diff --git a/includes/common.inc b/includes/common.inc
index d64be82..8e103aa 100644
--- a/includes/common.inc
+++ b/includes/common.inc
@@ -829,13 +829,6 @@ function drupal_http_request($url, array $options = array()) {
     // clash with the HTTP status codes.
     $result->code = -$errno;
     $result->error = trim($errstr) ? trim($errstr) : t('Error opening socket @socket', array('@socket' => $socket));
-
-    // Mark that this request failed. This will trigger a check of the web
-    // server's ability to make outgoing HTTP requests the next time that
-    // requirements checking is performed.
-    // See system_requirements()
-    variable_set('drupal_http_request_fails', TRUE);
-
     return $result;
   }
 
diff --git a/modules/system/system.install b/modules/system/system.install
index 24933e2..de98b85 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.install
+++ b/modules/system/system.install
@@ -466,14 +466,17 @@ function system_requirements($phase) {
     }
     $requirements['update status']['title'] = $t('Update notifications');
 
-    // Check that Drupal can issue HTTP requests.
-    if (variable_get('drupal_http_request_fails', TRUE) && !system_check_http_request()) {
-      $requirements['http requests'] = array(
-        'title' => $t('HTTP request status'),
-        'value' => $t('Fails'),
-        'severity' => REQUIREMENT_ERROR,
-        'description' => $t('Your system or network configuration does not allow Drupal to access web pages, resulting in reduced functionality. This could be due to your webserver configuration or PHP settings, and should be resolved in order to download information about available updates, fetch aggregator feeds, sign in via OpenID, or use other network-dependent services. If you are certain that Drupal can access web pages but you are still seeing this message, you may add <code>$conf[\'drupal_http_request_fails\'] = FALSE;</code> to the bottom of your settings.php file.'),
-      );
+    // Check that Drupal can issue HTTP requests once every 24 hours.
+    if (flood_is_allowed('system_http_request', 1, 86400, 'system_requirements')) {
+      flood_register_event('system_http_request', 86400, 'system_requirements');
+      if (!system_check_http_request()) {
+        $requirements['http requests'] = array(
+          'title' => $t('HTTP request status'),
+          'value' => $t('Fails'),
+          'severity' => REQUIREMENT_ERROR,
+          'description' => $t('Your system or network configuration does not allow Drupal to access web pages, resulting in reduced functionality. This could be due to your webserver configuration or PHP settings, and should be resolved in order to download information about available updates, fetch aggregator feeds, sign in via OpenID, or use other network-dependent services. If you are certain that Drupal can access web pages but you are still seeing this message, you may add <code>$conf[\'drupal_http_request_fails\'] = FALSE;</code> to the bottom of your settings.php file.'),
+        );
+      }
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/modules/system/system.module b/modules/system/system.module
index 0ef688e..283681a 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.module
+++ b/modules/system/system.module
@@ -3334,7 +3334,6 @@ function system_check_http_request() {
   // We only care that we get a http response - this means that Drupal
   // can make a http request.
   $works = isset($result->code) && ($result->code >= 100) && ($result->code < 600);
-  variable_set('drupal_http_request_fails', !$works);
   return $works;
 }