diff --git a/html/inc/account.inc b/html/inc/account.inc
index d6c270fcacb..e1ad3f08499 100644
--- a/html/inc/account.inc
+++ b/html/inc/account.inc
@@ -102,14 +102,16 @@ function create_account_form($teamid, $next_url) {
         ),
         "passwd", "", "password",'id="passwd"',passwd_visible_checkbox("passwd")
     );
-    form_select(
-        sprintf('<span title="%s">%s</span>',
-            tra("Select the country you want to represent, if any."),
-            tra("Country")
-        ),
-        "country",
-        country_select_options()
-    );
+    if (USER_COUNTRY) {
+        form_select(
+            sprintf('<span title="%s">%s</span>',
+                tra("Select the country you want to represent, if any."),
+                tra("Country")
+            ),
+            "country",
+            country_select_options()
+        );
+    }
     if (POSTAL_CODE) {
         form_input_text(
             tra("Postal or ZIP Code")."<br><small>".tra("Optional")."</small>",
diff --git a/html/inc/forum.inc b/html/inc/forum.inc
index a5121a550fb..72f8f5425e7 100644
--- a/html/inc/forum.inc
+++ b/html/inc/forum.inc
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ function show_post(
         // - put the .png's in html/user/flags/
         // - put define("COUNTRY_FLAGS", 1); in your html/project/project.inc
         //
-        if (defined("COUNTRY_FLAGS")) {
+        if (USER_COUNTRY && defined("COUNTRY_FLAGS")) {
             if (array_key_exists($user->country, $country_to_iso3166_2)) {
                 $code = $country_to_iso3166_2[$user->country];
                 echo "<img class=flag alt=\"$user->country\" title=\"$user->country\" src=flags/$code.png>\n";
diff --git a/html/inc/user.inc b/html/inc/user.inc
index 34d8df42eb8..606a148224d 100644
--- a/html/inc/user.inc
+++ b/html/inc/user.inc
@@ -243,11 +243,15 @@ function show_user_info_private($user) {
         }
         row2(tra("Email address"), $email_text);
     }
-    if (strlen($user->url)) {
-        $u = normalize_user_url($user->url);
-        row2(tra("URL"), sprintf('<a href="%s">%s</a>', $u, $u));
+    if (USER_URL) {
+        if (strlen($user->url)) {
+            $u = normalize_user_url($user->url);
+            row2(tra("URL"), sprintf('<a href="%s">%s</a>', $u, $u));
+        }
+    }
+    if (USER_COUNTRY) {
+        row2(tra("Country"), $user->country);
     }
-    row2(tra("Country"), $user->country);
     if (POSTAL_CODE) {
         row2(tra("Postal code"), $user->postal_code);
     }
@@ -433,13 +437,17 @@ function show_user_summary_public($user) {
     global $g_logged_in_user;
     row2(tra("User ID"), $user->id);
     row2(tra("%1 member since", PROJECT), date_str($user->create_time));
-    row2(tra("Country"), $user->country);
-    // don't show URL if user has no recent credit (spam suppression)
-    //
-    if (strlen($user->url)) {
-        if (!NO_COMPUTING || $user->expavg_credit > 1) {
-            $u = normalize_user_url($user->url);
-            row2(tra("URL"), sprintf('<a href="%s">%s</a>', $u, $u));
+    if (USER_COUNTRY) {
+        row2(tra("Country"), $user->country);
+    }
+    if (USER_URL) {
+        // don't show URL if user has no recent credit (spam suppression)
+        //
+        if (strlen($user->url)) {
+            if (!NO_COMPUTING || $user->expavg_credit > 1) {
+                $u = normalize_user_url($user->url);
+                row2(tra("URL"), sprintf('<a href="%s">%s</a>', $u, $u));
+            }
         }
     }
     if (!NO_COMPUTING) {
diff --git a/html/inc/user_util.inc b/html/inc/user_util.inc
index ce2ab7c2114..9d238ce75af 100644
--- a/html/inc/user_util.inc
+++ b/html/inc/user_util.inc
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ function validate_post_make_user() {
     }
 
