diff --git a/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/core/UserPreferences.java b/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/core/UserPreferences.java
index 80699487ed..2f1c6a5ae5 100755
--- a/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/core/UserPreferences.java
+++ b/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/core/UserPreferences.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 package org.sleuthkit.autopsy.core;
 
+import java.util.prefs.BackingStoreException;
 import org.sleuthkit.autopsy.events.MessageServiceConnectionInfo;
 import java.util.prefs.PreferenceChangeListener;
 import java.util.prefs.Preferences;
@@ -58,6 +59,27 @@ public final class UserPreferences {
     private UserPreferences() {
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Reload all preferences from disk. This is only needed if the preferences
+     * file is being directly modified on disk while Autopsy is running.
+     *
+     * @throws BackingStoreException
+     */
+    public static void reloadFromStorage() throws BackingStoreException {
+        preferences.sync();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Saves the current preferences to storage. This is only needed if the
+     * preferences files are going to be copied to another location while
+     * Autopsy is running.
+     *
+     * @throws BackingStoreException
+     */
+    public static void saveToStorage() throws BackingStoreException {
+        preferences.flush();
+    }
+
     public static void addChangeListener(PreferenceChangeListener listener) {
         preferences.addPreferenceChangeListener(listener);
     }