diff --git a/client/project.cpp b/client/project.cpp
index e44eb9382c..b1547c8107 100644
--- a/client/project.cpp
+++ b/client/project.cpp
@@ -302,6 +302,12 @@ int PROJECT::parse_state(XML_PARSER& xp) {
             continue;
         }
         if (xp.parse_double("desired_disk_usage", desired_disk_usage)) continue;
+#ifdef SIM
+        if (xp.match_tag("available")) {
+            available.parse(xp, "/available");
+            continue;
+        }
+#endif
         if (log_flags.unparsed_xml) {
             msg_printf(0, MSG_INFO,
                 "[unparsed_xml] PROJECT::parse_state(): unrecognized: %s",
diff --git a/client/sim.cpp b/client/sim.cpp
index c41cddd372..da7b3d8d40 100644
--- a/client/sim.cpp
+++ b/client/sim.cpp
@@ -343,6 +343,21 @@ bool CLIENT_STATE::simulate_rpc(PROJECT* p) {
     int infeasible_count = 0;
     vector<RESULT*> new_results;
 
+    bool avail;
+    if (p->last_rpc_time) {
+        double delta = now - p->last_rpc_time;
+        avail = p->available.sample(delta);
+    } else {
+        avail = p->available.sample(0);
+    }
+    p->last_rpc_time = now;
+    if (!avail) {
+        sprintf(buf, "RPC to %s skipped - project down<br>", p->project_name);
+        html_msg += buf;
+        msg_printf(p, MSG_INFO, "RPC skipped: project down");
+        return false;
+    }
+
     // save request params for WORK_FETCH::handle_reply
     //
     double save_cpu_req_secs = rsc_work_fetch[0].req_secs;
diff --git a/client/sim.h b/client/sim.h
index 70d6a3948f..eccf977899 100644
--- a/client/sim.h
+++ b/client/sim.h
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ public:
     double lambda;
     bool sample(double dt);
     void init(double f, double l);
+    int parse(XML_PARSER&, const char*);
     RANDOM_PROCESS();
 };
 
diff --git a/client/sim_util.cpp b/client/sim_util.cpp
index d9dcc782f1..39ea84efab 100644
--- a/client/sim_util.cpp
+++ b/client/sim_util.cpp
@@ -175,8 +175,7 @@ bool RANDOM_PROCESS::sample(double diff) {
     }
 #if 0
     msg_printf(0, MSG_INFO,
-        "value: %d lambda: %f time_left %f",
-        value, lambda, time_left
+        "value: %d lambda: %f time_left %f", value, lambda, time_left
     );
 #endif
     return value;
@@ -191,9 +190,30 @@ void RANDOM_PROCESS::init(double f, double l) {
     frac = f;
     lambda = l;
     last_time = 0;
-    value = true;
-    time_left = exponential(lambda);
     off_lambda = lambda/frac - lambda;
+    if (drand() > frac) {
+        value = false;
+        time_left = exponential(off_lambda);
+    } else {
+        value = true;
+        time_left = exponential(lambda);
+    }
+}
+
+int RANDOM_PROCESS::parse(XML_PARSER& xp, const char* end_tag) {
+    while (!xp.get_tag()) {
+        if (!xp.is_tag) return ERR_XML_PARSE;
+        if (xp.parse_double("lambda", lambda)) continue;
+        else if (xp.parse_double("frac", frac)) continue;
+        else if (xp.match_tag(end_tag)) {
+            init(frac, lambda);
+            return 0;
+        } else {
+            printf("unrecognized: %s\n", xp.parsed_tag);
+            return ERR_XML_PARSE;
+        }
+    }
+    return ERR_XML_PARSE;
 }
 
 int UNIFORM_DIST::parse(XML_PARSER& xp, const char* end_tag) {