diff --git a/src/bin/gnucash-bin.c b/src/bin/gnucash-bin.c
index 0ceb98313b..1e79048aed 100644
--- a/src/bin/gnucash-bin.c
+++ b/src/bin/gnucash-bin.c
@@ -770,8 +770,7 @@ inner_main (void *closure, int argc, char **argv)
         gnc_file_open_file(fn, /*open_readonly*/ FALSE);
         g_free(fn);
     }
-    else if (gnc_gconf_get_bool("dialogs/new_user", "first_startup", &error)
-             && !error)
+    else if (gnc_prefs_get_bool(GNC_PREFS_GROUP_NEW_USER, GNC_PREF_FIRST_STARTUP))
     {
         gnc_destroy_splash_screen();
         gnc_ui_new_user_dialog();
diff --git a/src/gnome/dialog-new-user.c b/src/gnome/dialog-new-user.c
index f9307ed574..d594b5de72 100644
--- a/src/gnome/dialog-new-user.c
+++ b/src/gnome/dialog-new-user.c
@@ -30,18 +30,15 @@
 #include "dialog-file-access.h"
 #include "assistant-hierarchy.h"
 #include "gnc-engine.h"
-#include "gnc-gconf-utils.h"
 #include "gnc-hooks.h"
 #include "gnc-ui.h"
 #include "gnc-file.h"
+#include "gnc-prefs.h"
 #include "gnc-main-window.h"
 #include "gnc-plugin-page-account-tree.h"
 #include "gnc-session.h"
 #include "app-utils/gnc-ui-util.h" // for gnc_get_current_book
 
-#define GCONF_SECTION "dialogs/new_user"
-#define FIRST_STARTUP "first_startup"
-
 /* This static indicates the debugging module that this .o belongs to.  */
 static QofLogModule log_module = GNC_MOD_GUI;
 
@@ -60,7 +57,7 @@ gnc_new_user_dialog_register_qif_assistant (void (*cb_fcn)(void))
 void
 gnc_set_first_startup (gboolean first_startup)
 {
-    gnc_gconf_set_bool(GCONF_SECTION, FIRST_STARTUP, first_startup, NULL);
+    gnc_prefs_set_bool (GNC_PREFS_GROUP_NEW_USER, GNC_PREF_FIRST_STARTUP, first_startup);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/gnome/dialog-new-user.h b/src/gnome/dialog-new-user.h
index 91095ebd09..5f983b2b1b 100644
--- a/src/gnome/dialog-new-user.h
+++ b/src/gnome/dialog-new-user.h
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
 #ifndef DIALOG_NEW_USER_H
 #define DIALOG_NEW_USER_H
 
+#define GNC_PREFS_GROUP_NEW_USER "dialogs.new_user"
+#define GNC_PREF_FIRST_STARTUP "first_startup"
+
 void gnc_ui_new_user_dialog (void);
 void gnc_set_first_startup (gboolean first_startup);