diff --git a/res/layout/main.xml b/res/layout/main.xml
index afaac6c1..02c6d93c 100644
--- a/res/layout/main.xml
+++ b/res/layout/main.xml
@@ -12,22 +12,25 @@
 			android:visibility="gone" />
 
 	<RelativeLayout
-			android:layout_centerInParent="true"
 			android:id="@+id/loading"
+			android:layout_centerInParent="true"
 			android:layout_width="wrap_content"
 			android:layout_height="wrap_content" >
 
 		<ProgressBar
 				android:id="@+id/progress"
+				android:layout_centerInParent="true"
 				style="?android:attr/progressBarStyleLarge"
 				android:layout_width="wrap_content"
-				android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
+				android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+				android:layout_marginBottom="10dip" />
 
 		<TextView
-			android:layout_width="wrap_content"
-			android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-			android:layout_below="@id/progress"
-			android:text="@string/web_gui_loading" />
+				android:id="@+id/loading_text"
+				android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+				android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+				android:layout_below="@id/progress"
+				android:text="@string/web_gui_loading" />
 
 	</RelativeLayout>
 
diff --git a/res/values/strings.xml b/res/values/strings.xml
index 8a13dddf..4095b0c9 100644
--- a/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ Please report any problems you encounter.
 	<!-- Text for WebGuiActivity loading view -->
 	<string name="web_gui_loading">Waiting for GUI</string>
 
+	<!-- Shown instead of web_gui_loading if the key does not exist and has to be created -->
+	<string name="web_gui_creating_key">Generating keys. This may take a while.</string>
+
 	<!-- Menu item that opens app settings -->
 	<string name="settings_title">Settings</string>
 
diff --git a/src/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/WebGuiActivity.java b/src/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/WebGuiActivity.java
index 08eb3c74..a60cffc9 100644
--- a/src/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/WebGuiActivity.java
+++ b/src/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/WebGuiActivity.java
@@ -3,23 +3,22 @@ package com.nutomic.syncthingandroid;
 import android.app.Activity;
 import android.app.AlertDialog;
 import android.content.Intent;
-import android.content.SharedPreferences;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.Handler;
-import android.preference.PreferenceManager;
 import android.view.Menu;
 import android.view.MenuItem;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.webkit.WebView;
 import android.webkit.WebViewClient;
 import android.widget.ProgressBar;
+import android.widget.TextView;
+
+import java.io.File;
 
 public class WebGuiActivity extends Activity {
 
 	private static final String TAG = "WebGuiActivity";
 
-	private static final String PREF_FIRST_START = "first_start";
-
 	/**
 	 * URL of the local syncthing web UI.
 	 *
@@ -27,6 +26,18 @@ public class WebGuiActivity extends Activity {
 	 */
 	private static final String SYNCTHING_URL = "http://127.0.0.1:8080";
 
+	/**
+	 * Folder where syncthing config is stored.
+	 *
+	 * TODO: do this dynamically
+	 */
+	private static final String CONFIG_FOLDER = "/data/data/com.nutomic.syncthingandroid/";
+
+	/**
+	 * File in the config folder that contains the public key.
+	 */
+	private static final String CERT_FILE = "cert.pem";
+
 	private WebView mWebView;
 	private View mLoadingView;
 
@@ -76,16 +87,15 @@ public class WebGuiActivity extends Activity {
 		mWebView.setWebViewClient(mWebViewClient);
 		mWebView.loadUrl(SYNCTHING_URL);
 
-		SharedPreferences prefs = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(this);
-		if (prefs.getBoolean(PREF_FIRST_START, true)) {
+		if (!new File(CONFIG_FOLDER, CERT_FILE).exists()) {
+			// First start.
+			TextView loadingText = (TextView) mLoadingView.findViewById(R.id.loading_text);
+			loadingText.setText(R.string.web_gui_creating_key);
 			new AlertDialog.Builder(this)
 					.setTitle(R.string.welcome_title)
 					.setMessage(R.string.welcome_text)
 					.setNeutralButton(android.R.string.ok, null)
 					.show();
-			prefs.edit()
-					.putBoolean(PREF_FIRST_START, false)
-					.commit();
 		}
 	}