diff --git a/html/inc/submit.inc b/html/inc/submit.inc
index 83d9f406ae..aac37b9fe8 100644
--- a/html/inc/submit.inc
+++ b/html/inc/submit.inc
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?php
 // This file is part of BOINC.
 // http://boinc.berkeley.edu
-// Copyright (C) 2013 University of California
+// Copyright (C) 2020 University of California
 //
 // BOINC is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 // under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
@@ -29,11 +29,14 @@
 //      boinc_query_job(): get details of a job
 //      boinc_retire_batch(): retire a batch; delete output files
 //      boinc_submit_batch(): submit a batch
-//
 //      boinc_set_timeout($x): set RPC timeout to X seconds
+//
+//  See https://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/wiki/RemoteJobs#PHPinterface
 
 //// Implementation stuff follows
 
+// Convert a request message from PHP object to XML string
+//
 function req_to_xml($req, $op) {
     if (!isset($req->batch_name)) {
         $req->batch_name = "batch_".time();
@@ -54,6 +57,14 @@ function req_to_xml($req, $op) {
     }
     if ((isset($req->app_version_num)) && ($req->app_version_num)) {
         $x .= "    <app_version_num>$req->app_version_num</app_version_num>
+";
+    }
+    if (!empty($req->allocation_priority)) {
+        $x .= "    <allocation_priority/>
+";
+    }
+    if (isset($req->priority)) {
+        $x .= "    <priority>$req->priority</priority>
 ";
     }
     foreach ($req->jobs as $job) {
@@ -79,6 +90,10 @@ function req_to_xml($req, $op) {
 ";
         } elseif (!empty($job->target_host)) {
             $x .= "        <target_host>$job->target_host</target_host>
+";
+        }
+        if (isset($job->priority)) {
+            $x .= "        <priority>$job->priority</priority>
 ";
         }
         foreach ($job->input_files as $file) {
@@ -108,6 +123,8 @@ function req_to_xml($req, $op) {
     return $x;
 }
 
+// check whether the PHP structure looks like a batch request object
+//
 function validate_request($req) {
     if (!is_object($req)) return "req is not an object";
     if (!array_key_exists('project', $req)) return "missing req->project";
@@ -123,6 +140,8 @@ function validate_request($req) {
 
 $rpc_timeout = 0;
 
+// Given a request object and XML string, issue the HTTP POST request
+//
 function do_http_op($req, $xml, $op) {
     global $rpc_timeout;
 
@@ -133,24 +152,24 @@ function do_http_op($req, $xml, $op) {
         curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_TIMEOUT, $rpc_timeout);
     }
 
-    // see if we need to send any files
-    //
-    $nfiles = 0;
-    $post = array();
-    $post["request"] = $xml;
-    $cwd = getcwd();
-    if ($op == "submit_batch") {
-        foreach ($req->jobs as $job) {
-            foreach ($job->input_files as $file) {
-                if ($file->mode == "inline") {
-                    $path = realpath("$cwd/$file->path");
-                    $post["file$nfiles"] = $path;
-                    $nfiles++;
-                }
+// see if we need to send any files
+//
+$nfiles = 0;
+$post = array();
+$post["request"] = $xml;
+$cwd = getcwd();
+if ($op == "submit_batch") {
+    foreach ($req->jobs as $job) {
+        foreach ($job->input_files as $file) {
+            if ($file->mode == "inline") {
+                $path = realpath("$cwd/$file->path");
+                $post["file$nfiles"] = $path;
+                $nfiles++;
             }
         }
     }
-    curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $post);
+}
+curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $post);
     $reply = curl_exec($ch);
     curl_close($ch);
     if (!$reply) return array(null, "HTTP error");
@@ -166,6 +185,8 @@ function do_http_op($req, $xml, $op) {
     }
 }
 
+// do a batch op (estimate or submit)
+//
 function do_batch_op($req, $op) {
     $retval = validate_request($req);
     if ($retval) return array(null, $retval);
@@ -173,6 +194,8 @@ function do_batch_op($req, $op) {
     return do_http_op($req, $xml, $op);
 }
 
+// convert a batch description from XML string to object
+//
 function batch_xml_to_object($batch) {
     $b = new StdClass;
     $b->id = (int)($batch->id);
diff --git a/html/user/submit_rpc_handler.php b/html/user/submit_rpc_handler.php
index 845aa6dbd8..bae51231cf 100644
--- a/html/user/submit_rpc_handler.php
+++ b/html/user/submit_rpc_handler.php
@@ -256,11 +256,18 @@ function submit_jobs(
             $f = $output_templates[$job->output_template_xml];
             $x .= " --result_template $f";
         }
+        if (isset($job->priority)) {
+            $x .= " --priority $job->priority";
+        }
         $x .= "\n";
     }
 
