diff --git a/servers/slapd/abandon.c b/servers/slapd/abandon.c
index a3c1eb63c17406df136fb58de5cffff3bfde34fd..78fa52904e60cd4eb39e6362cb4eef9b17874d58 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/abandon.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/abandon.c
@@ -110,7 +110,10 @@ fe_op_abandon( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 
 	for ( i = 0; i < nbackends; i++ ) {
 		op->o_bd = &backends[i];
-		if( op->o_bd->be_abandon ) op->o_bd->be_abandon( op, rs );
+		if ( op->o_bd->be_abandon ) {
+			(void)op->o_bd->be_abandon( op, rs );
+		}
 	}
+
 	return LDAP_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/servers/slapd/add.c b/servers/slapd/add.c
index 306b65ee695a474cc69467ede685f0d45eb9f431..2945064004b5ad29777b793293a1abb222854d0e 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/add.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/add.c
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ do_add( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 	Modifications	*modlist = NULL;
 	Modifications	**modtail = &modlist;
 	Modifications	tmp;
+	char		textbuf[ SLAP_TEXT_BUFLEN ];
+	size_t		textlen = sizeof( textbuf );
+	int		rc = 0;
 
 	Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_TRACE, "do_add\n", 0, 0, 0 );
 	/*
@@ -79,7 +82,7 @@ do_add( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 	rs->sr_err = dnPrettyNormal( NULL, &dn, &op->o_req_dn, &op->o_req_ndn,
 		op->o_tmpmemctx );
 
-	if( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
+	if ( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
 		Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_ANY, "do_add: invalid dn (%s)\n", dn.bv_val, 0, 0 );
 		send_ldap_error( op, rs, LDAP_INVALID_DN_SYNTAX, "invalid DN" );
 		goto done;
@@ -135,7 +138,7 @@ do_add( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 		goto done;
 	}
 
-	if( get_ctrls( op, rs, 1 ) != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
+	if ( get_ctrls( op, rs, 1 ) != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
 		Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_ANY, "do_add: get_ctrls failed\n", 0, 0, 0 );
 		goto done;
 	} 
@@ -149,41 +152,49 @@ do_add( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 	Statslog( LDAP_DEBUG_STATS, "%s ADD dn=\"%s\"\n",
 	    op->o_log_prefix, e->e_name.bv_val, 0, 0, 0 );
 
-	if( e->e_nname.bv_len == 0 ) {
+	if ( dn_match( &e->e_nname, &slap_empty_bv ) ) {
 		/* protocolError may be a more appropriate error */
 		send_ldap_error( op, rs, LDAP_ALREADY_EXISTS,
 			"root DSE already exists" );
 		goto done;
 
-	} else if ( bvmatch( &e->e_nname, &frontendDB->be_schemandn ) ) {
+	} else if ( dn_match( &e->e_nname, &frontendDB->be_schemandn ) ) {
 		send_ldap_error( op, rs, LDAP_ALREADY_EXISTS,
 			"subschema subentry already exists" );
 		goto done;
 	}
 
+	rs->sr_err = slap_mods_check( modlist, &rs->sr_text,
+			  textbuf, textlen, NULL );
+
+	if ( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
+		send_ldap_result( op, rs );
+		goto done;
+	}
+
 	/* temporary; remove if not invoking backend function */
 	op->ora_e = e;
 	op->ora_modlist = modlist;
 
 	op->o_bd = frontendDB;
-	rs->sr_err = frontendDB->be_add( op, rs );
-	if ( rs->sr_err == 0 ) {
+	rc = frontendDB->be_add( op, rs );
+	if ( rc == 0 ) {
 		e = NULL;
 	}
 
 done:;
 	slap_graduate_commit_csn( op );
 
-	if( modlist != NULL ) {
+	if ( modlist != NULL ) {
 		slap_mods_free( modlist );
 	}
-	if( e != NULL ) {
+	if ( e != NULL ) {
 		entry_free( e );
 	}
 	op->o_tmpfree( op->o_req_dn.bv_val, op->o_tmpmemctx );
 	op->o_tmpfree( op->o_req_ndn.bv_val, op->o_tmpmemctx );
 
