diff --git a/client/http_curl.cpp b/client/http_curl.cpp
index 8c5a710e1c..026584b130 100644
--- a/client/http_curl.cpp
+++ b/client/http_curl.cpp
@@ -812,8 +812,7 @@ void HTTP_OP::setup_proxy_session(bool no_proxy) {
         return;
     }
 
-    if (strlen(pi.autodetect_server_name)) {
-
+    if (pi.have_autodetect_proxy_settings && strlen(pi.autodetect_server_name)) {
         if (log_flags.proxy_debug) {
             msg_printf(0, MSG_INFO,
                 "[proxy_debug] HTTP_OP::setup_proxy_session(): setting up automatic proxy %s:%d",
@@ -833,10 +832,7 @@ void HTTP_OP::setup_proxy_session(bool no_proxy) {
         }
         curlErr = curl_easy_setopt(curlEasy, CURLOPT_PROXYPORT, (long) pi.autodetect_server_port);
         curlErr = curl_easy_setopt(curlEasy, CURLOPT_PROXY, (char*) pi.autodetect_server_name);
-    }
-
-    if (pi.use_http_proxy) {
-
+    } else if (pi.use_http_proxy) {
         if (log_flags.proxy_debug) {
             msg_printf(
                 0, MSG_INFO, "[proxy_debug]: setting up proxy %s:%d",
diff --git a/client/net_stats.cpp b/client/net_stats.cpp
index 39ed546034..5d45f2c496 100644
--- a/client/net_stats.cpp
+++ b/client/net_stats.cpp
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ int LOOKUP_WEBSITE_OP::do_rpc(string& url) {
         net_status.need_physical_connection = true;
 		net_status.last_comm_time = 0;
 
+        gstate.proxy_info.need_autodetect_proxy_settings = true;
         msg_printf(0, MSG_USER_ERROR,
             "BOINC can't access Internet - check network connection or proxy configuration."
         );
diff --git a/client/sysmon_win.cpp b/client/sysmon_win.cpp
index 3ea49cb14f..ba7fc452d3 100644
--- a/client/sysmon_win.cpp
+++ b/client/sysmon_win.cpp
@@ -198,7 +198,6 @@ static void windows_detect_autoproxy_settings() {
             gstate.proxy_info.autodetect_server_protocol = proxy_protocol;
             strcpy(gstate.proxy_info.autodetect_server_name, proxy_server);
             gstate.proxy_info.autodetect_server_port = proxy_port;
-            gstate.proxy_info.autodetect_proxy_settings = true;
 
             if (log_flags.proxy_debug) {
                 msg_printf(NULL, MSG_INFO,
@@ -216,7 +215,6 @@ static void windows_detect_autoproxy_settings() {
         gstate.proxy_info.autodetect_server_protocol = 0;
         strcpy(gstate.proxy_info.autodetect_server_name, "");
         gstate.proxy_info.autodetect_server_port = 0;
-        gstate.proxy_info.autodetect_proxy_settings = true;
         if (log_flags.proxy_debug) {
             msg_printf(NULL, MSG_INFO, "[proxy_debug] no automatic proxy detected");
         }
@@ -239,8 +237,11 @@ static LRESULT CALLBACK WindowsMonitorSystemWndProc(
 
                 // System Monitor 1 second timer
                 case 1:
-                    if (gstate.proxy_info.autodetect_proxy_settings) {
+                    if (gstate.proxy_info.need_autodetect_proxy_settings) {
+                        gstate.proxy_info.have_autodetect_proxy_settings = false;
                         windows_detect_autoproxy_settings();
+                        gstate.proxy_info.need_autodetect_proxy_settings = false;
+                        gstate.proxy_info.have_autodetect_proxy_settings = true;
                     }
                 default:
                     break;
@@ -291,7 +292,7 @@ static LRESULT CALLBACK WindowsMonitorSystemWndProc(
                     msg_printf(NULL, MSG_INFO, "Windows is resuming operations");
 
                     // Check for a proxy
-                    gstate.proxy_info.autodetect_proxy_settings = true;
+                    gstate.proxy_info.need_autodetect_proxy_settings = true;
 
                     resume_client();
                     break;
@@ -348,7 +349,7 @@ static DWORD WINAPI WindowsMonitorSystemThread( LPVOID  ) {
     }
 
     // Check for a proxy at startup
-    gstate.proxy_info.autodetect_proxy_settings = true;
+    gstate.proxy_info.need_autodetect_proxy_settings = true;
 
     while (GetMessage(&msg, NULL, 0, 0)) {
         TranslateMessage(&msg);
diff --git a/lib/proxy_info.h b/lib/proxy_info.h
index 00d43dba5f..d00e1875f0 100644
--- a/lib/proxy_info.h
+++ b/lib/proxy_info.h
@@ -40,7 +40,10 @@ struct PROXY_INFO {
     int autodetect_server_protocol;
     char autodetect_server_name[256];
     int autodetect_server_port;
-    bool autodetect_proxy_settings;
+    bool need_autodetect_proxy_settings;
+        // if true, we need to detect proxy settings.
+        // set to true if ref web site lookup fails
+    bool have_autodetect_proxy_settings;
 
     int parse(MIOFILE&);
     int write(MIOFILE&);