diff --git a/api/boinc_api.cpp b/api/boinc_api.cpp
index f24f8c297c..f55a0f08c1 100644
--- a/api/boinc_api.cpp
+++ b/api/boinc_api.cpp
@@ -135,7 +135,13 @@ static volatile bool standalone = false;
 static volatile double initial_wu_cpu_time;
 static volatile bool have_new_trickle_up = false;
 static volatile bool have_trickle_down = true;
-    // on first call, scan slot dir for msgs
+    // set if the client notified us of a trickle-down.
+    // init to true so the first call to boinc_receive_trickle_down()
+    // will scan the slot dir for old trickle-down files
+static volatile bool handle_trickle_downs = false;
+    // whether we should check for notifications of trickle_downs
+    // and file upload status.
+    // set by boinc_receive_trickle_down() and boinc_upload_file().
 static volatile int heartbeat_giveup_count;
     // interrupt count value at which to give up on client
 #ifdef _WIN32
@@ -661,7 +667,6 @@ int boinc_get_status(BOINC_STATUS *s) {
 //
 static void send_trickle_up_msg() {
     char buf[MSG_CHANNEL_SIZE];
-    BOINCINFO("Sending Trickle Up Message");
     if (standalone) return;
     strcpy(buf, "");
     if (have_new_trickle_up) {
@@ -671,6 +676,7 @@ static void send_trickle_up_msg() {
         strcat(buf, "<have_new_upload_file/>\n");
     }
     if (strlen(buf)) {
+        BOINCINFO("Sending Trickle Up Message");
         if (app_client_shm->shm->trickle_up.send_msg(buf)) {
             have_new_trickle_up = false;
             have_new_upload_file = false;
@@ -1011,7 +1017,7 @@ static void handle_upload_file_status() {
     }
 }
 
-// handle trickle and file upload messages
+// handle trickle and file upload status messages
 //
 static void handle_trickle_down_msg() {
     char buf[MSG_CHANNEL_SIZE];
@@ -1137,7 +1143,7 @@ static void timer_handler() {
         if (options.check_heartbeat) {
             handle_heartbeat_msg();
         }
-        if (options.handle_trickle_downs) {
+        if (handle_trickle_downs) {
             handle_trickle_down_msg();
         }
         if (options.handle_process_control) {
@@ -1183,7 +1189,7 @@ static void timer_handler() {
         update_app_progress(last_wu_cpu_time, last_checkpoint_cpu_time);
     }
     
-    if (options.handle_trickle_ups) {
+    if (have_new_trickle_up || have_new_upload_file) {
         send_trickle_up_msg();
     }
     if (timer_callback) {
@@ -1349,7 +1355,6 @@ static int start_worker_signals() {
 #endif
 
 int boinc_send_trickle_up(char* variety, char* p) {
-    if (!options.handle_trickle_ups) return ERR_NO_OPTION;
     FILE* f = boinc_fopen(TRICKLE_UP_FILENAME, "wb");
     if (!f) return ERR_FOPEN;
     fprintf(f, "<variety>%s</variety>\n", variety);
@@ -1438,7 +1443,7 @@ int boinc_receive_trickle_down(char* buf, int len) {
     std::string filename;
     char path[MAXPATHLEN];
 
-    if (!options.handle_trickle_downs) return false;
+    handle_trickle_downs = true;
 
     if (have_trickle_down) {
         relative_to_absolute("", path);
@@ -1466,10 +1471,15 @@ int boinc_upload_file(std::string& name) {
     if (!f) return ERR_FOPEN;
     have_new_upload_file = true;
     fclose(f);
+
+    // file upload status messages are on same channel as
+    // trickle down messages, so listen to that channel
+    //
+    handle_trickle_downs = true;
+
     return 0;
 }
 
-
 int boinc_upload_status(std::string& name) {
     for (unsigned int i=0; i<upload_file_status.size(); i++) {
         UPLOAD_FILE_STATUS& ufs = upload_file_status[i];
diff --git a/api/boinc_api.h b/api/boinc_api.h
index 9c56df3f38..493ad89368 100644
--- a/api/boinc_api.h
+++ b/api/boinc_api.h
@@ -46,11 +46,6 @@ typedef struct BOINC_OPTIONS {
     int check_heartbeat;
         // check for timeout of heartbeats from the client;
         // action is determined by direct_process_action (see below)
-    int handle_trickle_ups;
-        // periodically check for trickle-up msgs from the app
-        // must set this to use boinc_send_trickle_up()
-    int handle_trickle_downs;
-        // this process is allowed to call boinc_receive_trickle_down()
     int handle_process_control;
         // whether runtime system should read suspend/resume/quit/abort
         // msgs from client.
@@ -162,8 +157,6 @@ extern bool boinc_disable_timer_thread;
 inline void boinc_options_defaults(BOINC_OPTIONS& b) {
     b.main_program = 1;
     b.check_heartbeat = 1;
-    b.handle_trickle_ups = 1;
-    b.handle_trickle_downs = 1;
     b.handle_process_control = 1;
     b.send_status_msgs = 1;
     b.direct_process_action = 1;