-	return rs->sr_err;
+	return rc;
 }
 
 int
@@ -249,30 +260,36 @@ fe_op_add( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 		if ( !SLAP_SHADOW(op->o_bd) || repl_user )
 #endif
 		{
-			int update = op->o_bd->be_update_ndn.bv_len;
-			char textbuf[SLAP_TEXT_BUFLEN];
-			size_t textlen = sizeof textbuf;
-			slap_callback cb = { NULL, slap_replog_cb, NULL, NULL };
+			int		update = !BER_BVISEMPTY( &op->o_bd->be_update_ndn );
+			char		textbuf[ SLAP_TEXT_BUFLEN ];
+			size_t		textlen = sizeof( textbuf );
+			slap_callback	cb = { NULL, slap_replog_cb, NULL, NULL };
 
-			rs->sr_err = slap_mods_check( modlist, update, &rs->sr_text,
-				  textbuf, textlen, NULL );
+			if ( !update ) {
+				rs->sr_err = slap_mods_no_update_check( modlist,
+						&rs->sr_text,
+				  		textbuf, textlen );
 
-			if( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
-				send_ldap_result( op, rs );
-				goto done;
+				if ( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
+					send_ldap_result( op, rs );
+					goto done;
+				}
 			}
 
 			if ( !repl_user ) {
-				for( modtail = &modlist;
-					*modtail != NULL;
-					modtail = &(*modtail)->sml_next )
+				/* go to the last mod */
+				for ( modtail = &modlist;
+						*modtail != NULL;
+						modtail = &(*modtail)->sml_next )
 				{
 					assert( (*modtail)->sml_op == LDAP_MOD_ADD );
 					assert( (*modtail)->sml_desc != NULL );
 				}
-				rs->sr_err = slap_mods_opattrs( op, modlist, modtail,
-					&rs->sr_text, textbuf, textlen, 1 );
-				if( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
+
+				rs->sr_err = slap_mods_opattrs( op, modlist,
+						modtail, &rs->sr_text,
+						textbuf, textlen, 1 );
+				if ( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
 					send_ldap_result( op, rs );
 					goto done;
 				}
@@ -280,7 +297,7 @@ fe_op_add( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 
 			rs->sr_err = slap_mods2entry( modlist, &e, repl_user, 0,
 				&rs->sr_text, textbuf, textlen );
-			if( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
+			if ( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
 				send_ldap_result( op, rs );
 				goto done;
 			}
diff --git a/servers/slapd/connection.c b/servers/slapd/connection.c
index 3cad16d76080c3a7bcb1b1f2c71fabb3b3e1b035..6e309daf9c4f30aa32bd21c8754b4f8ea71eaf06 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/connection.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/connection.c
@@ -1546,7 +1546,7 @@ connection_resched( Connection *conn )
 		ber_socket_t	sd;
 		ber_sockbuf_ctrl( conn->c_sb, LBER_SB_OPT_GET_FD, &sd );
 
-		/* us trylock to avoid possible deadlock */
+		/* use trylock to avoid possible deadlock */
 		rc = ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_trylock( &connections_mutex );
 
 		if( rc ) {
diff --git a/servers/slapd/modify.c b/servers/slapd/modify.c
index f57f6cbb623e1b79b4462e82df1906c0939a973d..0aadd943c464f480adf5415caf40faf9ea52cfc2 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/modify.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/modify.c
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ do_modify(
 	Modifications	*modlist = NULL;
 	Modifications	**modtail = &modlist;
 	int		increment = 0;
+	char		textbuf[ SLAP_TEXT_BUFLEN ];
+	size_t		textlen = sizeof( textbuf );
 
 	Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_TRACE, "do_modify\n", 0, 0, 0 );
 
@@ -184,7 +186,15 @@ do_modify(
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
 
-	/* FIXME: temporary */
+	rs->sr_err = slap_mods_check( modlist, &rs->sr_text,
+			textbuf, textlen, NULL );
+
+	if ( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
+		send_ldap_result( op, rs );
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	/* FIXME: needs review */
 	op->orm_modlist = modlist;
 	op->orm_increment = increment;
 
@@ -214,6 +224,7 @@ fe_op_modify( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 	LDAPMod		**modv = NULL;
 #endif
 	int		increment = op->orm_increment;
+	int		rc = 0;
 	
 	if( op->o_req_ndn.bv_len == 0 ) {
 		Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_ANY, "do_modify: root dse!\n", 0, 0, 0 );
@@ -404,19 +415,23 @@ fe_op_modify( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 		if ( !SLAP_SHADOW(op->o_bd) || repl_user )
 #endif
 		{
-			int update = op->o_bd->be_update_ndn.bv_len;
-			char textbuf[SLAP_TEXT_BUFLEN];
-			size_t textlen = sizeof textbuf;
-			slap_callback cb = { NULL, slap_replog_cb, NULL, NULL };
+			int		update = !BER_BVISEMPTY( &op->o_bd->be_update_ndn );
+			char		textbuf[ SLAP_TEXT_BUFLEN ];
+			size_t		textlen = sizeof( textbuf );
+			slap_callback	cb = { NULL, slap_replog_cb, NULL, NULL };
 
