Index: lib/Perlbal/Plugin/Stats.pm
===================================================================
--- lib/Perlbal/Plugin/Stats.pm	(revision 670)
+++ lib/Perlbal/Plugin/Stats.pm	(working copy)
@@ -44,7 +44,11 @@
     $svc->register_hook('Stats', 'backend_client_assigned', sub {
         my Perlbal::BackendHTTP $be = shift;
         $sobj->{pending}->{"$be->{client}"} = [ gettimeofday() ];
-        ($be->{client}->{high_priority} ? $sobj->{proxy_requests_highpri} : $sobj->{proxy_requests})++;
+        (
+         (exists $be->{client}->{high_priority} and $be->{client}->{high_priority}) 
+           ? $sobj->{proxy_requests_highpri}
+           : $sobj->{proxy_requests}
+         )++;
         return 0;
     });
     $svc->register_hook('Stats', 'backend_response_received', sub {