diff --git a/direct/src/dcparser/dcClass.cxx b/direct/src/dcparser/dcClass.cxx
index 8cd0c4cefd..1ac9fb40ff 100644
--- a/direct/src/dcparser/dcClass.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/dcparser/dcClass.cxx
@@ -381,11 +381,10 @@ receive_update_broadcast_required(PyObject *distobj, DatagramIterator &di) const
   int num_fields = get_num_inherited_fields();
   for (int i = 0; i < num_fields && !PyErr_Occurred(); ++i) {
     DCField *field = get_inherited_field(i);
-    DCAtomicField *atom = field->as_atomic_field();
-    if (atom != (DCAtomicField *)NULL &&
-        atom->is_required() && atom->is_broadcast()) {
-      packer.begin_unpack(atom);
-      atom->receive_update(packer, distobj);
+    if (field->as_molecular_field() == (DCMolecularField *)NULL &&
+        field->is_required() && field->is_broadcast()) {
+      packer.begin_unpack(field);
+      field->receive_update(packer, distobj);
       if (!packer.end_unpack()) {
         break;
       }
@@ -416,10 +415,10 @@ receive_update_all_required(PyObject *distobj, DatagramIterator &di) const {
   int num_fields = get_num_inherited_fields();
   for (int i = 0; i < num_fields && !PyErr_Occurred(); ++i) {
     DCField *field = get_inherited_field(i);
-    DCAtomicField *atom = field->as_atomic_field();
-    if (atom != (DCAtomicField *)NULL && atom->is_required()) {
-      packer.begin_unpack(atom);
-      atom->receive_update(packer, distobj);
+    if (field->as_molecular_field() == (DCMolecularField *)NULL &&
+        field->is_required()) {
+      packer.begin_unpack(field);
+      field->receive_update(packer, distobj);
       if (!packer.end_unpack()) {
         break;
       }
@@ -563,8 +562,7 @@ pack_required_field(DCPacker &packer, PyObject *distobj,
     return pack_ok;
   }
 
-  const DCAtomicField *atom = field->as_atomic_field();
-  if (atom == (DCAtomicField *)NULL) {
+  if (field->as_molecular_field() != (DCMolecularField *)NULL) {
     ostringstream strm;
     strm << "Cannot pack molecular field " << field->get_name()
          << " for generate";
@@ -572,6 +570,9 @@ pack_required_field(DCPacker &packer, PyObject *distobj,
     return false;
   }
 
+  const DCAtomicField *atom = field->as_atomic_field();
+  nassertr(atom != (DCAtomicField *)NULL, false);
+
   // We need to get the initial value of this field.  There isn't a
   // good, robust way to get this; presently, we just mangle the
   // "setFoo()" name of the required field into "getFoo()" and call
diff --git a/direct/src/dcparser/dcField.cxx b/direct/src/dcparser/dcField.cxx
index a0cf71c0ac..9804d61410 100644
--- a/direct/src/dcparser/dcField.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/dcparser/dcField.cxx
@@ -532,31 +532,45 @@ unpack_args(DCPacker &packer) const {
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void DCField::
 receive_update(DCPacker &packer, PyObject *distobj) const {
-  if (!PyObject_HasAttrString(distobj, (char *)_name.c_str())) {
-    // If there's no Python method to receive this message, don't
-    // bother unpacking it to a Python tuple--just skip past the
-    // message.
-    packer.unpack_skip();
+  if (as_parameter() != (DCParameter *)NULL) {
+    // If it's a parameter-type field, just store a new value on the
+    // object.
+    PyObject *value = unpack_args(packer);
+    if (value != (PyObject *)NULL) {
+      PyObject_SetAttrString(distobj, (char *)_name.c_str(), value);
+    }
+    Py_DECREF(value);
 
   } else {
-    // Otherwise, get a Python tuple from the args and call the Python
-    // method.
-    PyObject *args = unpack_args(packer);
+    // Otherwise, it must be an atomic or molecular field, so call the
+    // corresponding method.
 
-    if (args != (PyObject *)NULL) {
-      PyObject *func = PyObject_GetAttrString(distobj, (char *)_name.c_str());
-      nassertv(func != (PyObject *)NULL);
+    if (!PyObject_HasAttrString(distobj, (char *)_name.c_str())) {
+      // If there's no Python method to receive this message, don't
+      // bother unpacking it to a Python tuple--just skip past the
+      // message.
+      packer.unpack_skip();
+
+    } else {
+      // Otherwise, get a Python tuple from the args and call the Python
+      // method.
+      PyObject *args = unpack_args(packer);
+
+      if (args != (PyObject *)NULL) {
+        PyObject *func = PyObject_GetAttrString(distobj, (char *)_name.c_str());
+        nassertv(func != (PyObject *)NULL);
       
-      PyObject *result;
-      {
+        PyObject *result;
+        {
 #ifdef WITHIN_PANDA
-        PStatTimer timer(((DCField *)this)->_field_update_pcollector);
+          PStatTimer timer(((DCField *)this)->_field_update_pcollector);
 #endif
-        result = PyObject_CallObject(func, args);
+          result = PyObject_CallObject(func, args);
+        }
+        Py_XDECREF(result);
+        Py_DECREF(func);
+        Py_DECREF(args);
       }
-      Py_XDECREF(result);
-      Py_DECREF(func);
-      Py_DECREF(args);
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/direct/src/dcparser/dcParameter.cxx b/direct/src/dcparser/dcParameter.cxx
index 720a1e7a24..02ce859210 100644
--- a/direct/src/dcparser/dcParameter.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/dcparser/dcParameter.cxx
@@ -232,7 +232,6 @@ write_instance(ostream &out, bool brief, int indent_level,
                const string &postname) const {
   indent(out, indent_level);
   output_instance(out, brief, prename, name, postname);
-  output_flags(out);
   out << ";";
   if (!brief && _number >= 0) {
     out << "  // field " << _number;