-			rs->sr_err = slap_mods_check( modlist, update, &rs->sr_text,
-				textbuf, textlen, NULL );
 
-			if( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
-				send_ldap_result( op, rs );
-				goto cleanup;
+			if ( !update ) {
+				rs->sr_err = slap_mods_no_update_check( modlist,
+						&rs->sr_text, textbuf, textlen );
+				if ( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
+					send_ldap_result( op, rs );
+					goto cleanup;
+				}
 			}
 
+
+
 			if ( !repl_user ) {
 				for( modtail = &modlist;
 					*modtail != NULL;
@@ -438,7 +453,8 @@ fe_op_modify( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 			if ( !repl_user )
 #endif
 			{
-				/* but we log only the ones not from a replicator user */
+				/* but multimaster slapd logs only the ones 
+				 * not from a replicator user */
 				cb.sc_next = op->o_callback;
 				op->o_callback = &cb;
 			}
@@ -453,12 +469,17 @@ fe_op_modify( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 				rs->sr_ref = referral_rewrite( defref,
 					NULL, &op->o_req_dn,
 					LDAP_SCOPE_DEFAULT );
-				if (!rs->sr_ref) rs->sr_ref = defref;
+				if ( rs->sr_ref == NULL ) {
+					/* FIXME: must duplicate, because
+					 * overlays may muck with it */
+					rs->sr_ref = defref;
+				}
 				rs->sr_err = LDAP_REFERRAL;
 				send_ldap_result( op, rs );
-				if (rs->sr_ref != defref) {
+				if ( rs->sr_ref != defref ) {
 					ber_bvarray_free( rs->sr_ref );
 				}
+
 			} else {
 				send_ldap_error( op, rs, LDAP_UNWILLING_TO_PERFORM,
 					"shadow context; no update referral" );
@@ -487,12 +508,35 @@ cleanup:;
 	return rs->sr_err;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Do non-update constraint checking.
+ */
+int
+slap_mods_no_update_check(
+	Modifications *ml,
+	const char **text,
+	char *textbuf,
+	size_t textlen )
+{
+	for ( ; ml != NULL; ml = ml->sml_next ) {
+		if ( is_at_no_user_mod( ml->sml_desc->ad_type ) ) {
+			/* user modification disallowed */
+			snprintf( textbuf, textlen,
+				"%s: no user modification allowed",
+				ml->sml_type.bv_val );
+			*text = textbuf;
+			return LDAP_CONSTRAINT_VIOLATION;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return LDAP_SUCCESS;
+}
+
 /*
  * Do basic attribute type checking and syntax validation.
  */
 int slap_mods_check(
 	Modifications *ml,
-	int update,
 	const char **text,
 	char *textbuf,
 	size_t textlen,
@@ -546,6 +590,8 @@ int slap_mods_check(
 			return LDAP_UNDEFINED_TYPE;
 		}
 
+#if 0
+		/* moved to slap_mods_no_update_check() */
 		if (!update && is_at_no_user_mod( ad->ad_type )) {
 			/* user modification disallowed */
 			snprintf( textbuf, textlen,
@@ -554,6 +600,7 @@ int slap_mods_check(
 			*text = textbuf;
 			return LDAP_CONSTRAINT_VIOLATION;
 		}
+#endif
 
