diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/db.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/db.pyj
index 723139bdab..7f8e550fa9 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/db.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/db.pyj
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 from gettext import gettext as _
 from encodings import base64encode, base64decode
 
+FORCE_BOOK_RELOAD = False # set to True to force book reloading
+
 def upgrade_schema(idb, old_version, new_version):
     print('upgrade_schema:', old_version, new_version)
     if not idb.objectStoreNames.contains('books'):
@@ -77,7 +79,8 @@ class DB:
         # refer to non-serializable objects like functions.
         key = v'[self.interface_data.library_id, book_id, fmt]'
         self.do_op(['books'], key, _('Failed to read from the books database'), def(result):
-            # result = None  # uncomment this to force book reloading
+            if FORCE_BOOK_RELOAD:
+                result = None
             proceed(result or {
                 'key':key,
                 'is_complete':False,