Index: dbmod.scm
==================================================================
--- dbmod.scm
+++ dbmod.scm
@@ -423,11 +423,11 @@
 	 (start-t     (current-seconds))
 	 (last-update (dbr:dbdat-last-write dbdat))
 	 (last-sync   (dbr:dbdat-last-sync dbdat)))
     (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Syncing for dbfile: "dbfile", last-update: "last-update", last-sync: "last-sync)
     (mutex-lock! *db-multi-sync-mutex*)
-    (let* ((update_info (cons (if force-sync 0 last-update) "last_update"))
+    (let* ((update_info (cons "last_update" (if force-sync 0 last-update))) ;;  "last_update"))
     	   (need-sync   (or force-sync (>= last-update last-sync))))
        (if need-sync
 	   (begin
 	     (db:sync-tables (db:sync-all-tables-list) update_info inmem db)
 	     (dbr:dbdat-last-sync-set! dbdat start-t))
@@ -650,17 +650,20 @@
   (let* ((tablename        (car tabledat))
 	 (fields           (cdr tabledat))
 	 (has-last-update  (member "last_update" fields))
 	 (use-last-update  (cond
 			    ((and has-last-update
-				  (member "last_update" fields))
+				  (number? last-update))
 			     #t) ;; if given a number, just use it for all fields
-			    ((number? last-update) #f) ;; if not matched first entry then ignore last-update for this table
 			    ((and (pair? last-update)
 				  (member (car last-update)    ;; last-update field name
 					  (map car fields)))
 			     #t)
+			    ((pair? last-update)
+			     (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: parameter last-update malformed. last-update="last-update)
+			     #f)
+			    ((number? last-update) #f) ;; if not matched first entry then ignore last-update for this table
 			    (last-update
 			     (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: parameter last-update for db:sync-tables must be a pair or a number, received: " last-update);; found in fields
 			     #f)
 			    (else
 			     #f)))