ret = p.exec_()
-        orig_spell = tprefs['inline_spell_check']
         if p.dictionaries_changed:
             dictionaries.clear_caches()
             dictionaries.initialize(force=True)  # Reread user dictionaries
@@ -141,6 +141,8 @@ class Boss(QObject):
             for ed in editors.itervalues():
                 ed.apply_settings(dictionaries_changed=p.dictionaries_changed)
         if orig_spell != tprefs['inline_spell_check']:
+            from calibre.gui2.tweak_book.editor.syntax.html import refresh_spell_check_status
+            refresh_spell_check_status()
             for ed in editors.itervalues():
                 try:
                     ed.editor.highlighter.rehighlight()
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/syntax/html.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/syntax/html.py
index 13a7f91e96..9fe89f0808 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/syntax/html.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/syntax/html.py
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ TagStart = namedtuple('TagStart', 'offset prefix name closing is_start')
 TagEnd = namedtuple('TagEnd', 'offset self_closing is_start')
 Attr = namedtuple('Attr', 'offset type data')
 
+do_spell_check = False
+
+def refresh_spell_check_status():
+    global do_spell_check
+    do_spell_check = tprefs['inline_spell_check'] and hasattr(dictionaries, 'active_user_dictionaries')
+
 class Tag(object):
 
     __slots__ = ('name', 'bold', 'italic', 'lang')
@@ -263,7 +269,7 @@ def process_text(state, text, nbsp_format, spell_format, user_data):
     elif last < len(text):
         ans.append((len(text) - last, fmt))
 
-    if tprefs['inline_spell_check'] and state.tags and user_data.tag_ok_for_spell(state.tags[-1].name) and hasattr(dictionaries, 'active_user_dictionaries'):
+    if do_spell_check and state.tags and user_data.tag_ok_for_spell(state.tags[-1].name):
         split_ans = []
         locale = state.current_lang or dictionaries.default_locale
         sfmt = QTextCharFormat(spell_format)