     $errfile = "/tmp/create_work_" . getmypid() . ".err";
-    $cmd = "cd " . project_dir() . "; ./bin/create_work --appname $app->name --batch $batch_id --priority $priority";
+    $cmd = "cd " . project_dir() . "; ./bin/create_work --appname $app->name --batch $batch_id";
+    if ($priority !== null) {
+        $cmd .= " --priority $priority";
+    }
+
     if ($input_template_filename) {
         $cmd .= " --wu_template templates/$input_template_filename";
     }
@@ -387,6 +394,9 @@ function xml_get_jobs($r) {
             }
             $job->input_files[] = $file;
         }
+        if (isset($j->priority)) {
+            $job->priority = (int)$j->priority;
+        }
         $jobs[] = $job;
         if ($job->input_template) {
             make_input_template($job);
@@ -398,6 +408,37 @@ function xml_get_jobs($r) {
     return $jobs;
 }
 
+// - compute batch FLOP count
+// - run adjust_user_priorities to increment user_submit.logical_start_time
+// - return that (use as batch logical end time and job priority)
+//
+function logical_end_time($r, $jobs, $user, $app) {
+    $total_flops = 0;
+    foreach($jobs as $job) {
+        //print_r($job);
+        if ($job->rsc_fpops_est) {
+            $total_flops += $job->rsc_fpops_est;
+        } else if ($job->input_template && $job->input_template->workunit->rsc_fpops_est) {
+            $total_flops += (double) $job->input_template->workunit->rsc_fpops_est;
+        } else if ($r->batch->job_params->rsc_fpops_est) {
+            $total_flops += (double) $r->batch->job_params->rsc_fpops_est;
+        } else {
+            $x = (double) $template->workunit->rsc_fpops_est;
+            if ($x) {
+                $total_flops += $x;
+            } else {
+                xml_error(-1, "no rsc_fpops_est given");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    $cmd = "cd " . project_dir() . "/bin; ./adjust_user_priority --user $user->id --flops $total_flops --app $app->name";
+    $x = exec($cmd);
+    if (!is_numeric($x) || (double)$x == 0) {
+        xml_error(-1, "$cmd returned $x");
+    }
+    return (double)$x;
+}
+
 // $r is a simplexml object encoding the request message
 //
 function submit_batch($r) {
@@ -410,6 +451,7 @@ function submit_batch($r) {
         validate_batch($jobs, $template);
     }
     stage_files($jobs);
+    $njobs = count($jobs);
     $now = time();
     $app_version_num = (int)($r->batch->app_version_num);
 
@@ -433,38 +475,17 @@ function submit_batch($r) {
         }
     }
 
-    // - compute batch FLOP count
-    // - run adjust_user_priorities to increment user_submit.logical_start_time
-    // - use that for batch logical end time and job priority
+    // compute a priority for the jobs
     //
-    $total_flops = 0;
-    foreach($jobs as $job) {
-        //print_r($job);
-        if ($job->rsc_fpops_est) {
-            $total_flops += $job->rsc_fpops_est;
-        } else if ($job->input_template && $job->input_template->workunit->rsc_fpops_est) {
-            $total_flops += (double) $job->input_template->workunit->rsc_fpops_est;
-        } else if ($r->batch->job_params->rsc_fpops_est) {
-            $total_flops += (double) $r->batch->job_params->rsc_fpops_est;
-        } else {
-            $x = (double) $template->workunit->rsc_fpops_est;
-            if ($x) {
-                $total_flops += $x;
-            } else {
-                log_write("no rsc_fpops_est given");
-                xml_error(-1, "no rsc_fpops_est given");
-            }
-        }
+    $priority = null;
+    $let = 0;
+    if ($r->batch->allocation_priority) {
+        $let = logical_end_time($r, $jobs, $user, $app);
+        $priority = -(int)$let;
+    } else if (isset($r->batch->priority)) {
+        $priority = (int)$r->batch->priority;
     }
-    $cmd = "cd " . project_dir() . "/bin; ./adjust_user_priority --user $user->id --flops $total_flops --app $app->name";
-    $x = exec($cmd);
-    if (!is_numeric($x) || (double)$x == 0) {
-        log_write("$cmd returned $x");
-        xml_error(-1, "$cmd returned $x");
-    }
-    $let = (double)$x;
 
