diff --git a/Slash/Slash.pm b/Slash/Slash.pm
index 509cb3826..0cd5f6a08 100644
--- a/Slash/Slash.pm
+++ b/Slash/Slash.pm
@@ -87,15 +87,17 @@ sub selectComments {
 	$cache_read_only = 1 if timeCalc($header->{ts}, '%s') <
 		time - 3600 * $constants->{comment_cache_max_hours};
 
-	my $thisComment;
-	if ($options->{use_writer}) {
-		$thisComment = $slashdb->getCommentsForUser( $header->{id}, $cid, $cache_read_only);
-	} elsif ($constants->{backup_db_user} &&  rand(1) < 0.5) {
-		my $backupdb = getObject('Slash::DB', $constants->{backup_db_user});
-		$thisComment = $backupdb->getCommentsForUser( $header->{id}, $cid, $cache_read_only);
+	my $fetchdb;
+	if (!$options->{force_read_from_master}
+		&& $constants->{backup_db_user}
+		&& $constants->{selectcomm_backup_prob}
+		&& rand(1) < $constants->{selectcomm_backup_prob}) {
+		$fetchdb = getObject('Slash::DB', $constants->{backup_db_user});
+		$fetchdb ||= $slashdb;
 	} else {
-		$thisComment = $slashdb->getCommentsForUser( $header->{id}, $cid, $cache_read_only);
+		$fetchdb = $slashdb;
 	}
+	my $thisComment = $fetchdb->getCommentsForUser($header->{id}, $cid, $cache_read_only);
 
 	if (!$thisComment) {
 		_print_cchp($header);
@@ -474,7 +476,9 @@ sub printComments {
 	my $lvl = 0;
 
 	# Get the Comments
-	my($comments, $count) = selectComments($discussion, $cidorpid, { use_writer => $options->{use_writer}});
+	my($comments, $count) = selectComments($discussion, $cidorpid,
+		{ force_read_from_master => $options->{force_read_from_master} }
+	);
 
 	if ($cidorpid && !exists($comments->{$cidorpid})) {
 		# No such comment in this discussion.
diff --git a/sql/mysql/defaults.sql b/sql/mysql/defaults.sql
index 582a8fba3..d27f7340b 100644
--- a/sql/mysql/defaults.sql
+++ b/sql/mysql/defaults.sql
@@ -816,6 +816,7 @@ INSERT INTO vars (name, value, description) VALUES ('runtask_verbosity','3','How
 INSERT INTO vars (name, value, description) VALUES ('sbindir','/usr/local/slash/sbin','Where are the sbin scripts kept');
 INSERT INTO vars (name, value, description) VALUES ('search_google','0','Turn on to disable local search (and invite users to use google.com)');
 INSERT INTO vars (name, value, description) VALUES ('section','index','This is the current setting for section.');
+INSERT INTO vars (name, value, description) VALUES ('selectcomm_backup_prob','0','Probability that Slash.pm selectComments will look to backup_db_user instead of the main db: 0=never, 1=always');
 INSERT INTO vars (name, value, description) VALUES ('send_mail','1','Turn On/Off to allow the system to send email messages.');
 INSERT INTO vars (name, value, description) VALUES ('siteadmin','admin','The admin for the site');
 INSERT INTO vars (name, value, description) VALUES ('siteadmin_name','Slash Admin','The pretty name for the admin for the site');
diff --git a/sql/mysql/upgrades b/sql/mysql/upgrades
index 3d3af25df..b21fee897 100644
--- a/sql/mysql/upgrades
+++ b/sql/mysql/upgrades
@@ -1214,4 +1214,5 @@ ALTER TABLE accesslog ADD secure TINYINT DEFAULT 0 NOT NULL;
 
 INSERT INTO vars (name, value, description) VALUES ('accesslog_insert_cachesize','0','Cache accesslog inserts and do this many all at once (0 to disable, if enabled, suggest value of 5 or so)');
 INSERT INTO vars (name, value, description) VALUES ('index_gse_backup_prob','0','Probability that index.pl getStoriesEssentials will look to backup_db_user instead of the main db: 0=never, 1=always');
+INSERT INTO vars (name, value, description) VALUES ('selectcomm_backup_prob','0','Probability that Slash.pm selectComments will look to backup_db_user instead of the main db: 0=never, 1=always');
 
diff --git a/themes/slashcode/htdocs/comments.pl b/themes/slashcode/htdocs/comments.pl
index 3b1a49426..0bb138a82 100755
--- a/themes/slashcode/htdocs/comments.pl
+++ b/themes/slashcode/htdocs/comments.pl
@@ -1112,7 +1112,7 @@ sub submitComment {
 		subnetid	=> $user->{subnetid},
 		uid		=> $form->{postanon} ? $constants->{anonymous_coward_uid} : $user->{uid},
 		points		=> $pts,
-		karma_bonus		=> $karma_bonus ? 'yes' : 'no',
+		karma_bonus	=> $karma_bonus ? 'yes' : 'no',
 	};
 
 	my $maxCid = $slashdb->createComment($clean_comment);
@@ -1139,7 +1139,9 @@ sub submitComment {
 	} else {
 		slashDisplay('comment_submit') if ! $form->{newdiscussion};
 		undoModeration($id);
-		printComments($discussion, $maxCid, $maxCid, { use_writer => 1}) if ! $form->{newdiscussion};
+		printComments($discussion, $maxCid, $maxCid,
+			{ force_read_from_master => 1}
+		) if !$form->{newdiscussion};
 
 		my $tc = $slashdb->getVar('totalComments', 'value', 1);
 		$slashdb->setVar('totalComments', ++$tc);