diff --git a/modules/tools/upload/README.org b/modules/tools/upload/README.org
index 0cdff03e6..4b2445a61 100644
--- a/modules/tools/upload/README.org
+++ b/modules/tools/upload/README.org
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ to establish this mapping. E.g.
 #+begin_src emacs-lisp
 ((nil . ((ssh-deploy-root-local . "/local/path/to/project")
          (ssh-deploy-root-remote . "/ssh:user@server:/remote/project/")
-         (ssh-deploy-on-explicit-save . t))))
+         (ssh-deploy-on-explicit-save . 1))))
 #+end_src
 
 #+begin_quote
diff --git a/modules/tools/upload/config.el b/modules/tools/upload/config.el
index dadc824c7..25e2829be 100644
--- a/modules/tools/upload/config.el
+++ b/modules/tools/upload/config.el
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@
   (add-hook! 'after-save-hook
     (defun +upload-init-after-save-h ()
       (when (and (bound-and-true-p ssh-deploy-root-remote)
-                 ssh-deploy-on-explicit-save)
+                 (integerp ssh-deploy-on-explicit-save)
+                 (> ssh-deploy-on-explicit-save 0))
         (ssh-deploy-upload-handler ssh-deploy-force-on-explicit-save))))
 
   ;; Enable ssh-deploy if variables are set, and check for changes on open file