diff --git a/apps/routerconsole/java/src/net/i2p/router/web/NewsFetcher.java b/apps/routerconsole/java/src/net/i2p/router/web/NewsFetcher.java
index 973357baac..8140282d19 100644
--- a/apps/routerconsole/java/src/net/i2p/router/web/NewsFetcher.java
+++ b/apps/routerconsole/java/src/net/i2p/router/web/NewsFetcher.java
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ public class NewsFetcher implements Runnable, EepGet.StatusListener {
             if (get.fetch()) {
                 String lastmod = get.getLastModified();
                 if (lastmod != null) {
-                    if (!(_context instanceof RouterContext)) return;
+                    if (!(_context.isRouterContext())) return;
                     long modtime = parse822Date(lastmod);
                     if (modtime <= 0) return;
                     String lastUpdate = _context.getProperty(UpdateHandler.PROP_LAST_UPDATE_TIME);
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ public class NewsFetcher implements Runnable, EepGet.StatusListener {
             if (_log.shouldLog(Log.DEBUG))
                 _log.debug("Policy requests update, so we update");
             UpdateHandler handler = null;
-            if (_context instanceof RouterContext) {
+            if (_context.isRouterContext()) {
                 handler = new UpdateHandler((RouterContext)_context);
             } else {
                 List contexts = RouterContext.listContexts();
diff --git a/core/java/src/net/i2p/I2PAppContext.java b/core/java/src/net/i2p/I2PAppContext.java
index 1cdb6b2970..974b69b84d 100644
--- a/core/java/src/net/i2p/I2PAppContext.java
+++ b/core/java/src/net/i2p/I2PAppContext.java
@@ -722,4 +722,11 @@ public class I2PAppContext {
         return new HashSet(_shutdownTasks);
     }
     
+    /**
+     *  Use this instead of context instanceof RouterContext
+     *  @since 0.7.9
+     */
+    public boolean isRouterContext() {
+        return false;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/RouterContext.java b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/RouterContext.java
index 2a3410348c..8f1c240c35 100644
--- a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/RouterContext.java
+++ b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/RouterContext.java
@@ -379,4 +379,12 @@ public class RouterContext extends I2PAppContext {
         }
     }
     
+    /**
+     *  Use this instead of context instanceof RouterContext
+     *  @return true
+     *  @since 0.7.9
+     */
+    public boolean isRouterContext() {
+        return true;
+    }
 }