 		if ( is_at_obsolete( ad->ad_type ) &&
 			(( ml->sml_op != LDAP_MOD_REPLACE &&
diff --git a/servers/slapd/overlays/chain.c b/servers/slapd/overlays/chain.c
index a1e2af73a6ce4434905742024433c0d923064517..5abc50f42230aff26cb06249c26e490cdcc378d3 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/overlays/chain.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/overlays/chain.c
@@ -202,8 +202,35 @@ ldap_chain_response( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 		}
 		break;
 	case LDAP_REQ_ADD:
+		{
+		int		cleanup_attrs = 0;
+
+		if ( op->ora_e->e_attrs == NULL ) {
+			char		textbuf[ SLAP_TEXT_BUFLEN ];
+			size_t		textlen = sizeof( textbuf );
+
+			/* global overlay; create entry */
+			/* NOTE: this is a hack to use the chain overlay
+			 * as global.  I expect to be able to remove this
+			 * soon by using slap_mods2entry() earlier in
+			 * do_add(), adding the operational attrs later
+			 * if required. */
+			rs->sr_err = slap_mods2entry( op->ora_modlist,
+					&op->ora_e, 0, 1,
+					&rs->sr_text, textbuf, textlen );
+			if ( rs->sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
+				send_ldap_result( op, rs );
+				rc = 1;
+				break;
+			}
+		}
 		rc = lback->bi_op_add( op, rs );
+		if ( cleanup_attrs ) {
+			attrs_free( op->ora_e->e_attrs );
+			op->ora_e->e_attrs = NULL;
+		}
 		break;
+		}
 	case LDAP_REQ_DELETE:
 		rc = lback->bi_op_delete( op, rs );
 		break;
diff --git a/servers/slapd/overlays/lastmod.c b/servers/slapd/overlays/lastmod.c
index 5594f2de32cf0a4574c9a5f2e7910016920265f6..09a674df3dc58c486076fdda99c5760ac7815e5f 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/overlays/lastmod.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/overlays/lastmod.c
@@ -308,19 +308,6 @@ lastmod_op_func( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 			return lastmod_exop( op, rs );
 
 		case LDAP_REQ_MODIFY:
-			/* if global overlay, modlist is not checked yet */
-			if ( op->orm_modlist->sml_desc == NULL ) {
-				char textbuf[SLAP_TEXT_BUFLEN];
-				size_t textlen = sizeof textbuf;
-
-				rs->sr_err = slap_mods_check( op->orm_modlist, 0, &rs->sr_text,
-						textbuf, textlen, NULL );
-
-				if ( rs->sr_err ) {
-					goto return_error;
-				}
-			}
-
 			/* allow only changes to overlay status */
 			for ( ml = op->orm_modlist; ml; ml = ml->sml_next ) {
 				if ( ad_cmp( ml->sml_desc, slap_schema.si_ad_modifiersName ) != 0
diff --git a/servers/slapd/proto-slap.h b/servers/slapd/proto-slap.h
index 73cb30fe40d9d23179c19c2163462352f5e4eaa9..60b9a488aea2a4462c3a99728641aac6f01d74ec 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/proto-slap.h
+++ b/servers/slapd/proto-slap.h
@@ -787,9 +787,13 @@ LDAP_SLAPD_F (int) slap_modrdn2mods(
 /*
  * modify.c
  */
+LDAP_SLAPD_F( int ) slap_mods_no_update_check(
+	Modifications *ml,
+	const char **text,
+	char *textbuf, size_t textlen );
+
 LDAP_SLAPD_F( int ) slap_mods_check(
 	Modifications *ml,
-	int update,
 	const char **text,
 	char *textbuf, size_t textlen, void *ctx );
 
diff --git a/servers/slapd/sasl.c b/servers/slapd/sasl.c
index b5c6b0b9904dd1078ffd00412f459f6e2787b00f..0587c62e92def1d53a688a20ec70322be89ff616 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/sasl.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/sasl.c
@@ -491,28 +491,33 @@ slap_auxprop_store(
 	}
 	*modtail = NULL;
 
-	rc = slap_mods_check( modlist, 0, &text, textbuf, textlen, NULL );
+	rc = slap_mods_check( modlist, &text, textbuf, textlen, NULL );
 
 	if ( rc == LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
-		rc = slap_mods_opattrs( &op, modlist, modtail, &text, textbuf,
-			textlen, 1 );
-	}
-
-	if ( rc == LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
-		op.o_hdr = conn->c_sasl_bindop->o_hdr;
-		op.o_tag = LDAP_REQ_MODIFY;
-		op.o_ndn = op.o_req_ndn;
-		op.o_callback = &cb;
-		op.o_time = slap_get_time();
-		op.o_do_not_cache = 1;
-		op.o_is_auth_check = 1;
-		op.o_req_dn = op.o_req_ndn;
-		op.orm_modlist = modlist;
-
-		rc = op.o_bd->be_modify( &op, &rs );
+		rc = slap_mods_no_update_check( modlist, &text,
+				textbuf, textlen );
+
+		if ( rc == LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
+			rc = slap_mods_opattrs( &op, modlist, modtail,
+					&text, textbuf, textlen, 1 );
+
+			if ( rc == LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
+				op.o_hdr = conn->c_sasl_bindop->o_hdr;
+				op.o_tag = LDAP_REQ_MODIFY;
+				op.o_ndn = op.o_req_ndn;
+				op.o_callback = &cb;
+				op.o_time = slap_get_time();
+				op.o_do_not_cache = 1;
+				op.o_is_auth_check = 1;
+				op.o_req_dn = op.o_req_ndn;
+				op.orm_modlist = modlist;
+
+				rc = op.o_bd->be_modify( &op, &rs );
+			}
+		}
 	}
 	slap_mods_free( modlist );
-	return rc ? SASL_FAIL : SASL_OK;
+	return rc != LDAP_SUCCESS ? SASL_FAIL : SASL_OK;
 }
 #endif /* SASL_VERSION_FULL >= 2.1.16 */
 
