--- node.module	2006-08-29 10:07:33.000000000 -0400
+++ node.module.patched	2006-08-29 10:06:30.000000000 -0400
@@ -1785,9 +1785,19 @@
   }
   // Force defaults in case people modify the form:
   $node_options = variable_get('node_options_'. $node->type, array('status', 'promote'));
+  // Unless it's an existing node - in that case preserve the properties
+  if ($node->nid) {
+    $was_node = node_load($node->nid);
+  }
+
   foreach (array('status', 'promote', 'sticky', 'revision') as $key) {
     if (!$access || !isset($node->$key)) {
-      $node->$key = in_array($key, $node_options);
+      if ($node->nid) {
+        $node->$key = $was_node->$key;
+      }
+      else {
+        $node->$key = in_array($key, $node_options);
+      }
     }
   }