--- loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2007/05/11 01:48:19	1.873
+++ loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2007/05/14 09:38:59	1.875
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network
 # TCP networking package
 #
-# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.873 2007/05/11 01:48:19 raeburn Exp $
+# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.875 2007/05/14 09:38:59 albertel Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ sub get_dom {
         if (defined(&domain($udom,'primary'))) {
             $uhome=&domain($udom,'primary');
         } else {
-            $uhome eq '';
+            undef($uhome);
         }
     } else {
         if (!$uhome) {
@@ -756,14 +756,13 @@ sub get_dom {
     if ($udom && $uhome && ($uhome ne 'no_host')) {
         my $rep=&reply("getdom:$udom:$namespace:$items",$uhome);
         my %returnhash;
-        if ($rep =~ /^error: 2 /) {
+        if ($rep eq '' || $rep =~ /^error: 2 /) {
             return %returnhash;
         }
         my @pairs=split(/\&/,$rep);
         if ( $#pairs==0 && $pairs[0] =~ /^(con_lost|error|no_such_host)/i) {
             return @pairs;
         }
-        my %returnhash=();
         my $i=0;
         foreach my $item (@$storearr) {
             $returnhash{$item}=&thaw_unescape($pairs[$i]);
@@ -784,7 +783,7 @@ sub put_dom {
         if (defined(&domain($udom,'primary'))) {
             $uhome=&domain($udom,'primary');
         } else {
-            $uhome eq '';
+            undef($uhome);
         }
     } else {
         if (!$uhome) {