Index: comment.module
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/drupal/drupal/modules/comment.module,v
retrieving revision 1.302.2.10
diff -u -r1.302.2.10 comment.module
--- comment.module	16 Mar 2005 19:32:27 -0000	1.302.2.10
+++ comment.module	13 Apr 2005 16:39:53 -0000
@@ -253,8 +253,14 @@
       return db_fetch_array(db_query("SELECT last_comment_timestamp, last_comment_name, comment_count FROM {node_comment_statistics} WHERE nid = %d", $node->nid));
     case 'validate':
       if (!user_access('administer nodes')) {
-        // Force default for normal users:
-        $node->comment = variable_get("comment_$node->type", 2);
+        if (!$node->nid) {
+          // Force default for normal users:
+          $node->comment = variable_get("comment_$node->type", 2);
+        }
+        else {
+          // If the node is being updated, respect its previous settings
+          unset($node->comment);
+        }
       }
       break;
     case 'insert':