-    $njobs = count($jobs);
     if ($batch_id) {
         $ret = $batch->update("njobs=$njobs, logical_end_time=$let");
         if (!$ret) {
@@ -499,7 +520,7 @@ function submit_batch($r) {
         // possibly empty
     
     submit_jobs(
-        $jobs, $job_params, $app, $batch_id, $let, $app_version_num,
+        $jobs, $job_params, $app, $batch_id, $priority, $app_version_num,
         $input_template_filename,
         $output_template_filename
     );
diff --git a/html/user/submit_test.php b/html/user/submit_test.php
index a058d76cbd..3f79b6ee6f 100644
--- a/html/user/submit_test.php
+++ b/html/user/submit_test.php
@@ -1,5 +1,20 @@
 <?php
-require_once("submit.inc");
+// This file is part of BOINC.
+// http://boinc.berkeley.edu
+// Copyright (C) 2018 University of California
+//
+// BOINC is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+// as published by the Free Software Foundation,
+// either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// BOINC is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+// See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+// along with BOINC.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 // tests for remote job submission interfaces
 //
@@ -7,10 +22,12 @@ require_once("submit.inc");
 // line 0: project URL
 // line 1: authenticator
 //
-// you must run this in a dir with a link to submit.inc
+// you must run this in a dir with a copy of or link to html/inc/submit.inc
 
 // TODO: add more tests
 
+require_once("submit.inc");
+
 // for this test, you must have
 // - an app "uppercase"
 // - templates uppercase_in and uppercase_out
@@ -24,10 +41,9 @@ function test_submit_batch($req) {
     $f->mode = "local_staged";
     $f->source = "input";
 
-    $job = new StdClass;
-    $job->input_files = array($f);
-
     for ($i=10; $i<20; $i++) {
+        $job = new StdClass;
+        $job->input_files = array($f);
         $job->rsc_fpops_est = $i*1e9;
         $job->command_line = "--t $i";
         $req->jobs[] = $job;
diff --git a/lib/submit_api.py b/lib/submit_api.py
index 42509eec65..bff5e4dc62 100644
--- a/lib/submit_api.py
+++ b/lib/submit_api.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # This file is part of BOINC.
 # http://boinc.berkeley.edu
-# Copyright (C) 2016 University of California
+# Copyright (C) 2020 University of California
 #
 # BOINC is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 # under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 
 # Python bindings of the remote job submission and file management APIs
+# See https://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/wiki/RemoteJobs#Pythonbinding
 
 import urllib
 import urllib2
@@ -62,6 +63,8 @@ class JOB_DESC:
             xml += '%s\n'%self.input_template
         if hasattr(self, 'output_template'):
             xml += '%s\n'%self.output_template
+        if hasattr(self, 'priority'):
+            xml += '<priority>%d</priority>\n'%(self.priority)
         if hasattr(self, 'files'):
             for file in self.files:
                 xml += file.to_xml()
@@ -89,6 +92,11 @@ class BATCH_DESC:
         if hasattr(self, 'app_version_num'):
             xml += '<app_version_num>%d</app_version_num>\n'%(self.app_version_num)
 
+        if hasattr(self, 'allocation_priority'):
+            if self.allocation_priority:
+                xml += '<allocation_priority/>\n'
+        if hasattr(self, 'priority'):
+            xml += '<priority>%d</priority>\n'%(self.priority)
         for job in self.jobs:
             xml += job.to_xml()
         xml += '</batch>\n</%s>\n' %(op)
@@ -122,6 +130,7 @@ def do_http_post(req, project_url, handler='submit_rpc_handler.php'):
         f = urllib2.urlopen(url, params, rpc_timeout)
     else:
         f = urllib2.urlopen(url, params)
+
     reply = f.read()
     #print "REPLY:", reply
     return ET.fromstring(reply)
diff --git a/tools/create_work.cpp b/tools/create_work.cpp
index c04ffe0757..049a087b09 100644
--- a/tools/create_work.cpp
+++ b/tools/create_work.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // This file is part of BOINC.
 // http://boinc.berkeley.edu
-// Copyright (C) 2019 University of California
+// Copyright (C) 2020 University of California
 //
 // BOINC is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 // under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@
 // run from PHP script for remote job submission.
 //
 // see http://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/wiki/JobSubmission
+//
+// This program can be used in two ways:
+// - to create a single job, with everything passed on the cmdline
+// - to create multiple jobs, where per-job info is passed via stdin,
+//      one line per job
 
 #include "config.h"
 
@@ -187,6 +192,8 @@ void JOB_DESC::parse_cmdline(int argc, char** argv) {
             assign_type = ASSIGN_USER;
             assign_id = atoi(argv[++i]);
             check_assign_id(assign_id);
+        } else if (arg(argv, i, (char*)"priority")) {
+            wu.priority = atoi(argv[++i]);
         } else {
             if (!strncmp("-", argv[i], 1)) {
                 fprintf(stderr, "create_work: bad stdin argument '%s'\n", argv[i]);
@@ -433,9 +440,11 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
                 char* p = fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), stdin);
                 if (p == NULL) break;
                 JOB_DESC jd2 = jd;
+                    // things default to what was passed on cmdline
                 strcpy(jd2.wu.name, "");
                 _argc = parse_command_line(buf, _argv);
                 jd2.parse_cmdline(_argc, _argv);
+                    // get info from stdin line
                 if (!strlen(jd2.wu.name)) {
                     sprintf(jd2.wu.name, "%s_%d", jd.wu.name, j);
                 }