diff --git a/kernel/proc.c b/kernel/proc.c
index 1ee50e39d..d3245383d 100755
--- a/kernel/proc.c
+++ b/kernel/proc.c
@@ -148,8 +148,7 @@ message *m_ptr;			/* pointer to message in the caller's space */
    *   - ECHO:    the message directly will be echoed to the sender 
    */
   switch(function) {
-  case SENDREC:		
-      flags |= FRESH_ANSWER;		/* ignore pending notifications */
+  case SENDREC:				/* has FRESH_ANSWER flags */		
       /* fall through */
   case SEND:			
       if (! isalive(src_dst)) { 			
diff --git a/lib/i386/rts/_ipc.s b/lib/i386/rts/_ipc.s
index ffdb4f395..8988975f5 100755
--- a/lib/i386/rts/_ipc.s
+++ b/lib/i386/rts/_ipc.s
@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@
 ECHO = 0
 SEND = 1
 RECEIVE = 2
-BOTH = 3
+SENDREC = 3 + 32		! flags 0x20 to request fresh answer
 NOTIFY = 4
-NB_SEND = 1 + 16 		! SEND | 0xF0
-NB_RECEIVE = 2 + 16		! RECEIVE | 0xF0
+NB_SEND = 1 + 16 		! flags 0x10 to prevent blocking 
+NB_RECEIVE = 2 + 16		! flags 0x10 to prevent blocking 
 SYSVEC = 33			! trap to kernel 
 
 SRC_DST = 8			! source/ destination process 
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ __sendrec:
 	push	ebx
 	mov	eax, SRC_DST(ebp)	! eax = dest-src
 	mov	ebx, MESSAGE(ebp)	! ebx = message pointer
-	mov	ecx, BOTH		! _sendrec(srcdest, ptr)
+	mov	ecx, SENDREC		! _sendrec(srcdest, ptr)
 	int	SYSVEC			! trap to the kernel
 	pop	ebx
 	pop	ebp