diff --git a/api/api.C b/api/api.C
index d4351f572d..09badfee71 100644
--- a/api/api.C
+++ b/api/api.C
@@ -103,12 +103,14 @@ void write_core_file(FILE* f, APP_IN& ai) {
         "<graphics_refresh_period>%f</graphics_refresh_period>\n"
         "<checkpoint_period>%f</checkpoint_period>\n"
         "<poll_period>%f</poll_period>\n"
+        "<checkpoint_period>%f</checkpoint_period>\n"
         "<cpu_time>%f</cpu_time>\n",
         ai.graphics.xsize,
         ai.graphics.ysize,
         ai.graphics.refresh_period,
         ai.checkpoint_period,
 	ai.poll_period,
+        ai.checkpoint_period,
         ai.cpu_time
     );
 }
@@ -130,6 +132,7 @@ void parse_core_file(FILE* f, APP_IN& ai) {
         else if (parse_double(buf, "<graphics_refresh_period>", ai.graphics.refresh_period)) continue;
         else if (parse_double(buf, "<checkpoint_period>", ai.checkpoint_period)) continue;
         else if (parse_double(buf, "<poll_period>", ai.poll_period)) continue;
+        else if (parse_double(buf, "<checkpoint_period>", ai.checkpoint_period)) continue;
 	else if (parse_double(buf, "<cpu_time>", ai.cpu_time)) continue;
         else fprintf(stderr, "parse_core_file: unrecognized %s", buf);
     }
diff --git a/api/api_test.C b/api/api_test.C
index 455da4ff81..b1f2ec4537 100644
--- a/api/api_test.C
+++ b/api/api_test.C
@@ -25,10 +25,11 @@ int main() {
     MFILE mf;
     unsigned long int i = 0;
     int temp=0;
+    APP_IN ai;
+    boinc_init(ai);
     mf.open("foobar", "w");
     mf.printf("blah %d %f\n", 17, 34.5);
     mf.printf("foo\n");
-    set_timer(1);
     for(; i<100000000; i++) {
 	if(time_to_checkpoint()) {
 	    mf.printf("checkpoint: %ld\n", i);