diff --git a/es-app/src/main.cpp b/es-app/src/main.cpp
index b0c79d97a..ad9536cd4 100644
--- a/es-app/src/main.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/main.cpp
@@ -634,20 +634,20 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
         Settings::getInstance()->saveFile();
     }
 
-    // Check if the application version has changed, which would normally mean that the
-    // user has upgraded to a newer release.
-    std::string applicationVersion;
-    if ((applicationVersion = Settings::getInstance()->getString("ApplicationVersion")) !=
-        PROGRAM_VERSION_STRING) {
-        if (applicationVersion != "") {
-            LOG(LogInfo) << "Application version changed from previous startup, from \""
-                         << applicationVersion << "\" to \"" << PROGRAM_VERSION_STRING << "\"";
+    // Check if the application release number has changed, which would normally mean that the
+    // user has upgraded to a new version.
+    int applicationRelease;
+    if ((applicationRelease = Settings::getInstance()->getInt("ApplicationRelease")) !=
+        PROGRAM_RELEASE_NUMBER) {
+        if (applicationRelease != 0) {
+            LOG(LogInfo) << "Application release number changed from previous startup, from \""
+                         << applicationRelease << "\" to \"" << PROGRAM_RELEASE_NUMBER << "\"";
         }
         else {
-            LOG(LogInfo) << "Application version setting is blank, changing it to \""
-                         << PROGRAM_VERSION_STRING << "\"";
+            LOG(LogInfo) << "Application release number setting is blank, changing it to \""
+                         << PROGRAM_RELEASE_NUMBER << "\"";
         }
-        Settings::getInstance()->setString("ApplicationVersion", PROGRAM_VERSION_STRING);
+        Settings::getInstance()->setInt("ApplicationRelease", PROGRAM_RELEASE_NUMBER);
         Settings::getInstance()->saveFile();
     }
 
diff --git a/es-core/src/Settings.cpp b/es-core/src/Settings.cpp
index a7a529fa4..5f560076b 100644
--- a/es-core/src/Settings.cpp
+++ b/es-core/src/Settings.cpp
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ void Settings::setDefaults()
     // Hardcoded or program-internal settings.
     //
 
-    mStringMap["ApplicationVersion"] = {"", ""};
+    mIntMap["ApplicationRelease"] = {0, 0};
     mStringMap["ApplicationUpdaterLastCheck"] = {"", ""};
     mBoolMap["PortableMode"] = {false, false};
     mBoolMap["DebugFlag"] = {false, false};