diff --git a/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/alignment/LookSeqPanel.java b/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/alignment/LookSeqPanel.java
index bb238a8eb599f1795256c9d38123a229668421db..032cec0ee7ac142b050562dcc98122440704f1c9 100644
--- a/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/alignment/LookSeqPanel.java
+++ b/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/alignment/LookSeqPanel.java
@@ -539,6 +539,7 @@ public class LookSeqPanel extends JPanel
     {
       System.getProperties().put("http.proxyHost", proxyHostField.getText().trim());
       System.getProperties().put("http.proxyPort", proxyPortField.getText().trim());
+      System.getProperties().put("proxySet","true");
     }
     
     urlStr = urlStrField.getText().trim();