diff --git a/service/peer.go b/service/peer.go
index c443f915..e2da7daf 100644
--- a/service/peer.go
+++ b/service/peer.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import (
 
 // peerServers
 type peerServers struct {
-	HasAgentFlag       *bool `json:"HasAgent,omitempty"`       // If set, this peer is running an agent
+	HasAgentFlag       bool  `json:"HasAgent"`                 // If set, this peer is running an agent
 	HasDBServerFlag    *bool `json:"HasDBServer,omitempty"`    // If set or is nil, this peer is running a dbserver
 	HasCoordinatorFlag *bool `json:"HasCoordinator,omitempty"` // If set or is nil, this peer is running a coordinator
 }
@@ -58,12 +58,8 @@ func preparePeerServers(mode ServiceMode, bsCfg BootstrapConfig, config Config)
 	if !boolFromRef(bsCfg.StartCoordinator, true) {
 		hasCoordinator = boolRef(false)
 	}
-	var hasAgent *bool
-	if !boolFromRef(bsCfg.StartAgent, !mode.IsSingleMode()) {
-		hasAgent = boolRef(false)
-	}
 	return peerServers{
-		HasAgentFlag:       hasAgent,
+		HasAgentFlag:       boolFromRef(bsCfg.StartAgent, !mode.IsSingleMode()),
 		HasDBServerFlag:    hasDBServer,
 		HasCoordinatorFlag: hasCoordinator,
 	}
@@ -83,7 +79,7 @@ func newPeer(id, address string, port, portOffset int, dataDir string, servers p
 }
 
 // HasAgent returns true if this peer is running an agent
-func (p Peer) HasAgent() bool { return p.HasAgentFlag == nil || *p.HasAgentFlag }
+func (p Peer) HasAgent() bool { return p.HasAgentFlag }
 
 // HasDBServer returns true if this peer is running a dbserver
 func (p Peer) HasDBServer() bool { return p.HasDBServerFlag == nil || *p.HasDBServerFlag }
diff --git a/service/service.go b/service/service.go
index ca4a38ca..7c1ef7b6 100644
--- a/service/service.go
+++ b/service/service.go
@@ -816,7 +816,7 @@ func (s *Service) HandleHello(ownAddress, remoteAddress string, req *HelloReques
 					peer.Port = req.SlavePort
 					peer.DataDir = req.DataDir
 
-					peer.HasAgentFlag = utils.NotNilDefault(req.Agent, peer.HasAgentFlag)
+					peer.HasAgentFlag = boolFromRef(req.Agent, peer.HasAgentFlag)
 					peer.HasCoordinatorFlag = utils.NotNilDefault(req.Coordinator, peer.HasCoordinatorFlag)
 					peer.HasDBServerFlag = utils.NotNilDefault(req.DBServer, peer.HasDBServerFlag)
 				}
@@ -831,14 +831,13 @@ func (s *Service) HandleHello(ownAddress, remoteAddress string, req *HelloReques
 			portOffset := s.myPeers.GetFreePortOffset(slaveAddr, slavePort, s.cfg.AllPortOffsetsUnique)
 			s.log.Debug().Msgf("Set slave port offset to %d, got slaveAddr=%s, slavePort=%d", portOffset, slaveAddr, slavePort)
 
-			hasAgentFlag := !s.myPeers.HaveEnoughAgents()
 			servers := peerServers{
-				HasAgentFlag:       &hasAgentFlag,
+				HasAgentFlag:       !s.myPeers.HaveEnoughAgents(),
 				HasDBServerFlag:    nil,
 				HasCoordinatorFlag: nil,
 			}
 			if req.Agent != nil {
-				servers.HasAgentFlag = req.Agent
+				servers.HasAgentFlag = *req.Agent
 			}
 			if req.DBServer != nil && *req.DBServer != true {
 				servers.HasDBServerFlag = req.DBServer