diff --git a/servers/slapd/slapi/slapi_ops.c b/servers/slapd/slapi/slapi_ops.c
index 4b7b02ae794062f38ff52befd7fb55285d8b8226..6a0f9ec04f88f3294dca9efc1144efd0fbf278f0 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/slapi/slapi_ops.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/slapi/slapi_ops.c
@@ -450,16 +450,24 @@ slapi_int_ldapmod_to_entry(
 	} else {
 		int repl_user = be_isupdate_dn( op->o_bd, &op->o_bd->be_rootdn );
         	if ( !op->o_bd->be_update_ndn.bv_len || repl_user ) {
-			int update = op->o_bd->be_update_ndn.bv_len;
-			char textbuf[SLAP_TEXT_BUFLEN];
-			size_t textlen = sizeof textbuf;
+			int	update = !BER_BVISNULL( &op->o_bd->be_update_ndn );
+			char	textbuf[ SLAP_TEXT_BUFLEN ];
+			size_t	textlen = sizeof( textbuf );
 
-			rc = slap_mods_check( modlist, update, &text, 
+			rc = slap_mods_check( modlist, &text, 
 					textbuf, textlen, NULL );
 			if ( rc != LDAP_SUCCESS) {
 				goto cleanup;
 			}
 
+			if ( !update ) {
+				rc = slap_mods_no_update_check( modlist,
+						&text, textbuf, textlen );
+				if ( rc != LDAP_SUCCESS) {
+					goto cleanup;
+				}
+			}
+
 			if ( !repl_user ) {
 				rc = slap_mods_opattrs( op,
 						modlist, modtail, &text, 
@@ -1014,18 +1022,26 @@ slapi_modify_internal(
 	if ( op->o_bd->be_modify ) {
 		int repl_user = be_isupdate( op );
 		if ( !op->o_bd->be_update_ndn.bv_len || repl_user ) {
-			int update = op->o_bd->be_update_ndn.bv_len;
-			const char *text = NULL;
-			char textbuf[SLAP_TEXT_BUFLEN];
-			size_t textlen = sizeof( textbuf );
-			slap_callback cb = { NULL, slap_replog_cb, NULL, NULL };
+			int		update = !BER_BVISEMPTY( &op->o_bd->be_update_ndn );
+			const char	*text = NULL;
+			char		textbuf[ SLAP_TEXT_BUFLEN ];
+			size_t		textlen = sizeof( textbuf );
+			slap_callback	cb = { NULL, slap_replog_cb, NULL, NULL };
 
-			rs.sr_err = slap_mods_check( modlist, update,
+			rs.sr_err = slap_mods_check( modlist,
 					&text, textbuf, textlen, NULL );
 			if ( rs.sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
 				goto cleanup;
 			}
 
+			if ( !update ) {
+				rs.sr_err = slap_mods_no_update_check( modlist,
+						&text, textbuf, textlen );
+				if ( rs.sr_err != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
+					goto cleanup;
+				}
+			}
+
 			if ( !repl_user ) {
 				rs.sr_err = slap_mods_opattrs( op, modlist,
 						modtail, &text, textbuf, 
diff --git a/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c b/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
index ae06498e335210902af17ef4346cee5b196426e5..a78f6c8fa2637c8cc31026d3a5c33313ee847bcc 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
@@ -1105,7 +1105,7 @@ syncrepl_message_to_entry(
 		goto done;
 	}
 
-	rc = slap_mods_check( *modlist, 1, &text, txtbuf, textlen, NULL );
+	rc = slap_mods_check( *modlist, &text, txtbuf, textlen, NULL );
 
 	if ( rc != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
 		Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_ANY, "syncrepl_message_to_entry: mods check (%s)\n",