diff --git a/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.c b/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.c
index 18f347a2e4..e72de76374 100644
--- a/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.c
+++ b/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.c
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ void qof_book_set_version (QofBook *book, gint32 version)
 }
 
 gint64
-qof_book_get_counter (const QofBook *book, const char *counter_name)
+qof_book_get_counter (QofBook *book, const char *counter_name)
 {
     QofBackend *be;
     KvpFrame *kvp;
@@ -439,9 +439,12 @@ qof_book_get_counter (const QofBook *book, const char *counter_name)
     counter++;
 
     /* Save off the new counter */
+    qof_book_begin_edit(book);
     value = kvp_value_new_gint64 (counter);
     kvp_frame_set_slot_path (kvp, value, "counters", counter_name, NULL);
     kvp_value_delete (value);
+    qof_book_mark_dirty(book);
+    qof_book_commit_edit(book);
 
     /* and return the value */
     return counter;
diff --git a/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.h b/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.h
index 9f72df0fdd..cb0c30b734 100644
--- a/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.h
+++ b/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.h
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ gboolean qof_book_equal (const QofBook *book_1, const QofBook *book_2);
 /** This will 'get and increment' the named counter for this book.
  * The return value is -1 on error or the incremented counter.
  */
-gint64 qof_book_get_counter (const QofBook *book, const char *counter_name);
+gint64 qof_book_get_counter (QofBook *book, const char *counter_name);
 
 const char* qof_book_get_string_option(const QofBook* book, const char* opt_name);
 void qof_book_set_string_option(QofBook* book, const char* opt_name, const char* opt_val);