diff --git a/cmds/portmaster-start/main.go b/cmds/portmaster-start/main.go
index 3aca82f6..fa3b6fe2 100644
--- a/cmds/portmaster-start/main.go
+++ b/cmds/portmaster-start/main.go
@@ -194,9 +194,6 @@ func updateRegistryIndex(mustLoadIndex bool) error {
 	// Set indexes based on the release channel.
 	helper.SetIndexes(registry, releaseChannel)
 
-	// Update registry to use pre-releases or not.
-	registry.SetUsePreReleases(releaseChannel != helper.ReleaseChannelStable)
-
 	// Load indexes from disk or network, if needed and desired.
 	err := registry.LoadIndexes(context.Background())
 	if err != nil {
@@ -240,7 +237,7 @@ func getReleaseChannel(dataRoot *utils.DirStructure) string {
 	configData, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dataRoot.Path, "config.json"))
 	if err != nil {
 		if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			log.Printf("WARNING: failed to read config.json to get release channel: %s", err)
+			log.Printf("WARNING: failed to read config.json to get release channel: %s\n", err)
 		}
 		return helper.ReleaseChannelStable
 	}
@@ -250,9 +247,11 @@ func getReleaseChannel(dataRoot *utils.DirStructure) string {
 	switch channel {
 	case helper.ReleaseChannelStable,
 		helper.ReleaseChannelBeta,
-		helper.ReleaseChannelStaging:
+		helper.ReleaseChannelStaging,
+		helper.ReleaseChannelSpecial:
 		return channel
 	default:
+		log.Printf("WARNING: config.json has unknown release channel %q, falling back to stable channel\n", channel)
 		return helper.ReleaseChannelStable
 	}
 }
diff --git a/updates/config.go b/updates/config.go
index 06d75e84..4677678f 100644
--- a/updates/config.go
+++ b/updates/config.go
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ func updateRegistryConfig(_ context.Context, _ interface{}) error {
 	changed := false
 
 	if releaseChannel() != previousReleaseChannel {
-		registry.SetUsePreReleases(releaseChannel() != helper.ReleaseChannelStable)
 		previousReleaseChannel = releaseChannel()
+		helper.SetIndexes(registry, releaseChannel())
 		changed = true
 	}
 
diff --git a/updates/helper/indexes.go b/updates/helper/indexes.go
index 49b26b63..7420768c 100644
--- a/updates/helper/indexes.go
+++ b/updates/helper/indexes.go
@@ -13,7 +13,11 @@ const (
 	ReleaseChannelSpecial = "special"
 )
 
+// SetIndexes sets the update registry indexes and also configures the registry
+// to use pre-releases based on the channel.
 func SetIndexes(registry *updater.ResourceRegistry, releaseChannel string) {
+	usePreReleases := false
+
 	// Be reminded that the order is important, as indexes added later will
 	// override the current release from earlier indexes.
 
@@ -32,6 +36,7 @@ func SetIndexes(registry *updater.ResourceRegistry, releaseChannel string) {
 			Path:       ReleaseChannelBeta + ".json",
 			PreRelease: true,
 		})
+		usePreReleases = true
 	}
 
 	// Add staging index if in staging channel.
@@ -40,6 +45,7 @@ func SetIndexes(registry *updater.ResourceRegistry, releaseChannel string) {
 			Path:       ReleaseChannelStaging + ".json",
 			PreRelease: true,
 		})
+		usePreReleases = true
 	}
 
 	// Add special index if in special channel.
@@ -55,4 +61,7 @@ func SetIndexes(registry *updater.ResourceRegistry, releaseChannel string) {
 	registry.AddIndex(updater.Index{
 		Path: "all/intel/intel.json",
 	})
+
+	// Set pre-release usage.
+	registry.SetUsePreReleases(usePreReleases)
 }
diff --git a/updates/main.go b/updates/main.go
index c1d88814..0cc7a61e 100644
--- a/updates/main.go
+++ b/updates/main.go
@@ -101,7 +101,6 @@ func start() error {
 		UserAgent:        UserAgent,
 		MandatoryUpdates: helper.MandatoryUpdates(),
 		AutoUnpack:       helper.AutoUnpackUpdates(),
-		UsePreReleases:   initialReleaseChannel != helper.ReleaseChannelStable,
 		DevMode:          devMode(),
 		Online:           true,
 	}