diff --git a/checkin_notes b/checkin_notes
index a9783b6b97..7869cf96b1 100755
--- a/checkin_notes
+++ b/checkin_notes
@@ -15014,3 +15014,21 @@ David  9 July 2004
         gui_test.C
     tools/
         create_work.C
+
+David  11 July 2004
+	- changes in core client related to attaching to projects
+		- commented out "maybe_rename_old_filename_format()" stuff.
+			Not needed, and contains hazardous asserts
+		- CLIENT_STATE::add_project()
+			- check that master URL starts with http://,
+				and has other chars after that
+				[WHY WASN'T THIS BEING DONE??]
+			- check that authenticator is non-null
+
+	client/
+		cs_account.C
+		win/
+			wingui_dialog.cpp
+	lib/
+		error_numbers.h
+		util.C,h
diff --git a/client/cs_account.C b/client/cs_account.C
index 019837d5c0..a56302d50e 100644
--- a/client/cs_account.C
+++ b/client/cs_account.C
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@
 
 using std::string;
 
-static inline string filename_to_project_dirname(const string& filename) {
+#if 0
+static string filename_to_project_dirname(const string& filename) {
     assert(starts_with(filename, "account_"));
     assert(ends_with(filename, ".xml"));
     return string(PROJECTS_DIR) + PATH_SEPARATOR + filename.substr(8,filename.size()-12);
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ static bool maybe_rename_old_filename_format(string& filename) {
     }
     return false;
 }
+#endif
 
 int CLIENT_STATE::parse_account_files() {
     string name;
@@ -75,10 +77,12 @@ int CLIENT_STATE::parse_account_files() {
     DirScanner dir(".");
     while (dir.scan(name)) {
         if (is_account_file((char*)name.c_str())) {
+#if 0
             if (maybe_rename_old_filename_format(name)) {
                 msg_printf(NULL, MSG_ERROR, "Warning: not adding project %s", name.c_str());
                 continue;       // Error occurred renaming
             }
+#endif
             f = fopen(name.c_str(), "r");
             if (!f) continue;
             project = new PROJECT;
@@ -90,14 +94,26 @@ int CLIENT_STATE::parse_account_files() {
     return 0;
 }
 
-int CLIENT_STATE::add_project(const char* master_url, const char* authenticator) {
-    char path[256], canonical_master_url[256];
+int CLIENT_STATE::add_project(const char* master_url, const char* _auth) {
+    char path[256], canonical_master_url[256], auth[256];
     PROJECT* project;
     FILE* f;
     int retval;
 
     safe_strcpy(canonical_master_url, master_url);
+    strip_whitespace(canonical_master_url);
     canonicalize_master_url(canonical_master_url);
+    if (invalid_url(canonical_master_url)) {
+        msg_printf(0, MSG_ERROR, "Invalid project URL: %s", canonical_master_url);
+        return ERR_INVALID_URL;
+    }
+
+    safe_strcpy(auth, _auth);
+    strip_whitespace(auth);
+    if (!strlen(auth)) {
+        msg_printf(0, MSG_ERROR, "Invalid account ID: %s", auth);
+        return ERR_AUTHENTICATOR;
+    }
 
     // check if this project is already running
     //
@@ -110,8 +126,7 @@ int CLIENT_STATE::add_project(const char* master_url, const char* authenticator)
     //
     project = new PROJECT;
     strcpy(project->master_url, canonical_master_url);
-    strcpy(project->authenticator, authenticator);
-    strip_whitespace(project->authenticator);
+    strcpy(project->authenticator, auth);
 
     project->tentative = true;
     retval = project->write_account_file();
diff --git a/client/win/wingui_dialog.cpp b/client/win/wingui_dialog.cpp
index b665edae81..b3bac45308 100755
--- a/client/win/wingui_dialog.cpp
+++ b/client/win/wingui_dialog.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ BOOL CLoginDialog::OnInitDialog()
 {
     CDialog::OnInitDialog();
 	m_strUrlTT.Format("The URL for the website of the project.");
-	m_strAuthTT.Format("The authorization code received in your confirmation email.");
+	m_strAuthTT.Format("The account ID received in your confirmation email.");
 	LoadLanguage();
 	CWnd* pWndUrl = GetDlgItem(IDC_LOGIN_URL);
 	if(pWndUrl) {
diff --git a/lib/error_numbers.h b/lib/error_numbers.h
index e20b862c76..19d291b115 100755
--- a/lib/error_numbers.h
+++ b/lib/error_numbers.h
@@ -136,4 +136,4 @@
 #define ERR_RESULT_START    -185
 #define ERR_RESULT_DOWNLOAD -186
 #define ERR_RESULT_UPLOAD   -187
-
+#define ERR_INVALID_URL     -189
diff --git a/lib/util.C b/lib/util.C
index 60d8bf3770..e0dc7088ca 100755
--- a/lib/util.C
+++ b/lib/util.C
@@ -457,6 +457,12 @@ void canonicalize_master_url(char *xurl) {
     strcpy(xurl, url.c_str());
 }
 
+bool invalid_url(char* p) {
+    if (strstr(p, "http://") != p) return true;
+    if (strlen(p) == strlen("http://")) return true;
+    return false;
+}
+
 void safe_strncpy(char* dst, const char* src, int len) {
     strncpy(dst, src, len);
     dst[len-1]=0;
diff --git a/lib/util.h b/lib/util.h
index 4e21b7f3c4..51beafd689 100755
--- a/lib/util.h
+++ b/lib/util.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ extern void strip_whitespace(std::string&);
 extern void unescape_url(char *url);
 extern void escape_url(char *in, char*out);
 extern void escape_url_readable(char* in, char* out);
+extern bool invalid_url(char*);
 extern void canonicalize_master_url(char *url);
 extern void safe_strncpy(char*, const char*, int);
 #define safe_strcpy(x, y) safe_strncpy(x, y, sizeof(x))