diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/iterator/bookmarks.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/iterator/bookmarks.py
index 3e52c6b4b9..68b653be2d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/iterator/bookmarks.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/oeb/iterator/bookmarks.py
@@ -78,12 +78,12 @@ class BookmarksMixin(object):
             raw = raw.decode('utf-8')
         self.parse_bookmarks(raw)
 
-    def save_bookmarks(self, bookmarks=None):
+    def save_bookmarks(self, bookmarks=None, no_copy_to_file=False):
         if bookmarks is None:
             bookmarks = self.bookmarks
         dat = self.serialize_bookmarks(bookmarks)
         self.config['bookmarks_'+self.pathtoebook] = dat
-        if self.copy_bookmarks_to_file and os.path.splitext(
+        if not no_copy_to_file and self.copy_bookmarks_to_file and os.path.splitext(
                 self.pathtoebook)[1].lower() == '.epub' and os.access(self.pathtoebook, os.W_OK):
             try:
                 zf = open(self.pathtoebook, 'r+b')
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ class BookmarksMixin(object):
                     BytesIO(dat.encode('utf-8')),
                     add_missing=True)
 
-    def add_bookmark(self, bm):
+    def add_bookmark(self, bm, no_copy_to_file=False):
         self.bookmarks = [x for x in self.bookmarks if x['title'] !=
                 bm['title']]
         self.bookmarks.append(bm)
-        self.save_bookmarks()
+        self.save_bookmarks(no_copy_to_file=no_copy_to_file)
 
     def set_bookmarks(self, bookmarks):
         self.bookmarks = bookmarks
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/main.py b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/main.py
index ea223e852e..b4b3b2224a 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/main.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/main.py
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ class EbookViewer(MainWindow):
             'into pages like a paper book')
     PAGED_MODE_TT = _('Switch to flow mode - where the text is not broken up '
             'into pages')
+    AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL = 10  # seconds
 
     def __init__(self, pathtoebook=None, debug_javascript=False, open_at=None,
                  start_in_fullscreen=False):
@@ -96,7 +97,11 @@ class EbookViewer(MainWindow):
         self.was_maximized     = False
         self.page_position_on_footnote_toggle = []
         self.read_settings()
+        self.autosave_timer = t = QTimer(self)
+        t.setInterval(self.AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL * 1000), t.setSingleShot(True)
+        t.timeout.connect(self.autosave)
         self.pos.value_changed.connect(self.update_pos_label)
+        self.pos.value_changed.connect(self.autosave_timer.start)
         self.pos.setMinimumWidth(150)
         self.setFocusPolicy(Qt.StrongFocus)
         self.view.set_manager(self)
@@ -783,6 +788,9 @@ class EbookViewer(MainWindow):
             self.set_bookmarks(self.iterator.bookmarks)
             self.bookmarks.set_current_bookmark(bm)
 
+    def autosave(self):
+        self.save_current_position(no_copy_to_file=True)
+
     def bookmarks_edited(self, bookmarks):
         self.build_bookmarks_menu(bookmarks)
         self.iterator.set_bookmarks(bookmarks)
@@ -816,12 +824,12 @@ class EbookViewer(MainWindow):
         bm['title'] = 'calibre_current_page_bookmark'
         return bm
 
-    def save_current_position(self):
+    def save_current_position(self, no_copy_to_file=False):
         if not self.view.document.remember_current_page:
             return
         if hasattr(self, 'current_index'):
             try:
-                self.iterator.add_bookmark(self.current_page_bookmark)
+                self.iterator.add_bookmark(self.current_page_bookmark, no_copy_to_file=no_copy_to_file)
             except:
                 traceback.print_exc()