     // Check if consent to terms of use has been given.
+    //
     $myconsent = FALSE;
     list($checkct, $ctid) = check_consent_type(CONSENT_TYPE_ENROLL);
     if ($checkct and check_termsofuse()) {
@@ -258,12 +259,12 @@ function validate_post_make_user() {
 
     $passwd_hash = md5($passwd.$new_email_addr);
 
-    $country = post_str("country", true);
-    if (!$country) {
-        $country = "None";
-    }
-    if (!is_valid_country($country)) {
-        error_page("bad country");
+    $country = "";
+    if (USER_COUNTRY) {
+        $country = post_str("country", true);
+        if ($country && !is_valid_country($country)) {
+            error_page("bad country");
+        }
     }
 
     if (POSTAL_CODE) {
diff --git a/html/inc/util.inc b/html/inc/util.inc
index a31b86c0a92..befed7c2ce5 100644
--- a/html/inc/util.inc
+++ b/html/inc/util.inc
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ require_once("../inc/translation.inc");
 require_once("../inc/profile.inc");
 require_once("../inc/bootstrap.inc");
 
-// parse some stuff from config (do it here for efficiency)
+// parse some stuff from config.xml (do it here for efficiency)
 //
 $config = get_config();
 global $master_url;
@@ -42,8 +42,16 @@ $master_url = parse_config($config , "<master_url>");
 $recaptcha_public_key = parse_config($config, "<recaptcha_public_key>");
 $recaptcha_private_key = parse_config($config, "<recaptcha_private_key>");
 
-// don't allow /... at the end of URL
+// the following default to on
+//
+$x = parse_config($config, "<user_country>");
+define('USER_COUNTRY', ($x===null)?1:(int)$x);
+
+$x = parse_config($config, "<user_url>");
+define('USER_URL', ($x===null)?1:(int)$x);
 
+// don't allow /... at the end of URL
+//
 if (array_key_exists("PATH_INFO", $_SERVER)) {
     die("bad URL");
 }
diff --git a/html/inc/util_basic.inc b/html/inc/util_basic.inc
index 33337ce9d74..8e51ef12fd5 100644
--- a/html/inc/util_basic.inc
+++ b/html/inc/util_basic.inc
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ function get_config() {
 // If it's a single-tag element, and it's present, just return the tag
 //
 function parse_element($xml, $tag) {
-    $element = null;
     $closetag = "</" . substr($tag,1);
     $x = strstr($xml, $tag);
     if ($x) {
@@ -104,9 +103,10 @@ function parse_element($xml, $tag) {
         $n = strpos($y, $closetag);
         if ($n) {
             $element = substr($y, 0, $n);
+            return trim($element);
         }
     }
-    return trim($element);
+    return null;
 }
 
 function parse_next_element($xml, $tag, &$cursor) {
diff --git a/html/inc/xml.inc b/html/inc/xml.inc
index c7e5485d718..b6e289e17e1 100644
--- a/html/inc/xml.inc
+++ b/html/inc/xml.inc
@@ -95,18 +95,15 @@ function show_host_xml($host) {
 //
 function show_user_xml($user, $show_hosts) {
     $cpid = md5($user->cross_project_id.$user->email_addr);
-    $url = normalize_user_url($user->url);
     echo "<user>
     <id>$user->id</id>
     <cpid>$cpid</cpid>
     <create_time>$user->create_time</create_time>
     <name>".htmlspecialchars($user->name)."</name>
-    <country>$user->country</country>
     <total_credit>$user->total_credit</total_credit>
     <expavg_credit>$user->expavg_credit</expavg_credit>
     <expavg_time>$user->expavg_time</expavg_time>
     <teamid>$user->teamid</teamid>
-    <url>".htmlspecialchars($url)."</url>
     <has_profile>$user->has_profile</has_profile>
 ";
     if ($show_hosts) {
@@ -116,8 +113,14 @@ function show_user_xml($user, $show_hosts) {
             show_host_xml($host);
         }
     }
-echo"</user>
-";
+    if (USER_COUNTRY) {
+        echo "     <country>$user->country</country>\n";
+    }
+    if (USER_URL) {
+        $url = normalize_user_url($user->url);
+        echo "    <url>".htmlspecialchars($url)."</url>\n";
+    }
+    echo "</user>\n";
 }
 
