diff --git a/checkin_notes b/checkin_notes
index 01b1dfd15f..49ebc4342f 100644
--- a/checkin_notes
+++ b/checkin_notes
@@ -5401,3 +5401,11 @@ David  10 Aug 2012
 
     client/
         work_fetch.cpp,h
+
+David  10 Aug 2012
+    - client: tweak to the above: never ask for work if buffer > max.
+        This is needed to prevent projects that use next_rpc_delay
+        from queuing unbounded work.
+
+    client/
+        work_fetch.cpp
diff --git a/client/work_fetch.cpp b/client/work_fetch.cpp
index 127f30599a..dd9073e686 100644
--- a/client/work_fetch.cpp
+++ b/client/work_fetch.cpp
@@ -232,6 +232,8 @@ PROJECT* RSC_WORK_FETCH::choose_project_hyst(bool strict) {
     PROJECT* pbest = NULL;
     if (strict) {
         if (saturated_time > gstate.work_buf_min()) return NULL;
+    } else {
+        if (saturated_time > gstate.work_buf_total()) return NULL;
     }
     if (saturated_time > gstate.work_buf_total()) return NULL;