diff --git a/Assistant/MakeRemote.hs b/Assistant/MakeRemote.hs
index 8665853196..33ca0b2c0e 100644
--- a/Assistant/MakeRemote.hs
+++ b/Assistant/MakeRemote.hs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ makeSshRemote forcersync sshdata mcost = do
 	r <- liftAnnex $
 		addRemote $ maker (sshRepoName sshdata) sshurl
 	liftAnnex $ maybe noop (setRemoteCost r) mcost
-	syncNewRemote r
+	syncRemote r
 	return r
   where
 	rsync = forcersync || rsyncOnly sshdata
diff --git a/Assistant/Sync.hs b/Assistant/Sync.hs
index 50e8e73212..78fdbab1a8 100644
--- a/Assistant/Sync.hs
+++ b/Assistant/Sync.hs
@@ -204,9 +204,9 @@ manualPull currentbranch remotes = do
 		sendNetMessage $ Pushing (getXMPPClientID r) PushRequest
 	return (catMaybes failed, haddiverged)
 
-{- Start syncing a newly added remote, using a background thread. -}
-syncNewRemote :: Remote -> Assistant ()
-syncNewRemote remote = do
+{- Start syncing a remote, using a background thread. -}
+syncRemote :: Remote -> Assistant ()
+syncRemote remote = do
 	updateSyncRemotes
 	thread <- asIO $ do
 		reconnectRemotes False [remote]
diff --git a/Assistant/WebApp/Configurators/AWS.hs b/Assistant/WebApp/Configurators/AWS.hs
index 9fb825471e..877e845767 100644
--- a/Assistant/WebApp/Configurators/AWS.hs
+++ b/Assistant/WebApp/Configurators/AWS.hs
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ makeAWSRemote remotetype (AWSCreds ak sk) name setup config = do
 		makeSpecialRemote hostname remotetype config
 		return remotename
 	setup r
-	liftAssistant $ syncNewRemote r
+	liftAssistant $ syncRemote r
 	redirect $ EditNewCloudRepositoryR $ Remote.uuid r
   where
 	{- AWS services use the remote name as the basis for a host
diff --git a/Assistant/WebApp/Configurators/Local.hs b/Assistant/WebApp/Configurators/Local.hs
index d94f592699..ed3bca5777 100644
--- a/Assistant/WebApp/Configurators/Local.hs
+++ b/Assistant/WebApp/Configurators/Local.hs
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@
 module Assistant.WebApp.Configurators.Local where
 
 import Assistant.WebApp.Common
-import Assistant.WebApp.Utility
 import Assistant.WebApp.OtherRepos
 import Assistant.MakeRemote
+import Assistant.Sync
 import Init
 import qualified Git
 import qualified Git.Construct
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ postNewRepositoryR = page "Add another repository" (Just Configuration) $ do
 getCombineRepositoryR :: FilePathAndUUID -> Handler RepHtml
 getCombineRepositoryR (FilePathAndUUID newrepopath newrepouuid) = do
 	r <- combineRepos newrepopath remotename
-	syncRemote r
+	liftAssistant $ syncRemote r
 	redirect $ EditRepositoryR newrepouuid
   where
 	remotename = takeFileName newrepopath
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ getFinishAddDriveR drive = make >>= redirect . EditNewRepositoryR
 		u <- liftIO $ initRepo isnew False dir $ Just remotename
 		r <- combineRepos dir remotename
 		liftAnnex $ setStandardGroup u TransferGroup
-		syncRemote r
+		liftAssistant $ syncRemote r
 		return u
   	mountpoint = T.unpack (mountPoint drive)
 	dir = removableDriveRepository drive
diff --git a/Assistant/WebApp/Configurators/WebDAV.hs b/Assistant/WebApp/Configurators/WebDAV.hs
index 6108f8bd83..cad75f2e9b 100644
--- a/Assistant/WebApp/Configurators/WebDAV.hs
+++ b/Assistant/WebApp/Configurators/WebDAV.hs
@@ -128,6 +128,6 @@ makeWebDavRemote name creds setup config = do
 		makeSpecialRemote name WebDAV.remote config
 		return remotename
 	setup r
-	liftAssistant $ syncNewRemote r
+	liftAssistant $ syncRemote r
 	redirect $ EditNewCloudRepositoryR $ Remote.uuid r
 #endif
diff --git a/Assistant/WebApp/Utility.hs b/Assistant/WebApp/Utility.hs
index b619cf87c0..0dd82a0919 100644
--- a/Assistant/WebApp/Utility.hs
+++ b/Assistant/WebApp/Utility.hs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ changeSyncable Nothing enable = do
 		| otherwise = PauseWatcher
 changeSyncable (Just r) True = do
 	changeSyncFlag r True
-	syncRemote r
+	liftAssistant $ syncRemote r
 changeSyncable (Just r) False = do
 	changeSyncFlag r False
 	liftAssistant $ updateSyncRemotes
@@ -64,10 +64,6 @@ changeSyncFlag r enabled = liftAnnex $ do
   where
 	key = Config.remoteConfig (Remote.repo r) "sync"
 
-{- Start syncing remote, using a background thread. -}
-syncRemote :: Remote -> Handler ()
-syncRemote = liftAssistant . syncNewRemote
-
 pauseTransfer :: Transfer -> Handler ()
 pauseTransfer = cancelTransfer True
 
diff --git a/Assistant/XMPP/Git.hs b/Assistant/XMPP/Git.hs
index f90af40805..4fd878a9e2 100644
--- a/Assistant/XMPP/Git.hs
+++ b/Assistant/XMPP/Git.hs
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ makeXMPPGitRemote buddyname jid u = do
 	liftAnnex $ void remoteListRefresh
 	remote' <- liftAnnex $ fromMaybe (error "failed to add remote")
 		<$> Remote.byName (Just buddyname)
-	syncNewRemote remote'
+	syncRemote remote'
 	return True
 
 {- Pushes over XMPP, communicating with a specific client.