diff --git a/src/ChangeLog b/src/ChangeLog
index 899b4e7004..dbfcf460f5 100644
--- a/src/ChangeLog
+++ b/src/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2002-11-19  Jean-Marc Lasgouttes  <Jean-Marc.Lasgouttes@inria.fr>
+
+	* lyx_main.C (queryUserLyXDir): re-run automatically the configure
+	script if it is newer than the lyxrc.defaults in user directory
+
 2002-10-16  Jean-Marc Lasgouttes  <Jean-Marc.Lasgouttes@inria.fr>
 
 	* converter.C (view): add support for $$i (file name) and $$p
diff --git a/src/lyx_main.C b/src/lyx_main.C
index 15dbfeec45..82fc287ab6 100644
--- a/src/lyx_main.C
+++ b/src/lyx_main.C
@@ -623,10 +623,22 @@ void LyX::deadKeyBindings(kb_keymap * kbmap)
 // one does not exist yet. (Asger)
 void LyX::queryUserLyXDir(bool explicit_userdir)
 {
+	string const configure_script = AddName(system_lyxdir, "configure");
+
 	// Does user directory exist?
 	FileInfo fileInfo(user_lyxdir);
 	if (fileInfo.isOK() && fileInfo.isDir()) {
 		first_start = false;
+		FileInfo script(configure_script);
+		FileInfo defaults(AddName(user_lyxdir, "lyxrc.defaults"));
+		if (defaults.isOK() && script.isOK()
+		    && defaults.getModificationTime() < script.getModificationTime()) {
+			lyxerr << _("LyX: reconfiguring user directory")
+			       << endl;
+			Path p(user_lyxdir);
+			::system(configure_script.c_str());
+			lyxerr << "LyX: " << _("Done!") << endl;
+		}
 		return;
 	} else {
 		first_start = !explicit_userdir;
@@ -659,7 +671,7 @@ void LyX::queryUserLyXDir(bool explicit_userdir)
 
 	// Run configure in user lyx directory
 	Path p(user_lyxdir);
-	::system(AddName(system_lyxdir, "configure").c_str());
+	::system(configure_script.c_str());
 	lyxerr << "LyX: " << _("Done!") << endl;
 }
 
diff --git a/status.12x b/status.12x
index ec9e429447..4cfa5a4481 100644
--- a/status.12x
+++ b/status.12x
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ What's new
   require a file: URL as HTML viewers (mozilla is used as default if
   found)
 
+- when a new LyX version is launched, the Edit>Reconfigure tool is
+  automatically invoked; this should avoid many problems with users
+  who are not aware that it is needed
+
 - when changing the current layout with the toolbar, the corresponding
   keyboard binding is shown in the minibuffer