diff --git a/js/background.js b/js/background.js
index ecc6b46..745b002 100644
--- a/js/background.js
+++ b/js/background.js
@@ -20,25 +20,34 @@ window.onload = function() {
   });
   
   // update data every x milliseconds
-  function loopRequestUserData(){
+  function loopRequestUserData(notify = true) {
     var wkUserData = JSON.parse(localStorage.wkUserData);
-    requestUserData(true, function(){
+    requestUserData(notify, function() {
       loopRequestId = window.setTimeout(loopRequestUserData, wkUserData.refreshInterval, true, true);
     });
   }
 
+  function restartLoop(notify) {
+    window.clearTimeout(loopRequestId);
+    loopRequestId = loopRequestUserData(notify);
+  }
+
   // when the update interval is changed, restart loopRequestUserData with the updated interval
   chrome.storage.onChanged.addListener(function(changes, namespace) {
     if ('wkUserData' in changes && loopRequestId !== undefined) {
       var oldValues = changes.wkUserData.oldValue;
       var newValues = changes.wkUserData.newValue;
-      if (newValues.refreshInterval != oldValues.refreshInterval) {
-        window.clearTimeout(loopRequestId);
-        loopRequestId = loopRequestUserData();
-      }
+      if (newValues.refreshInterval != oldValues.refreshInterval)
+        restartLoop(true);
     }
   });
 
+  // when a wanikani page is loaded, restart loopRequestUserData
+  chrome.runtime.onMessage.addListener(function(request) {
+      if (request === 'wkRestartLoop')
+        restartLoop(false);
+  });
+
   // disable 'X-Frame-Options' header to allow inlining pages within an iframe
   chrome.webRequest.onHeadersReceived.addListener(
       function(details) {
diff --git a/js/settings.js b/js/settings.js
index c9d67a0..481c1c1 100644
--- a/js/settings.js
+++ b/js/settings.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ window.onload = function() {
     // a new key has been entered: save
     } else if (key != wkUserData.userPublicKey){
         
-      getApiData(key, "user-information", function(obj){ 
+      getApiData(key, "user-information", function(obj){
 
         // the key is not valid
         if (obj.user_information === undefined){
diff --git a/js/web-content.js b/js/web-content.js
index 34c877f..25e1454 100644
--- a/js/web-content.js
+++ b/js/web-content.js
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ window.onload = function() {
         );
       }
     }
-  });
+
+    // send a message to background.js to restart loopRequestUserData (and update wkUserData)
+    chrome.runtime.sendMessage("wkRestartLoop");
 
   // hide the alert messages (ex: if the user is already logged)
   var isError = document.getElementsByClassName('alert alert-error fade in');