diff --git a/dtella/client/main.py b/dtella/client/main.py
index a9602c4..f03c9ca 100644
--- a/dtella/client/main.py
+++ b/dtella/client/main.py
@@ -179,15 +179,15 @@ def startConnecting(self):
         # Get config from DNS
         def dns_cb():
             try:
+                # 2011-08-21: New nodes ignore the value of 'when'.
                 when, ipps = self.state.dns_ipcache
             except ValueError:
                 pass
             else:
                 random.shuffle(ipps)
-                age = max(time.time() - when, 0)
                 for ipp in ipps:
                     ad = Ad().setRawIPPort(ipp)
-                    self.state.refreshPeer(ad, age)
+                    self.state.refreshPeer(ad, 0)
 
             self.startInitialContact()
 
diff --git a/dtella/common/core.py b/dtella/common/core.py
index ea62a37..5bc4c40 100644
--- a/dtella/common/core.py
+++ b/dtella/common/core.py
@@ -934,8 +934,10 @@ def check_cb(src_n, src_ipp, rest):
 
             persist = bool(flags & PERSIST_BIT)
 
-            if rest:
-                raise BadPacketError("Extra data")
+            # 2011-08-21: allow 'rest' to be non-empty, in case we want to add
+            #             new fields someday.
+            if len(rest) > 1024:
+                raise BadPacketError("Too much extra data")
 
             if not (5 <= expire <= 30*60):
                 raise BadPacketError("Expire time out of range")
@@ -1414,8 +1416,10 @@ def handlePacket_YR(self, ad, data):
         c_nbs, rest = self.decodeNodeList(rest)
         u_nbs, rest = self.decodeNodeList(rest)
 
-        if rest:
-            raise BadPacketError("Extra data")
+        # 2011-08-21: allow 'rest' to be non-empty, in case we want to add
+        #             new fields someday.
+        if len(rest) > 1024:
+            raise BadPacketError("Too much extra data")
 
         if not (5 <= expire <= 30*60):
             raise BadPacketError("Expire time out of range")
diff --git a/dtella/common/state.py b/dtella/common/state.py
index a88ccb7..5065396 100644
--- a/dtella/common/state.py
+++ b/dtella/common/state.py
@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@ def setDNSIPCache(self, data):
 
         CHECK(len(data) % 6 == 4)
 
+        # 2011-08-21: New nodes ignore the value of 'when'.
         when, = struct.unpack("!I", data[:4])
         ipps = [data[i:i+6] for i in range(4, len(data), 6)]