diff --git a/checkin_notes b/checkin_notes
index 5c2b1ca3fe..27aba156d3 100755
--- a/checkin_notes
+++ b/checkin_notes
@@ -3270,10 +3270,17 @@ David  5 Apr 2007
     lib/
         boinc_cmd.C
 
-David  5 Apr 2007
+David  6 Apr 2007
     - client simulator: add the ability to do many simulations,
         each specified in a separate directory,
         and show the individual and total results.
 
     client/
         sim.C,h
+
+David  6 Apr 2007
+	- core client: sanity check on work request size
+		(from John McLeod)
+
+	client/
+		work_fetch.C
diff --git a/client/work_fetch.C b/client/work_fetch.C
index 7346cfce16..953d9a1501 100644
--- a/client/work_fetch.C
+++ b/client/work_fetch.C
@@ -576,7 +576,17 @@ bool CLIENT_STATE::compute_work_requests() {
             pbest->cpu_shortfall,
             cpu_shortfall * (prrs ? pbest->resource_share/prrs : 1)
         );
-        
+
+        // sanity check
+        //
+        double x = (work_buf_additional() + work_buf_min())*ncpus;
+        if (pbest->work_request > x) {
+        	msg_printf(NULL, MSG_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+        	    "Proposed work request %f bigger than max %f",
+        	    pbest->work_request, x
+        	);
+        	pbest->work_request = x;
+        }
         if (!pbest->nearly_runnable()) {
             pbest->work_request_urgency = WORK_FETCH_NEED_IMMEDIATELY;
         } else if (pbest->cpu_shortfall) {