diff --git a/include/libtorrent/add_torrent_params.hpp b/include/libtorrent/add_torrent_params.hpp
index 9baee8c68..085b6f844 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/add_torrent_params.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/add_torrent_params.hpp
@@ -377,6 +377,11 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		// flags controlling aspects of this torrent and how it's added. See
 		// flags_t for details.
+		// .. note::
+		// 	The ``flags`` field is initialized with default flags by the
+		// 	constructor. In order to preserve default behavior when clearing or
+		// 	setting other flags, make sure to bitwise OR or in a flag or bitwise
+		// 	AND the inverse of a flag to clear it.
 		boost::uint64_t flags;
 
 		// set this to the info hash of the torrent to add in case the info-hash
diff --git a/src/torrent.cpp b/src/torrent.cpp
index 77b2d4113..1856d2370 100644
--- a/src/torrent.cpp
+++ b/src/torrent.cpp
@@ -728,29 +728,29 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			, p.max_connections
 			, p.upload_limit
 			, p.download_limit
-			, (p.flags == add_torrent_params::flag_seed_mode)
+			, (p.flags & add_torrent_params::flag_seed_mode)
 				? "seed-mode " : ""
-			, (p.flags == add_torrent_params::flag_override_resume_data)
+			, (p.flags & add_torrent_params::flag_override_resume_data)
 				? "override-resume-data " : ""
-			, (p.flags == add_torrent_params::flag_upload_mode)
+			, (p.flags & add_torrent_params::flag_upload_mode)
 				? "upload-mode " : ""
-			, (p.flags == add_torrent_params::flag_share_mode)
+			, (p.flags & add_torrent_params::flag_share_mode)
 				? "share-mode " : ""
-			, (p.flags == add_torrent_params::flag_apply_ip_filter)
+			, (p.flags & add_torrent_params::flag_apply_ip_filter)
 				? "apply-ip-filter " : ""
-			, (p.flags == add_torrent_params::flag_paused)
+			, (p.flags & add_torrent_params::flag_paused)
 				? "paused " : ""
-			, (p.flags == add_torrent_params::flag_auto_managed)
+			, (p.flags & add_torrent_params::flag_auto_managed)
 				? "auto-managed " : ""
-			, (p.flags == add_torrent_params::flag_merge_resume_trackers)
+			, (p.flags & add_torrent_params::flag_merge_resume_trackers)
 				? "merge-resume-trackers " : ""
-			, (p.flags == add_torrent_params::flag_update_subscribe)
+			, (p.flags & add_torrent_params::flag_update_subscribe)
 				? "update-subscribe " : ""
-			, (p.flags == add_torrent_params::flag_super_seeding)
+			, (p.flags & add_torrent_params::flag_super_seeding)
 				? "super-seeding " : ""
-			, (p.flags == add_torrent_params::flag_sequential_download)
+			, (p.flags & add_torrent_params::flag_sequential_download)
 				? "sequential-download " : ""
-			, (p.flags == add_torrent_params::flag_use_resume_save_path)
+			, (p.flags & add_torrent_params::flag_use_resume_save_path)
 				? "resume-save-path " : ""
 			, p.save_path.c_str()
 			);