diff --git a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/TunnelPoolSettings.java b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/TunnelPoolSettings.java
index 481836d17eeb348e6faac8c648541630b7a27b1b..fd718e4799166d34e94c4a7442275bfafe8181ee 100644
--- a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/TunnelPoolSettings.java
+++ b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/TunnelPoolSettings.java
@@ -244,9 +244,10 @@ public class TunnelPoolSettings {
             String name = (String) e.getKey();
             String value = (String) e.getValue();
             if (name.startsWith(prefix)) {
-                if (name.equalsIgnoreCase(prefix + PROP_ALLOW_ZERO_HOP))
-                    _allowZeroHop = getBoolean(value, DEFAULT_ALLOW_ZERO_HOP);
-                else if (name.equalsIgnoreCase(prefix + PROP_BACKUP_QUANTITY))
+                if (name.equalsIgnoreCase(prefix + PROP_ALLOW_ZERO_HOP)) {
+                    if (!_isExploratory)
+                        _allowZeroHop = getBoolean(value, DEFAULT_ALLOW_ZERO_HOP);
+                } else if (name.equalsIgnoreCase(prefix + PROP_BACKUP_QUANTITY))
                     _backupQuantity = getInt(value, DEFAULT_BACKUP_QUANTITY);
                 //else if (name.equalsIgnoreCase(prefix + PROP_DURATION))
                 //    _duration = getInt(value, DEFAULT_DURATION);