Index: dashboard.scm
==================================================================
--- dashboard.scm
+++ dashboard.scm
@@ -1449,11 +1449,13 @@
 (let ((db (tasks:open-db)))
   (sqlite3:finalize! db))
 
 (define (dashboard:run-update x)
   (let* ((modtime         (file-modification-time *db-file-path*))
-	 (monitor-modtime (file-modification-time *monitor-db-path*))
+	 (monitor-modtime (if (file-exists? *monitor-db-path*)
+			      (file-modification-time *monitor-db-path*)
+			      -1))
 	 (run-update-time (current-seconds))
 	 (recalc          (dashboard:recalc modtime *please-update-buttons* *last-db-update-time*)))
     (if (and (eq? *current-tab-number* 0)
 	     (> monitor-modtime *last-monitor-update-time*))
 	(begin

Index: tasks.scm
==================================================================
--- tasks.scm
+++ tasks.scm
@@ -24,11 +24,13 @@
 
 (define (tasks:open-db)
   (let* ((dbpath       (conc *toppath* "/monitor.db"))
 	 (exists       (file-exists? dbpath))
 	 (write-access (file-write-access? dbpath))
-	 (mdb          (sqlite3:open-database dbpath)) ;; (never-give-up-open-db dbpath))
+	 (mdb          (if (file-write-access? *toppath*)
+			   (sqlite3:open-database dbpath)
+			   (sqlite3:open-database ":memory:"))) ;; (never-give-up-open-db dbpath))
 	 (handler      (make-busy-timeout 36000)))
     (if (and exists
 	     (not write-access))
 	(set! *db-write-access* write-access)) ;; only unset so other db's also can use this control
     (sqlite3:set-busy-handler! mdb handler)