--- a/Preferences/__init__.py	Sat May 19 17:56:11 2018 +0200
+++ b/Preferences/__init__.py	Sun May 20 14:17:45 2018 +0200
@@ -1649,6 +1649,11 @@
         dn.mkdir(".eric6")
     QCoreApplication.setOrganizationName(settingsNameOrganization)
     QCoreApplication.setApplicationName(settingsNameGlobal)
+    try:
+        Prefs.settings.setAtomicSyncRequired(False)
+    except AttributeError:
+        # backward compatibility fot Qt < 5.10
+        pass
     
     # Avoid nasty behavior of QSettings in combination with Py2
     Prefs.settings.value("UI/SingleApplicationMode")
@@ -2002,13 +2007,13 @@
         else:
             return prefClass.uiDefaults[key]
     elif key in "ViewProfiles2":
-        profiles = prefClass.settings.value("UI/ViewProfiles2")
-        if profiles is None:
+        profilesStr = prefClass.settings.value("UI/ViewProfiles2")
+        if profilesStr is None:
             # use the defaults
             viewProfiles = prefClass.uiDefaults["ViewProfiles2"]
         else:
             viewProfiles = {}
-            profiles = json.loads(profiles)
+            profiles = json.loads(profilesStr)
             for name in ["edit", "debug"]:
                 viewProfiles[name] = [
                     QByteArray.fromBase64(profiles[name][0].encode("utf-8")),