diff --git a/collects/drscheme/private/language-configuration.ss b/collects/drscheme/private/language-configuration.ss
index 78ec2aae6b..23de2caf23 100644
--- a/collects/drscheme/private/language-configuration.ss
+++ b/collects/drscheme/private/language-configuration.ss
@@ -32,12 +32,8 @@
               [drscheme:help-desk : drscheme:help-desk^])
       
       ;; settings-preferences-symbol : symbol
-      ;; the preferences key for the language settings.
-      ;; depends on the version number, so people can use multiple versions
-      ;; of drscheme and maintain separate language settings for each
-      ;; of them.
-      (define settings-preferences-symbol 
-        (string->symbol (format "drscheme:~a-settings" (version:version))))
+      ;; this pref used to depend on `version', but no longer does.
+      (define settings-preferences-symbol 'drscheme:language-settings)
       
       ;; get-settings-preferences-symbol : -> symbol
       (define (get-settings-preferences-symbol) settings-preferences-symbol)
diff --git a/collects/drscheme/private/main.ss b/collects/drscheme/private/main.ss
index 2f41462fef..df7d8c5c8b 100644
--- a/collects/drscheme/private/main.ss
+++ b/collects/drscheme/private/main.ss
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@
       ;; test for this preference, reverting back to the default.
       ;; In that case, the default is specified in the pref.ss file
       ;; of the default collection and may not be the default
-      ;; specified below.
+      ;; specified above (of course).
       (preferences:set-un/marshall
        drscheme:language-configuration:settings-preferences-symbol
        (λ (x)