diff --git a/client/app.C b/client/app.C
index 15ce8bf855..66604c1e65 100644
--- a/client/app.C
+++ b/client/app.C
@@ -1243,7 +1243,7 @@ int ACTIVE_TASK::suspend() {
 #ifdef _WIN32
     SuspendThread(thread_handle);
 #else
-    kill(pid, SIGSTOP);
+    kill(pid, SIGTSTP);
 #endif
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/client/client_state.h b/client/client_state.h
index cdb5b38f93..2986efea06 100644
--- a/client/client_state.h
+++ b/client/client_state.h
@@ -252,14 +252,12 @@ public:
     PROJECT* next_project(PROJECT*);
     int make_scheduler_request(PROJECT*, double);
     int handle_scheduler_reply(PROJECT*, char* scheduler_url, int& nresults);
+    int compute_work_requests();
 private:
     SCHEDULER_OP* scheduler_op;
     bool contacted_sched_server;
-    void compute_resource_debts();
-    int compute_work_requests();
 
     PROJECT* find_project_with_overdue_results();
-    void current_work_buf_days(double& work_buf, int& nactive_results);
     PROJECT* next_project_sched_rpc_pending();
     bool some_project_rpc_ok();
     bool scheduler_rpc_poll();
diff --git a/client/cs_prefs.C b/client/cs_prefs.C
index 81bbb4447f..def1acafee 100644
--- a/client/cs_prefs.C
+++ b/client/cs_prefs.C
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 // when to compute, how much disk to use, etc.
 //
 
+#include "cpp.h"
+
 #ifdef _WIN32
 #include "boinc_win.h"
 #endif
diff --git a/client/scheduler_op.C b/client/scheduler_op.C
index eea6fe6bb4..7150fd446b 100644
--- a/client/scheduler_op.C
+++ b/client/scheduler_op.C
@@ -80,19 +80,12 @@ bool SCHEDULER_OP::check_master_fetch_start() {
 int SCHEDULER_OP::init_get_work() {
     int retval;
     char err_msg[256];
-    double ns = gstate.work_needed_secs();
-
-    // in some cases we get work to keep all CPUs busy,
-    // even though we have at least the min buf.
-    // In this case just ask for 1 sec
-    //
-    if (ns == 0) {
-        ns = 1.0;
-    }
+    double ns;
 
     must_get_work = true;
     project = gstate.next_project(0);
     if (project) {
+        ns = project->work_request;
         msg_printf(project, MSG_INFO,
             "Requesting %.0f seconds of work", ns
         );
@@ -447,9 +440,12 @@ bool SCHEDULER_OP::poll() {
                 } else {
                     backoff(project, "No schedulers responded");
                     if (must_get_work) {
+                        int urgency = gstate.compute_work_requests();
                         project = gstate.next_project(project);
-                        if (project) {
-                            retval = init_op_project(gstate.work_needed_secs());
+                        if (urgency != DONT_NEED_WORK
+                            && project != 0
+                        ) {
+                            retval = init_op_project(project->work_request);
                         } else {
                             scheduler_op_done = true;
                         }
@@ -504,11 +500,11 @@ bool SCHEDULER_OP::poll() {
                 // ask another project for work
                 //
                 if (must_get_work) {
-                    double x = gstate.work_needed_secs();
-                    if (x > 0) {
+                    int urgency = gstate.compute_work_requests();
+                    if (urgency != DONT_NEED_WORK) {
                         project = gstate.next_project(project);
                         if (project) {
-                            retval = init_op_project(x);
+                            retval = init_op_project(project->work_request);
                         } else {
                             scheduler_op_done = true;
                         }