diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index fa6d80121..62c267852 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2003-12-11  Alex Roitman  <shura@alex.neuro.umn.edu>
+	* src/GrampsCfg.py (loadConfig, on_propertybox_apply): 
+	Gracefully handle broken gnome keys for the toolbar style.
+
 2003-12-10  Don Allingham  <dallingham@users.sourceforge.net>
 	* src/GrampsCfg.py: Make sure to return "BOTH" if the gnome
 	toolbar gconf entry is not set. Appears that this can happen
diff --git a/src/GrampsCfg.py b/src/GrampsCfg.py
index 9223021e2..db8530eb5 100644
--- a/src/GrampsCfg.py
+++ b/src/GrampsCfg.py
@@ -248,9 +248,9 @@ def loadConfig(call):
     id_edit = get_bool("/apps/gramps/id-edit")
     index_visible = get_bool("/apps/gramps/index-visible")
     status_bar = get_int("/apps/gramps/statusbar")
-    gnome_toolbar_str = get_string("/desktop/gnome/interface/toolbar_style","BOTH")
 
     try:
+        gnome_toolbar_str = get_string("/desktop/gnome/interface/toolbar_style","BOTH")
         gnome_toolbar = eval("gtk.TOOLBAR_%s" % gnome_toolbar_str.upper())
     except:
         gnome_toolbar = 2
@@ -869,8 +869,8 @@ class GrampsPreferences:
             status_bar = 2
 
         save_toolbar = self.top.get_widget("tooloptmenu").get_history()
-        gnome_toolbar_str = get_string("/desktop/gnome/interface/toolbar_style",'BOTH')
         try:
+            gnome_toolbar_str = get_string("/desktop/gnome/interface/toolbar_style",'BOTH')
             gnome_toolbar = eval("gtk.TOOLBAR_%s" % gnome_toolbar_str.upper())
         except:
             gnome_toolbar = 2