 function show_team_member($user, $creditonly = false) {
@@ -131,12 +134,17 @@ function show_team_member($user, $creditonly = false) {
     if (!$creditonly) {
         echo "    <create_time>$user->create_time</create_time>
     <name>".htmlspecialchars($user->name)."</name>
-    <country>$user->country</country>
     <expavg_credit>$user->expavg_credit</expavg_credit>
     <expavg_time>$user->expavg_time</expavg_time>
-    <url>".htmlspecialchars($url)."</url>
     <has_profile>$user->has_profile</has_profile>
 ";
+        if (USER_COUNTRY) {
+            echo "     <country>$user->country</country>\n";
+        }
+        if (USER_URL) {
+            $url = normalize_user_url($user->url);
+            echo "    <url>".htmlspecialchars($url)."</url>\n";
+        }
     }
     echo "</user>
 ";
diff --git a/html/user/am_set_info.php b/html/user/am_set_info.php
index da837d5dc1d..350c895d26d 100644
--- a/html/user/am_set_info.php
+++ b/html/user/am_set_info.php
@@ -100,7 +100,10 @@ function success($x) {
 }
 
 $name = BoincDb::escape_string($name);
-if ($country && !is_valid_country($country)) {
+if (!USER_COUNTRY) {
+    $country = "";
+}
+if (!is_valid_country($country)) {
     xml_error(-1, "invalid country");
 }
 $country = BoincDb::escape_string($country);
@@ -118,6 +121,9 @@ function success($x) {
     $project_prefs = str_ireplace("<project_preferences>", "<project_preferences>\n".$orig_project_specific, $project_prefs);
 }
 
+if (!USER_URL) {
+    $url = "";
+}
 $url = BoincDb::escape_string($url);
 $send_email = BoincDb::escape_string($send_email);
 $show_hosts = BoincDb::escape_string($show_hosts);
diff --git a/html/user/edit_user_info_action.php b/html/user/edit_user_info_action.php
index 652d461e555..6494f2db240 100644
--- a/html/user/edit_user_info_action.php
+++ b/html/user/edit_user_info_action.php
@@ -33,25 +33,27 @@
 if (strlen($name) == 0) {
     error_page(tra("You must supply a name for your account."));
 }
-$url = post_str("url", true);
-$url = sanitize_tags($url);
-$country = post_str("country");
-if ($country == "") {
-    $country = "International";
+$name = BoincDb::escape_string($name);
+
+$url = "";
+$country = "";
+$postal_code = "";
+if (USER_URL) {
+    $url = post_str("url", true);
+    $url = sanitize_tags($url);
+    $url = BoincDb::escape_string($url);
 }
-if (!is_valid_country($country)) {
-    error_page("bad country");
+if (USER_COUNTRY) {
+    $country = post_str("country");
+    if (!is_valid_country($country)) {
+        error_page("bad country");
+    }
+    $country = BoincDb::escape_string($country);
 }
-$country = BoincDb::escape_string($country);
 if (POSTAL_CODE) {
     $postal_code = BoincDb::escape_string(sanitize_tags(post_str("postal_code", true)));
-} else {
-    $postal_code = '';
 }
 
-$name = BoincDb::escape_string($name);
-$url = BoincDb::escape_string($url);
-
 $result = $user->update(
     "name='$name', url='$url', country='$country', postal_code='$postal_code'"
 );
diff --git a/html/user/edit_user_info_form.php b/html/user/edit_user_info_form.php
index be80aa0c450..f19e11cb0f0 100644
--- a/html/user/edit_user_info_form.php
+++ b/html/user/edit_user_info_form.php
@@ -35,17 +35,21 @@
     $user->name
 );
 
