diff --git a/src/cron.js b/src/cron.js
index a76fda786..c37946442 100644
--- a/src/cron.js
+++ b/src/cron.js
@@ -101,8 +101,8 @@ function startPostActivationJobs(callback) {
 
 function handleSettingsChanged(key, value) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof key, 'string');
-    assert.strictEqual(typeof value, 'string');
 
+    // value is a variant
     switch (key) {
     case settings.TIME_ZONE_KEY: recreateJobs(value); break;
     case settings.APP_AUTOUPDATE_PATTERN_KEY: appAutoupdatePatternChanged(value); break;
diff --git a/src/settings.js b/src/settings.js
index ce7dfc6a5..2739fba49 100644
--- a/src/settings.js
+++ b/src/settings.js
@@ -125,6 +125,8 @@ SettingsError.BAD_FIELD = 'Bad Field';
 
 
 function notifyChange(key, value) {
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof key, 'string');
+    // value is a variant
     cron.handleSettingsChanged(key, value);
 }