diff --git a/include/api.php b/include/api.php
index d7c0124d71..bc981646d3 100644
--- a/include/api.php
+++ b/include/api.php
@@ -323,20 +323,31 @@
 	api_register_func('api/account/verify_credentials','api_account_verify_credentials', true);
 	 	
 
+	/**
+	 * get data from $_POST or $_GET
+	 */
+	function requestdata($k){
+		if (isset($_POST[$k])){
+			return $_POST[$k];
+		}
+		if (isset($_GET[$k])){
+			return $_GET[$k];
+		}
+		return null;
+	}
 	// TODO - media uploads
-	
 	function api_statuses_update(&$a, $type) {
 		if (local_user()===false) return false;
 		$user_info = api_get_user($a);
 
 		// convert $_POST array items to the form we use for web posts.
 
-		$_POST['body'] = urldecode($_POST['status']);
-		$_POST['parent'] = $_POST['in_reply_to_status_id'];
-		if($_POST['lat'] && $_POST['long'])
-			$_POST['coord'] = sprintf("%s %s",$_POST['lat'],$_POST['long']);
+		$_POST['body'] = urldecode(requestdata('status'));
+		$_POST['parent'] = requestdata('in_reply_to_status_id');
+		if(requestdata('lat') && requestdata('long'))
+			$_POST['coord'] = sprintf("%s %s",requestdata('lat'),requestdata('long'));
 		$_POST['profile_uid'] = local_user();
-		if($_POST['parent'])
+		if(requestdata('parent'))
 			$_POST['type'] = 'net-comment';
 		else
 			$_POST['type'] = 'wall';
diff --git a/mod/ping.php b/mod/ping.php
index 7c31f00c9c..924f9ff76b 100644
--- a/mod/ping.php
+++ b/mod/ping.php
@@ -31,11 +31,18 @@ function ping_init(&$a) {
 		intval(local_user()),
 		dbesc($myurl)
 	);
-
 	$mail = $r[0]['total'];
+
+	if ($a->config['register_policy'] == REGISTER_APPROVE && is_site_admin()){
+		$r = q("SELECT COUNT(*) AS `total` FROM `register`");
+		$register = $r[0]['total'];
+	} else {
+		$register = "0";
+	}
+
 	
 	header("Content-type: text/xml");
-	echo "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" ?>\r\n<result><intro>$intro</intro><mail>$mail</mail><net>$network</net><home>$home</home></result>\r\n";
+	echo "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" ?>\r\n<result><intro>$intro</intro><mail>$mail</mail><net>$network</net><home>$home</home><register>$register</register></result>\r\n";
 
 	killme();
 }