diff --git a/plugins/gradle/src/META-INF/plugin.xml b/plugins/gradle/src/META-INF/plugin.xml
index 1f55d7b81317..7e5ff52fa7bb 100644
--- a/plugins/gradle/src/META-INF/plugin.xml
+++ b/plugins/gradle/src/META-INF/plugin.xml
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@
 
     <projectService serviceImplementation="org.jetbrains.plugins.gradle.config.GradleSettings"/>
     <projectService serviceImplementation="org.jetbrains.plugins.gradle.config.GradleLocalSettings"/>
-    <projectService serviceImplementation="org.jetbrains.plugins.gradle.config.GradleProjectState"/>
 
     <toolWindow id="JetGradle" anchor="right" icon="GradleIcons.ToolWindowGradle"
                 factoryClass="org.jetbrains.plugins.gradle.ui.GradleToolWindowFactory"/>
diff --git a/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/config/GradleConfigurable.java b/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/config/GradleConfigurable.java
index 58a90f8274b9..178a56da7f1f 100644
--- a/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/config/GradleConfigurable.java
+++ b/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/config/GradleConfigurable.java
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ public class GradleConfigurable implements SearchableConfigurable, Configurable.
 
     GradleSettings settings = myHelper.getSettings(myProject);
 
-    if (!Comparing.equal(myLinkedGradleProjectPathField.getText(), settings.getLinkedProjectPath())) {
+    if (!Comparing.equal(normalizePath(myLinkedGradleProjectPathField.getText()), normalizePath(settings.getLinkedProjectPath()))) {
       return true;
     }
     
@@ -362,16 +362,21 @@ public class GradleConfigurable implements SearchableConfigurable, Configurable.
       return true;
     }
 
-    if (!Comparing.equal(myGradleHomePathField.getText(), settings.getGradleHome())) {
-      if (myGradleHomeModifiedByUser) {
-        useNormalColorForPath();
-      }
+    if (myGradleHomeModifiedByUser &&
+        !Comparing.equal(normalizePath(myGradleHomePathField.getText()), normalizePath(settings.getGradleHome())))
+    {
+      useNormalColorForPath();
       return true;
     }
     
     return false;
   }
 
+  @Nullable
+  private static String normalizePath(@Nullable String s) {
+    return StringUtil.isEmpty(s) ? null : s;
+  }
+
   @Override
   public void apply() {
     if (myProject == null) {