diff --git a/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/SynchronizationProvider.java b/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/SynchronizationProvider.java
index d0e56703a..b75f74861 100644
--- a/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/SynchronizationProvider.java
+++ b/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/SynchronizationProvider.java
@@ -428,8 +428,8 @@ public abstract class SynchronizationProvider {
             taskController.saveTask(task, true);
 
             // save tags
+            LinkedList<TagIdentifier> taskTags = tagController.getTaskTags(task.getTaskIdentifier());
             if(remoteTask.tags != null) {
-                LinkedList<TagIdentifier> taskTags = tagController.getTaskTags(task.getTaskIdentifier());
                 HashSet<TagIdentifier> tagsToAdd = new HashSet<TagIdentifier>();
                 for(String tag : remoteTask.tags) {
                     String tagLower = tag.toLowerCase();
@@ -449,6 +449,11 @@ public abstract class SynchronizationProvider {
                     tagController.removeTag(task.getTaskIdentifier(), tagId);
                 for(TagIdentifier tagId : tagsToAdd)
                     tagController.addTag(task.getTaskIdentifier(), tagId);
+            } else {
+            	// remove existing tags
+                for(TagIdentifier tagId : taskTags) {
+                    tagController.removeTag(task.getTaskIdentifier(), tagId);
+                }
             }
             stats.localUpdatedTasks++;
 
diff --git a/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/TaskProxy.java b/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/TaskProxy.java
index b0ed14167..cacdc4c1a 100644
--- a/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/TaskProxy.java
+++ b/src/com/timsu/astrid/sync/TaskProxy.java
@@ -171,6 +171,8 @@ public class TaskProxy {
             task.setName(name);
         if(notes != null)
             task.setNotes(notes);
+        else
+            task.setNotes("");
         if(importance != null)
             task.setImportance(importance);
         if(progressPercentage != null)
@@ -192,20 +194,19 @@ public class TaskProxy {
         	else
         		task.setDefiniteDueDate(dueDate);
         } else {
-	        if(definiteDueDate != null)
-	            task.setDefiniteDueDate(definiteDueDate);
-	        if(preferredDueDate != null)
-	            task.setPreferredDueDate(preferredDueDate);
+            task.setDefiniteDueDate(definiteDueDate);
+            task.setPreferredDueDate(preferredDueDate);
         }
 
         if(hiddenUntil != null)
             task.setHiddenUntil(hiddenUntil);
-        if(estimatedSeconds != null)
-            task.setEstimatedSeconds(estimatedSeconds);
+        task.setEstimatedSeconds(estimatedSeconds);
         if(elapsedSeconds != null)
             task.setElapsedSeconds(elapsedSeconds);
         if(syncOnComplete != null)
             task.setFlags(task.getFlags() | TaskModelForSync.FLAG_SYNC_ON_COMPLETE);
+        else
+            task.setFlags(task.getFlags() & ~TaskModelForSync.FLAG_SYNC_ON_COMPLETE);
 
         // this is inaccurate. =/
         if(repeatInfo != null) {