diff --git a/checkin_notes b/checkin_notes
index 0312f52dd6..87e6e7ca2d 100755
--- a/checkin_notes
+++ b/checkin_notes
@@ -2650,12 +2650,12 @@ David  19 Mar 2007
         prefs.C,h
 
 David  19 Mar 2007
-	- compile fixes
+    - compile fixes
 
-	client/
-		hostinfo_win.C
-	win_build/
-		boinc_cli_curl.vcproj
+    client/
+        hostinfo_win.C
+    win_build/
+        boinc_cli_curl.vcproj
 
 Charlie 19 Mar 2007
     - Mac: fix compile errors (must cast double variable to int to use it 
@@ -2682,10 +2682,10 @@ Charlie 19 Mar 2007
             project.pbxproj
 
 David  19 Mar 2007
-	- core client: bug fixes in prefs
+    - core client: bug fixes in prefs
 
-	lib/
-		prefs.C
+    lib/
+        prefs.C
 
 Rom    19 Mar 2007
     - Add some more cross compiler tweaks to the precompiled header for Windows.
@@ -2736,7 +2736,17 @@ David  20 Mar 2007
         util.C,h
 
 David  20 Mar 2007
-	- Manager: cosmetic tweaks to project select
+    - Manager: cosmetic tweaks to project select
 
-	clientgui/
-		ProjectListCtrl.cpp
+    clientgui/
+        ProjectListCtrl.cpp
+
+David  20 Mar 2007
+    - core client: if "no more work" or "detach when done" tag
+        is missing from account manager reply, don't change value.
+        Note: this is implemented using new
+        OPTIONAL_BOOL and OPTIONAL_DOUBLE types
+        that may be useful elsewere as well.
+
+    client/
+        acct_mgr.C,h
diff --git a/client/acct_mgr.C b/client/acct_mgr.C
index db1388cd11..d4982e3885 100644
--- a/client/acct_mgr.C
+++ b/client/acct_mgr.C
@@ -189,17 +189,18 @@ int ACCT_MGR_OP::do_rpc(
 
 int AM_ACCOUNT::parse(XML_PARSER& xp) {
     char tag[256];
-	bool is_tag;
+	bool is_tag, btemp;
 	int retval;
+    double dtemp;
 
     detach = false;
     update = false;
-    dont_request_more_work = false;
-    detach_when_done = false;
+    dont_request_more_work.init();
+    detach_when_done.init();
     url = "";
     strcpy(url_signature, "");
     authenticator = "";
-    resource_share = -1;
+    resource_share.init();
 
     while (!xp.get(tag, sizeof(tag), is_tag)) {
 		if (!is_tag) {
@@ -225,9 +226,15 @@ int AM_ACCOUNT::parse(XML_PARSER& xp) {
         if (xp.parse_string(tag, "authenticator", authenticator)) continue;
         if (xp.parse_bool(tag, "detach", detach)) continue;
         if (xp.parse_bool(tag, "update", update)) continue;
-        if (xp.parse_bool(tag, "dont_request_more_work", dont_request_more_work)) continue;
-        if (xp.parse_bool(tag, "detach_when_done", detach_when_done)) continue;
-        if (xp.parse_double(tag, "resource_share", resource_share)) continue;
+        if (xp.parse_bool(tag, "dont_request_more_work", btemp)) {
+            dont_request_more_work.set(btemp);
+        }
+        if (xp.parse_bool(tag, "detach_when_done", btemp)) {
+            detach_when_done.set(btemp);
+        }
+        if (xp.parse_double(tag, "resource_share", dtemp)) {
+            resource_share.set(dtemp);
+        }
     }
     return ERR_XML_PARSE;
 }
@@ -399,8 +406,12 @@ void ACCT_MGR_OP::handle_reply(int http_op_retval) {
                     } else {
                         //msg_printf(pp, MSG_INFO, "Already attached");
                         pp->attached_via_acct_mgr = true;
-                        pp->dont_request_more_work = acct.dont_request_more_work;
-                        pp->detach_when_done = acct.detach_when_done;
+                        if (acct.dont_request_more_work.present) {
+                            pp->dont_request_more_work = acct.dont_request_more_work.value;
+                        }
+                        if (acct.detach_when_done.present) {
+                            pp->detach_when_done = acct.detach_when_done.value;
+                        }
 
                         // initiate a scheduler RPC if requested by AMS
                         //
@@ -408,8 +419,8 @@ void ACCT_MGR_OP::handle_reply(int http_op_retval) {
                             pp->sched_rpc_pending = RPC_REASON_ACCT_MGR_REQ;
                             pp->min_rpc_time = 0;
                         }
-                        if (acct.resource_share >= 0) {
-                            pp->ams_resource_share = acct.resource_share;
+                        if (acct.resource_share.present) {
+                            pp->ams_resource_share = acct.resource_share.value;
                             pp->resource_share = pp->ams_resource_share;
                         } else {
                             // no host-specific resource share;
diff --git a/client/acct_mgr.h b/client/acct_mgr.h
index 146342663c..aab0b50909 100644
--- a/client/acct_mgr.h
+++ b/client/acct_mgr.h
@@ -58,6 +58,20 @@ struct ACCT_MGR_INFO {
     bool poll();
 };
 
+struct OPTIONAL_BOOL {
+    bool present;
+    bool value;
+    inline void init() {present=false;}
+    inline void set(bool v) {value=v; present=true;}
+};
+
+struct OPTIONAL_DOUBLE {
+    bool present;
+    double value;
+    inline void init() {present=false;}
+    inline void set(double v) {value=v; present=true;}
+};
+
 // stuff after here related to RPCs to account managers
 
 struct AM_ACCOUNT {
@@ -66,9 +80,9 @@ struct AM_ACCOUNT {
     char url_signature[MAX_SIGNATURE_LEN];
     bool detach;
     bool update;
-    bool dont_request_more_work;
-    bool detach_when_done;
-    double resource_share;
+    OPTIONAL_BOOL dont_request_more_work;
+    OPTIONAL_BOOL detach_when_done;
+    OPTIONAL_DOUBLE resource_share;
 
     int parse(XML_PARSER&);
     AM_ACCOUNT() {}