diff --git a/checkin_notes b/checkin_notes
index 2e6c1fbe5c..ff6eb96c16 100755
--- a/checkin_notes
+++ b/checkin_notes
@@ -3194,3 +3194,13 @@ David  Feb 12 2003
         scheduler_op.C
     test/
         test_time.php
+
+David  Feb 12 2003
+    - changed server startup mechanism so that config.xml contains
+        actual commands (so you can include cmdline args etc.)
+
+    sched/
+        config.C,h
+        start_servers.C
+    test/
+        test.inc
diff --git a/sched/config.C b/sched/config.C
index ae70b0a297..2e0a6172f5 100644
--- a/sched/config.C
+++ b/sched/config.C
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@
 #include "config.h"
 
 int CONFIG::parse(FILE* in) {
-    char buf[256];
+    char buf[256], cmd[256];
+    int ncmds = 0;
 
     memset(this, 0, sizeof(CONFIG));
     while (fgets(buf, 256, in)) {
@@ -42,24 +43,8 @@ int CONFIG::parse(FILE* in) {
         else if (parse_str(buf, "<upload_url>", upload_url, sizeof(upload_url))) continue;
         else if (parse_str(buf, "<upload_dir>", upload_dir, sizeof(upload_dir))) continue;
         else if (parse_str(buf, "<user_name>", user_name, sizeof(user_name))) continue;
-        else if (match_tag(buf, "<start_assimilator/>")) {
-            start_assimilator = true;
-            continue;
-        } else if (match_tag(buf, "<start_feeder/>")) {
-            start_feeder = true;
-            continue;
-        } else if (match_tag(buf, "<start_file_deleter/>")) {
-            start_file_deleter = true;
-            continue;
-        } else if (match_tag(buf, "<start_make_work/>")) {
-            start_make_work = true;
-            continue;
-        } else if (match_tag(buf, "<start_result_retry/>")) {
-            start_result_retry = true;
-            continue;
-        } else if (match_tag(buf, "<start_validate/>")) {
-            start_validate = true;
-            continue;
+        else if (parse_str(buf, "<start>", cmd, sizeof(cmd))) {
+            start_commands[ncmds++] = strdup(cmd);
         }
     }
     return ERR_XML_PARSE;
diff --git a/sched/config.h b/sched/config.h
index a98e18acad..8b9ca8ed1d 100644
--- a/sched/config.h
+++ b/sched/config.h
@@ -33,12 +33,7 @@ public:
     char upload_url[256];
     char upload_dir[256];
     char user_name[256];
-    bool start_assimilator;
-    bool start_feeder;
-    bool start_file_deleter;
-    bool start_make_work;
-    bool start_result_retry;
-    bool start_validate;
+    char* start_commands[20];
 
     int parse(FILE*);
     int parse_file();
diff --git a/sched/start_servers.C b/sched/start_servers.C
index ad177b3b96..55f771b117 100644
--- a/sched/start_servers.C
+++ b/sched/start_servers.C
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 int main() {
     CONFIG config;
     int retval;
+    char* p;
 
     retval = config.parse_file();
     if (retval) {
@@ -32,22 +33,9 @@ int main() {
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    if (config.start_assimilator) {
-        system("assimilator >> assimilator.out 2>&1");
-    }
-    if (config.start_feeder) {
-        system("feeder >> feeder.out 2>&1");
-    }
-    if (config.start_file_deleter) {
-        system("file_deleter >> file_deleter.out 2>&1");
-    }
-    if (config.start_make_work) {
-        system("make_work >> make_work.out 2>&1");
-    }
-    if (config.start_result_retry) {
-        system("result_retry >> result_retry.out 2>&1");
-    }
-    if (config.start_validate) {
-        system("validate >> validate.out 2>&1");
+    for (i=0; i<20; i++) {
+        p = config.start_commands[i];
+        if (!p) break;
+        system(p);
     }
 }
diff --git a/test/test.inc b/test/test.inc
index 34cf166e0a..efe00433ee 100644
--- a/test/test.inc
+++ b/test/test.inc
@@ -314,21 +314,33 @@ class Project {
         //
         $f = fopen("$this->project_dir/cgi/config.xml", "w");
         fputs($f, "<config>\n");
-        fputs($f, "    <db_name>$this->db_name</db_name>\n");
-        fputs($f, "    <db_passwd>$this->db_passwd</db_passwd>\n");
-        fputs($f, "    <shmem_key>$this->shmem_key</shmem_key>\n");
-        fputs($f, "    <key_dir>$this->key_dir</key_dir>\n");
-        fputs($f, "    <download_url>$this->download_url</download_url>\n");
-        fputs($f, "    <download_dir>$this->project_dir/download</download_dir>\n");
-        fputs($f, "    <upload_url>$this->upload_url</upload_url>\n");
-        fputs($f, "    <upload_dir>$this->project_dir/upload</upload_dir>\n");
-        fputs($f, "    <user_name>$this->user_name</user_name>\n");
-        if ($this->start_assimilator) fputs($f, "    <start_assimilator/>\n");
-        if ($this->start_feeder) fputs($f, "    <start_assimilator/>\n");
-        if ($this->start_file_deleter) fputs($f, "    <start_file_deleter/>\n");
-        if ($this->start_make_work) fputs($f, "    <start_make_work/>\n");
-        if ($this->start_result_retry) fputs($f, "    <start_result_retry/>\n");
-        if ($this->start_validate) fputs($f, "    <start_validate/>\n");
+        fputs($f, "<db_name>$this->db_name</db_name>\n");
+        fputs($f, "<db_passwd>$this->db_passwd</db_passwd>\n");
+        fputs($f, "<shmem_key>$this->shmem_key</shmem_key>\n");
+        fputs($f, "<key_dir>$this->key_dir</key_dir>\n");
+        fputs($f, "<download_url>$this->download_url</download_url>\n");
+        fputs($f, "<download_dir>$this->project_dir/download</download_dir>\n");
+        fputs($f, "<upload_url>$this->upload_url</upload_url>\n");
+        fputs($f, "<upload_dir>$this->project_dir/upload</upload_dir>\n");
+        fputs($f, "<user_name>$this->user_name</user_name>\n");
+        if ($this->start_assimilator) {
+            fputs($f, "<start>assimilator >> assimilator.out 2>&1</start>\n");
+        }
+        if ($this->start_feeder) {
+            fputs($f, "<start>feeder >> feeder.out 2>&1</start>\n");
+        }
+        if ($this->start_file_deleter) {
+            fputs($f, "<start>file_deleter >> file_deleter.out 2>&1</start>\n");
+        }
+        if ($this->start_make_work) {
+            fputs($f, "<start>make_work >> make_work.out 2>&1</start>\n");
+        }
+        if ($this->start_result_retry) {
+            fputs($f, "<start>result_retry >> result_retry.out 2>&1</start>\n");
+        }
+        if ($this->start_validate) {
+            fputs($f, "<start>validate >> validate.out 2>&1</start>\n");
+        }
         fputs($f, "</config>\n");
         fclose($f);