--- node.module#4
+++ node.module
@@ -1312,6 +1312,7 @@
     $output .= "</div>\n";
 
     $node_options = variable_get('node_options_'. $edit->type, array('status', 'promote'));
+    settype($node_options, "array");
     $options .= form_checkbox(t('Published'), 'status', 1, isset($edit->status) ? $edit->status : in_array('status', $node_options));
     $options .= form_checkbox(t('In moderation queue'), 'moderate', 1, isset($edit->moderate) ? $edit->moderate : in_array('moderate', $node_options));
     $options .= form_checkbox(t('Promoted to front page'), 'promote', 1, isset($edit->promote) ? $edit->promote : in_array('promote', $node_options));