diff --git a/client/sim.cpp b/client/sim.cpp
index 6b1e1b8de6..9092f69b4d 100644
--- a/client/sim.cpp
+++ b/client/sim.cpp
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ bool CLIENT_STATE::simulate_rpc(PROJECT* p) {
     rsc_work_fetch[0].req_secs = save_cpu_req_secs;
     work_fetch.handle_reply(p, &sr, new_results);
     p->nrpc_failures = 0;
-    p->sched_rpc_pending = false;
+    p->sched_rpc_pending = 0;
     p->min_rpc_time = now + 900;
     if (sent_something) {
         request_schedule_cpus("simulate_rpc");
diff --git a/client/work_fetch.cpp b/client/work_fetch.cpp
index 4c8f72803c..d1d9f53547 100644
--- a/client/work_fetch.cpp
+++ b/client/work_fetch.cpp
@@ -749,8 +749,10 @@ PROJECT* WORK_FETCH::choose_project() {
         }
     }
 
-    if (log_flags.work_fetch_debug) {
-        if (!p) {
+    if (p) {
+        p->sched_rpc_pending = RPC_REASON_NEED_WORK;
+    } else {
+        if (log_flags.work_fetch_debug) {
             msg_printf(0, MSG_INFO, "[work_fetch] No project chosen for work fetch");
         }
     }