diff --git a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/skills_gui/SkillMemoryGui.cpp b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/skills_gui/SkillMemoryGui.cpp
index d71d5c269fb9d51d3de50c3064aa2855989a01f3..4d74cf11e2b5c208a30eb553c986a9636dabd562 100644
--- a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/skills_gui/SkillMemoryGui.cpp
+++ b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/skills_gui/SkillMemoryGui.cpp
@@ -107,8 +107,12 @@ namespace armarx::skills::gui
 
         // update cascade
         connect(this, &SkillMemoryGUI::updateGui, skillGroupBox, &SkillGroupBox::updateGui);
+
+        // we don't want to update the skill details periodically, update can be triggered manually
+        /*
         connect(
             this, &SkillMemoryGUI::updateGui, skillDetailGroupBox, &SkillDetailGroupBox::updateGui);
+        */
         connect(this,
                 &SkillMemoryGUI::updateGui,
                 skillExecutionTreeWidget,
diff --git a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/skills_gui/skill_details/SkillDetailsTreeWidget.cpp b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/skills_gui/skill_details/SkillDetailsTreeWidget.cpp
index fa9721414aa3a8ed907ce49feb0f0afde596df47..819be6047b8b2f0a431105796e4ef860d93d8a5a 100644
--- a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/skills_gui/skill_details/SkillDetailsTreeWidget.cpp
+++ b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/skills_gui/skill_details/SkillDetailsTreeWidget.cpp
@@ -34,8 +34,11 @@ namespace armarx::skills::gui
     SkillDetailsTreeWidget::updateContents(const SkillID& skillId, const SkillDescription& descr)
     {
         // dont touch the widget if the skill id didn't change
+        // note: this is only relevant when periodic updates are enabled
+        /*
         if (shownSkill.has_value() && skillId == shownSkill.value().skillId)
             return;
+        */
 
         // check the parameters: did they change?
         if (shownSkill.has_value())
@@ -47,7 +50,7 @@ namespace armarx::skills::gui
                 // for now, we just overwrite without asking... (and do nothing)
             }
             // other cases: if the parameter types change, we *have* to reset; else the skill
-            // (probably) can't be started with the parameters.
+            // cannot be started with the parameters.
             // same goes for the result type.
         }
 
diff --git a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/skills_gui/skills/SkillTreeWidget.cpp b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/skills_gui/skills/SkillTreeWidget.cpp
index ec366c0bf6fadd52d5d13070c9140eed8ba8728d..bc24ba4f6b2943be72800dff3258973194c0aa79 100644
--- a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/skills_gui/skills/SkillTreeWidget.cpp
+++ b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/skills_gui/skills/SkillTreeWidget.cpp
@@ -20,12 +20,6 @@ namespace armarx::skills::gui
             return;
         }
 
-        if (selectedSkill.skillId == c->skillId)
-        {
-            // no change
-            return;
-        }
-
         selectedSkill.skillId = c->skillId;
         emit updateSkillDetails(selectedSkill.skillId);
     }