diff --git a/cave/com.raytheon.uf.viz.core/src/com/raytheon/uf/viz/core/localization/HierarchicalPreferenceStore.java b/cave/com.raytheon.uf.viz.core/src/com/raytheon/uf/viz/core/localization/HierarchicalPreferenceStore.java
index 66eaef9509..c15c7af4b6 100644
--- a/cave/com.raytheon.uf.viz.core/src/com/raytheon/uf/viz/core/localization/HierarchicalPreferenceStore.java
+++ b/cave/com.raytheon.uf.viz.core/src/com/raytheon/uf/viz/core/localization/HierarchicalPreferenceStore.java
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ public class HierarchicalPreferenceStore implements IPersistentPreferenceStore {
             this.config = new XMLConfiguration();
         }
 
-        public XMLConfiguration accessConfiguration() {
+        public synchronized XMLConfiguration accessConfiguration() {
             if (loaded == false) {
                 // Loaded flag is used for first access
                 loaded = true;
@@ -122,10 +122,6 @@ public class HierarchicalPreferenceStore implements IPersistentPreferenceStore {
             return dirty;
         }
 
-        public LocalizationFile getFile() {
-            return file;
-        }
-
         public void save() throws LocalizationException {
             if (isDirty()) {
                 LocalizationFileOutputStream out = file.openOutputStream();
@@ -220,7 +216,7 @@ public class HierarchicalPreferenceStore implements IPersistentPreferenceStore {
         this.defaultPersistLevel = defaultLevel;
     }
 
-    private MapConfiguration getDefaultConfig() {
+    private synchronized MapConfiguration getDefaultConfig() {
         if (defaults == null) {
             defaults = new MapConfiguration(new HashMap<String, Object>());
             // Populate defaults with base first, setDefault* method will