diff --git a/checkin_notes b/checkin_notes
index 0c5ad96e21..8ea91715ae 100644
--- a/checkin_notes
+++ b/checkin_notes
@@ -1756,3 +1756,10 @@ David  15 Feb 2012
         vda_lib.h
     client/
         hostinfo_network.cpp
+
+David  15 Feb 2012
+    - client: fetch work from backup (zero resource share) projects
+        only if a device instance is idle
+
+    client/
+        work_fetch.cpp
diff --git a/client/work_fetch.cpp b/client/work_fetch.cpp
index e44afc69c8..d29bb77429 100644
--- a/client/work_fetch.cpp
+++ b/client/work_fetch.cpp
@@ -225,6 +225,13 @@ PROJECT* RSC_WORK_FETCH::choose_project_hyst() {
         if (!p->pwf.can_fetch_work) continue;
         if (!project_state(p).may_have_work) continue;
 
+        // if project has zero resource share,
+        // only fetch work if a device is idle
+        //
+        if (p->resource_share == 0 && nidle_now == 0) {
+            continue;
+        }
+
         // if project has excluded GPUs of this type,
         // and it has runnable jobs for this type,
         // don't fetch work for it.