diff --git a/world/net/psyc/parse.i b/world/net/psyc/parse.i
index e7a2557..186b738 100644
--- a/world/net/psyc/parse.i
+++ b/world/net/psyc/parse.i
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ volatile string lastvar, mod, origin_unl;
 volatile array(mixed) list;
 volatile mapping hash;
 volatile int l = 0;
-volatile int pongtime, routing = 1;
+volatile int reject = 0, pongtime; //, routing;
 
 #ifndef PSYC_TCP
 // resolved UNL of remote server (psyc://hostname or psyc://hostname:port)
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ int restart() {
 	// delete other stuff too
 	buffer = "";
        	mc = 0;
-        routing = 1;    // unused as yet
+//	routing = 1;    // unused as yet
 #ifdef SYSTEM_SECRET
 	checkpack = vcheck = 0;
 	ctrust = trustworthy;
@@ -193,13 +193,17 @@ private int conclude() {
 		// a later day.. TODO
 	// hooray, we get to check some variable families for sanity
 	} else if (abbrev("_degree", lastvar)) {
+		mixed t = cvars[lastvar];
 					// allow for unset degree '-'
-		if (!stringp(cvars[lastvar]) || (cvars[lastvar] != "-" &&
-		    !sscanf(cvars[lastvar], "%1d", cvars[lastvar]))) {
-			P1(("%O failed to parse %O: %O\n", ME,
-			    lastvar, cvars[lastvar]))
+		if (!(intp(t) && t>=0) || (t != "-" &&
+		    !sscanf(t, "%1d", cvars[lastvar]))) {
+			reject++;
+			P1(("%O failed to parse %O: %O\n", ME, lastvar, t))
+			croak("_error_type_degree",
+	"Your value for variable [_variable] does not qualify for a degree.",
+			    ([ "_variable": lastvar ]));
 			m_delete(cvars, lastvar);
-			if (mod != ":") m_delete(pvars, lastvar);
+			//if (mod != ":") m_delete(pvars, lastvar);
 		}
 		else if (mod != ":") pvars[lastvar] = cvars[lastvar];
 	} else if (abbrev("_list", lastvar)) {	// _tab
@@ -293,7 +297,7 @@ vamixed parse(string a) {
 		// to put the mmp variable state away somewhere
 		// and go fetch the psyc variable state for the current
 		// source/target pair from somewhere else.	TODO
-                routing = 0;    // unused as yet
+//              routing = 0;    // unused as yet
 	} else switch(a[0]) {
 	case ':':
 		unless (SCANFIT) {
@@ -576,6 +580,12 @@ vamixed getdata(string a) {
 		// a runtime error (but it's still better to fix it!)
                 next_input_to(#'parse);
 # endif
+		if (reject) {
+			// packet has been rejected by parser for semantic reasons
+			reject = 0;
+			restart();
+			return 1;
+		}
 		if (!t || trustworthy > 5) {
 			deliver(0, 0, mc, buffer, cvars);
 		} else unless (u = parse_uniform(t)) {
diff --git a/world/net/usercmd.i b/world/net/usercmd.i
index 21058b5..794994c 100644
--- a/world/net/usercmd.i
+++ b/world/net/usercmd.i
@@ -1763,17 +1763,18 @@ case "_friend": // tmp
 		return 1;
 #ifndef _flag_disable_module_presence
 case "_presence":
+		// parser takes care of checking _degree type
 		if (t = vars["_degree_mood"]) {
-			if (! sscanf(t, "%1d", t)) {
-				w("_warning_usage_mood");
-				return 1;
-			}
+//			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
+//			if (! sscanf(t, "%1d", t))
+//			    w("_warning_usage_availability");
+//			else
 			    announce(t, !vars["_degree_automation"],
 				 1, vars["_description_presence"]);
 			return 1;