-form_input_text(
-    tra("URL %1 of your personal web page; optional%2", "<br><p class=\"small\">", "</p>"),
-    'url',
-    $user->url
-);
+if (USER_URL) {
+    form_input_text(
+        tra("URL %1 of your personal web page; optional%2", "<br><p class=\"small\">", "</p>"),
+        'url',
+        $user->url
+    );
+}
 
-form_select(
-    tra("Country"),
-    'country',
-    country_select_options($user->country)
-);
+if (USER_COUNTRY) {
+    form_select(
+        tra("Country"),
+        'country',
+        country_select_options($user->country)
+    );
+}
 
 if (POSTAL_CODE) {
     form_input_text(
diff --git a/lib/util.cpp b/lib/util.cpp
index c51418a8b24..5a38f4ff3e7 100644
--- a/lib/util.cpp
+++ b/lib/util.cpp
@@ -484,6 +484,7 @@ int run_program(
         FCGI::perror("execvp");
 #else
         perror("execvp");
+        fprintf(stderr, "couldn't exec %s: %d\n", file, errno);
 #endif
         exit(errno);
     }
diff --git a/sched/db_dump.cpp b/sched/db_dump.cpp
index d155facf6f5..04f349eb693 100644
--- a/sched/db_dump.cpp
+++ b/sched/db_dump.cpp
@@ -582,7 +582,6 @@ void write_user(USER& user, ZFILE* f, bool /*detail*/) {
         "<user>\n"
         " <id>%lu</id>\n"
         " <name>%s</name>\n"
-        " <country>%s</country>\n"
         " <create_time>%d</create_time>\n"
         " <total_credit>%f</total_credit>\n"
         " <expavg_credit>%f</expavg_credit>\n"
@@ -597,7 +596,13 @@ void write_user(USER& user, ZFILE* f, bool /*detail*/) {
         user.expavg_time,
         cpid
     );
-    if (strlen(user.url)) {
+    if (config.user_country && strlen(user.country)) {
+        f->write(
+            " <country>%s</country>\n",
+            user.country
+        );
+    }
+    if (config.user_url && strlen(user.url)) {
         f->write(
             " <url>%s</url>\n",
             url
diff --git a/sched/sched_config.cpp b/sched/sched_config.cpp
index b5a72bf1879..eb4ceb6a99e 100644
--- a/sched/sched_config.cpp
+++ b/sched/sched_config.cpp
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ int SCHED_CONFIG::parse(FILE* f) {
     scheduler_log_buffer = 32768;
     version_select_random_factor = 1.;
     maintenance_delay = 3600;
+    user_url = true;
+    user_country = true;
 
     if (!xp.parse_start("boinc")) return ERR_XML_PARSE;
     if (!xp.parse_start("config")) return ERR_XML_PARSE;
@@ -194,6 +196,8 @@ int SCHED_CONFIG::parse(FILE* f) {
         if (xp.parse_bool("job_size_matching", job_size_matching)) continue;
         if (xp.parse_bool("dont_send_jobs", dont_send_jobs)) continue;
         if (xp.parse_bool("estimate_flops_from_hav_pfc", estimate_flops_from_hav_pfc)) continue;
+        if (xp.parse_bool("user_url", user_url)) continue;
+        if (xp.parse_bool("user_country", user_country)) continue;
 
         //////////// STUFF RELEVANT ONLY TO SCHEDULER STARTS HERE ///////
 
diff --git a/sched/sched_config.h b/sched/sched_config.h
index f210057d56a..96ec0b64896 100644
--- a/sched/sched_config.h
+++ b/sched/sched_config.h
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ struct SCHED_CONFIG {
     bool enable_assignment_multi;
     bool job_size_matching;
     bool dont_send_jobs;
+    bool user_url;          // whether to export user.url in db dump
+    bool user_country;
 
     //////////// STUFF RELEVANT ONLY TO SCHEDULER FOLLOWS ///////////