--- loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2003/09/10 15:53:16	1.410
+++ loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2003/09/11 07:57:03	1.411
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network
 # TCP networking package
 #
-# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.410 2003/09/10 15:53:16 matthew Exp $
+# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.411 2003/09/11 07:57:03 albertel Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -436,15 +436,27 @@ sub spareserver {
     my $lowestserver=$loadpercent > $userloadpercent?
 	             $loadpercent :  $userloadpercent;
     foreach $tryserver (keys %spareid) {
-       my $loadans=reply('load',$tryserver);
-       my $userloadans=reply('userload',$tryserver);
-       if ($userloadans !~ /\d/) { $userloadans=0; }
-       my $answer=$loadans > $userloadans?
-                  $loadans :  $userloadans;
-       if (($answer =~ /\d/) && ($answer<$lowestserver)) {
-	   $spareserver="http://$hostname{$tryserver}";
-           $lowestserver=$answer;
-       }
+	my $loadans=reply('load',$tryserver);
+	my $userloadans=reply('userload',$tryserver);
+	if ($loadans !~ /\d/ && $userloadans !~ /\d/) {
+	    next; #didn't get a number from the server
+	}
+	my $answer;
+	if ($loadans =~ /\d/) {
+	    if ($userloadans =~ /\d/) {
+		#both are numbers, pick the bigger one
+		$answer=$loadans > $userloadans?
+		    $loadans :  $userloadans;
+	    } else {
+		$answer = $loadans;
+	    }
+	} else {
+	    $answer = $userloadans;
+	}
+	if (($answer =~ /\d/) && ($answer<$lowestserver)) {
+	    $spareserver="http://$hostname{$tryserver}";
+	    $lowestserver=$answer;
+	}
     }
     return $spareserver;
 }