diff --git a/CHANGESTODO b/CHANGESTODO
index 9b7587c..8251242 100644
--- a/CHANGESTODO
+++ b/CHANGESTODO
@@ -3980,4 +3980,9 @@ jabber/*
 group/master
 -	don't use local objects as they may get replaced and zeroed
 	use local uniforms instead (fixes some strange ghost membership fx)
+usercmd
++	_failure_necessary_variable for _request_do_presence that
+	doesn't provide _availability (just provides _mood for example)
+-	tycho: Availability degree is not checked by server and can
+	be negative, like -5.
 
diff --git a/world/net/usercmd.i b/world/net/usercmd.i
index a225214..b3bff73 100644
--- a/world/net/usercmd.i
+++ b/world/net/usercmd.i
@@ -1762,15 +1762,22 @@ case "_friend": // tmp
 		return 1;
 #ifndef _flag_disable_module_presence
 case "_presence":
-		P3(("%O with %O\n", mc, vars))
-		if ((t = vars["_degree_mood"]) && intp(t))
-                    vSet("mood", mood = t);
-		if ((t = vars["_degree_availability"]) && intp(t)) {
-			announce(t, !vars["_degree_automation"],
+		if (t = vars["_degree_mood"]) {
+			if (! sscanf(t, "%1d", t)) {
+				w("_warning_usage_mood");
+				return 1;
+			}
+			vSet("mood", mood = t);
+		}
+		if (t = vars["_degree_availability"]) {
+			if (! sscanf(t, "%1d", t))
+			    w("_warning_usage_availability");
+			else
+			    announce(t, !vars["_degree_automation"],
 				 1, vars["_description_presence"]);
 			return 1;
                 }
-                P1(("got invalid %O: %O, %O\n", mc, vars, data))
+                P1(("got invalid %O: %O, %O in %O\n", mc, vars, data, ME))
 		w("_failure_necessary_variable");
 		return 1;
 #endif // _flag_disable_module_presence