diff --git a/checkin_notes b/checkin_notes
index 7623503fc4..37260f48ae 100644
--- a/checkin_notes
+++ b/checkin_notes
@@ -12521,7 +12521,7 @@ David  24 Dec 2007
     sched/
         sched_send.C
 
-David  24 Dec 2007
+David  27 Dec 2007
     - web: default for user_links() is to not show profile pic.
         Show the pic only in the context of friends list.
 
@@ -12532,3 +12532,20 @@ David  24 Dec 2007
             user.inc
         user/
             friend.php
+
+David  27 Dec 2007
+    - client: add --start_delay cmdline option and <start_delay> config option.
+        Specifies an amount of time to delay starting apps
+        (e.g. so that BOINC doesn't slow down boot process)
+
+        Note: mechanisms that start BOINC at boot time
+        need to figure out how to set this flag.
+
+    client/
+        client_state.C,h
+        cs_cmdline.C
+        cs_prefs.C
+        hostinfo_network.C
+        log_flags.C,h
+    lib/
+        common_defs.h
diff --git a/client/client_state.C b/client/client_state.C
index 2f6f8f078a..22a73f282f 100644
--- a/client/client_state.C
+++ b/client/client_state.C
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ int CLIENT_STATE::init() {
 
     srand((unsigned int)time(0));
     now = dtime();
+    client_start_time = now;
     scheduler_op->url_random = drand();
 
     detect_platforms();
diff --git a/client/client_state.h b/client/client_state.h
index 4ca567119f..b8efff383b 100644
--- a/client/client_state.h
+++ b/client/client_state.h
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ public:
         // this affects auto-update
     bool run_by_updater;
     double now;
+    double client_start_time;
     double last_wakeup_time;
     bool initialized;
     bool cant_write_state_file;
diff --git a/client/cs_cmdline.C b/client/cs_cmdline.C
index 407028a532..649333f478 100644
--- a/client/cs_cmdline.C
+++ b/client/cs_cmdline.C
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ static void print_options(char* prog) {
         "    --insecure                      disable app sandboxing (Unix)\n"
         "    --launched_by_manager           core client was launched by Manager\n"
         "    --run_by_updater                set by updater\n"
+        "    --start_delay X                 delay starting apps for X secs\n"
         ,
         prog, prog, prog
     );
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ void CLIENT_STATE::parse_cmdline(int argc, char** argv) {
     for (i=1; i<argc; i++) {
         if (ARG(exit_when_idle)) {
             exit_when_idle = true;
+            config.report_results_immediately = true;
         } else if (ARG(exit_before_start)) {
             exit_before_start = true;
         } else if (ARG(exit_after_finish)) {
@@ -196,6 +198,9 @@ void CLIENT_STATE::parse_cmdline(int argc, char** argv) {
             launched_by_manager = true;
         } else if (ARG(run_by_updater)) {
             run_by_updater = true;
+        } else if (ARG(start_delay)) {
+            if (i == argc-1) show_options = true;
+            else config.start_delay = atof(argv[++i]);
         } else {
             printf("Unknown option: %s\n", argv[i]);
             show_options = true;
diff --git a/client/cs_prefs.C b/client/cs_prefs.C
index db7bdbb692..7d76918690 100644
--- a/client/cs_prefs.C
+++ b/client/cs_prefs.C
@@ -105,17 +105,17 @@ int CLIENT_STATE::allowed_project_disk_usage(double& size) {
 }
 #endif
 
-// See if (on the basis of user run request and prefs)
-// we should suspend processing
+// See if we should suspend processing
 //
 int CLIENT_STATE::check_suspend_processing() {
-
-    // Don't work while we're running CPU benchmarks
-    //
     if (are_cpu_benchmarks_running()) {
         return SUSPEND_REASON_BENCHMARKS;
     }
 
+    if (config.start_delay && now < client_start_time + config.start_delay) {
+        return SUSPEND_REASON_INITIAL_DELAY;
+    }
+
     switch(run_mode.get_current()) {
     case RUN_MODE_ALWAYS: break;
     case RUN_MODE_NEVER:
diff --git a/client/hostinfo_network.C b/client/hostinfo_network.C
index e690618ead..e35349bb84 100644
--- a/client/hostinfo_network.C
+++ b/client/hostinfo_network.C
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ int HOST_INFO::get_local_network_info() {
     
     strcpy(domain_name, "");
     strcpy(ip_addr, "");
+
+    // it seems like we should use getdomainname() instead of gethostname(),
+    // but on FC6 it returns "(none)".
+    //
     if (gethostname(domain_name, 256)) return ERR_GETHOSTBYNAME;
     he = gethostbyname(domain_name);
     if (!he || !he->h_addr_list[0]) {
diff --git a/client/log_flags.C b/client/log_flags.C
index b049170d6f..d38c50439e 100644
--- a/client/log_flags.C
+++ b/client/log_flags.C
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ void CONFIG::defaults() {
     max_stderr_file_size = 0;
     alt_platforms.clear();
     report_results_immediately = false;
+    start_delay = 0;
 }
 
 int CONFIG::parse_options(XML_PARSER& xp) {
@@ -247,6 +248,7 @@ int CONFIG::parse_options(XML_PARSER& xp) {
         if (xp.parse_int(tag, "max_stdout_file_size", max_stdout_file_size)) continue;
         if (xp.parse_int(tag, "max_stderr_file_size", max_stderr_file_size)) continue;
         if (xp.parse_bool(tag, "report_results_immediately", report_results_immediately)) continue;
+        if (xp.parse_double(tag, "start_delay", start_delay)) continue;
         msg_printf(NULL, MSG_USER_ERROR, "Unparsed tag in %s: <%s>\n",
             CONFIG_FILE, tag
         );
diff --git a/client/log_flags.h b/client/log_flags.h
index 5214a66767..c845f4ea94 100644
--- a/client/log_flags.h
+++ b/client/log_flags.h
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ struct CONFIG {
     int max_stdout_file_size;
     int max_stderr_file_size;
     bool report_results_immediately;
+    double start_delay;
 
     CONFIG();
     void defaults();
diff --git a/lib/common_defs.h b/lib/common_defs.h
index 96b76b6e92..eeec6e2a6d 100644
--- a/lib/common_defs.h
+++ b/lib/common_defs.h
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ enum SUSPEND_REASON {
     SUSPEND_REASON_BENCHMARKS = 16,
     SUSPEND_REASON_DISK_SIZE = 32,
     SUSPEND_REASON_CPU_USAGE_LIMIT = 64,
-    SUSPEND_REASON_NO_RECENT_INPUT = 128
+    SUSPEND_REASON_NO_RECENT_INPUT = 128,
+    SUSPEND_REASON_INITIAL_DELAY = 256,
 };
 
 // States of a result on a client.