diff --git a/checkin_notes b/checkin_notes
index f39a19d329..2e6c1fbe5c 100755
--- a/checkin_notes
+++ b/checkin_notes
@@ -3179,3 +3179,18 @@ David  Feb 12 2003
         test.inc
     tools/
         add.C
+
+David  Feb 12 2003
+    - changed "exit_after" to "exit_after_app_started_secs"
+        and changed its null value from -1 to 0.
+    - don't ask a scheduler for work if in exit_when_idle mode
+        and we've already contacted scheduler
+    - remove exit_when_idle clause from backoff after no work available
+
+    client/
+        client_state.C,h
+        cs_apps.C
+        cs_scheduler.C
+        scheduler_op.C
+    test/
+        test_time.php
diff --git a/client/client_state.C b/client/client_state.C
index 194fac0221..cfde9c6808 100644
--- a/client/client_state.C
+++ b/client/client_state.C
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ CLIENT_STATE::CLIENT_STATE() {
     core_client_major_version = MAJOR_VERSION;
     core_client_minor_version = MINOR_VERSION;
     platform_name = HOST;
-    exit_after = -1;
+    exit_after_app_start_secs = 0;
     app_started = 0;
     max_transfer_rate = 9999;
     max_bytes = 0;
@@ -1104,8 +1104,8 @@ void CLIENT_STATE::parse_cmdline(int argc, char** argv) {
             run_time_test = false;
             continue;
         }
-        if (!strcmp(argv[i], "-exit_after")) {
-            exit_after = atoi(argv[++i]);
+        if (!strcmp(argv[i], "-exit_after_app_start")) {
+            exit_after_app_start_secs = atoi(argv[++i]);
             continue;
         }
 
@@ -1172,13 +1172,16 @@ void CLIENT_STATE::parse_env_vars() {
     }
 }
 
-// Returns true if the core client should exit
+// Returns true if client should exit because of debugging criteria
+// (timeout or idle)
 //
 bool CLIENT_STATE::time_to_exit() {
-    if (!exit_when_idle && (exit_after == -1)) return false;
-    if ((exit_after != -1) && app_started &&
-        (difftime(time(0), app_started) >= exit_after)) {
-        printf("exiting because time is up: %d\n", exit_after);
+    if (!exit_when_idle && !exit_after_app_start_secs) return false;
+    if (exit_after_app_start_secs
+        && app_started
+        && (difftime(time(0), app_started) >= exit_after_app_start_secs)
+    ) {
+        printf("exiting because time is up: %d\n", exit_after_app_start_secs);
         return true;
     }
     if (exit_when_idle && (results.size() == 0) && contacted_sched_server) {
diff --git a/client/client_state.h b/client/client_state.h
index c82fd3dac0..becd7dfb5e 100644
--- a/client/client_state.h
+++ b/client/client_state.h
@@ -102,8 +102,10 @@ private:
     unsigned int nslots;
     bool run_time_test;
     bool activities_suspended;
-    int exit_after;
+    int exit_after_app_start_secs;
+        // if nonzero, exit this many seconds after starting an app
     time_t app_started;
+        // when the most recent app was started
     int max_transfer_rate, max_bytes;
 
     int parse_account_files();
diff --git a/client/cs_apps.C b/client/cs_apps.C
index 3c6d9fa1a5..0db82d5466 100644
--- a/client/cs_apps.C
+++ b/client/cs_apps.C
@@ -192,8 +192,9 @@ bool CLIENT_STATE::start_apps() {
                 atp->state = PROCESS_COULDNT_START;
                 atp->result->active_task_state = PROCESS_COULDNT_START;
                 report_project_error(
-                    *(atp->result),retval,
-                    "Couldn't start the app for this result.\n" );
+                    *(atp->result), retval,
+                    "Couldn't start the app for this result.\n"
+                );
             }
             action = true;
             set_client_state_dirty("start_apps");
diff --git a/client/cs_scheduler.C b/client/cs_scheduler.C
index b24103da0c..2dff3d76c7 100644
--- a/client/cs_scheduler.C
+++ b/client/cs_scheduler.C
@@ -250,12 +250,17 @@ bool CLIENT_STATE::some_project_rpc_ok() {
 bool CLIENT_STATE::scheduler_rpc_poll() {
     double work_secs;
     PROJECT* p;
-    bool action=false, below_low_water;
+    bool action=false, below_low_water, should_get_work;
 
     switch(scheduler_op->state) {
     case SCHEDULER_OP_STATE_IDLE:
-        below_low_water = (current_water_days() <= global_prefs.low_water_days);
-        if (below_low_water && some_project_rpc_ok()) {
+        if (exit_when_idle && contacted_sched_server) {
+            should_get_work = false;
+        } else {
+            below_low_water = (current_water_days() <= global_prefs.low_water_days);
+            should_get_work = below_low_water && some_project_rpc_ok();
+        }
+        if (should_get_work) {
             compute_resource_debts();
             scheduler_op->init_get_work();
             action = true;
diff --git a/client/scheduler_op.C b/client/scheduler_op.C
index 68546f9d09..0489e3af55 100644
--- a/client/scheduler_op.C
+++ b/client/scheduler_op.C
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ bool SCHEDULER_OP::poll() {
                 // if we asked for work and didn't get any,
                 // back off this project
                 //
-                if (must_get_work && nresults==0 &&!gstate.exit_when_idle) {
+                if (must_get_work && nresults==0) {
                     backoff(project, "No work from project\n");
                 } else {
                     project->nrpc_failures = 0;
diff --git a/test/test_time.php b/test/test_time.php
index b9c6ee55e9..7f4b890d15 100644
--- a/test/test_time.php
+++ b/test/test_time.php
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 
     $project->start_feeder();
     $app_time = 0;
-    $host->run("-exit_after 400");
+    $host->run("-exit_after_app_start 400");
     $app_time += $host->read_cpu_time_file("app.time");
     $host->run("-exit_when_idle");
     $project->stop();