Index: portage/pym/portage.py
===================================================================
--- portage.orig/pym/portage.py
+++ portage/pym/portage.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ try:
 	  MOVE_BINARY, PRELINK_BINARY, WORLD_FILE, MAKE_CONF_FILE, MAKE_DEFAULTS_FILE, \
 	  DEPRECATED_PROFILE_FILE, USER_VIRTUALS_FILE, EBUILD_SH_ENV_FILE, \
 	  INVALID_ENV_FILE, CUSTOM_MIRRORS_FILE, SANDBOX_PIDS_FILE, CONFIG_MEMORY_FILE,\
-	  INCREMENTALS, STICKIES, EAPI
+	  INCREMENTALS, STICKIES, EAPI, EAPI_UNRECOGNIZED
 
 	from portage_data import ostype, lchown, userland, secpass, uid, wheelgid, \
 	                         portage_uid, portage_gid
@@ -4542,7 +4542,10 @@ class bindbapi(fakedbapi):
 			try:
 				mylist[idx] = abs(int(mylist[idx]))
 			except ValueError:
-				mylist[idx] = 0
+				if mylist[idx]=="":
+					mylist[idx] = 0
+				else:
+					mylist[idx] = EAPI_UNRECOGNIZED
 		return mylist
 
 
@@ -4827,7 +4830,10 @@ class vardbapi(dbapi):
 			try:
 				results[idx] = abs(int(wants[idx]))
 			except ValueError:
-				results[idx] = 0 
+				if wants[idx]=="":
+					results[idx] = 0 
+				else:
+					results[idx] = EAPI_UNRECOGNIZED
 		return results
 
 
@@ -5313,7 +5319,10 @@ class portdbapi(dbapi):
 			try:
 				eapi = int(metadata["EAPI"])
 			except (KeyError, ValueError):
-				eapi = 0
+				if metadata.has_key("EAPI") and metadata["EAPI"]!="":
+					eapi = EAPI_UNRECOGNIZED
+				else:
+					eapi = 0
 				metadata["EAPI"] = eapi
 			if eapi != portage_const.EAPI:
 				# intentionally wipe keys.
@@ -5391,7 +5400,10 @@ class portdbapi(dbapi):
 					mylines[x] = mylines[x][:-1]
 				mydata[auxdbkeys[x]] = mylines[x]
 
-			eapi = int(mydata["EAPI"])
+			try:
+				eapi = int(mydata["EAPI"])
+			except ValueError:
+				eapi = EAPI_UNRECOGNIZED
 			if eapi > portage_const.EAPI:
 				# if newer version, wipe everything and negate eapi
 				mydata = {}
@@ -5417,7 +5429,10 @@ class portdbapi(dbapi):
 				returnme[idx] = abs(int(returnme[idx]))
 			except ValueError:
 				# string
-				returnme[idx] = 0
+				if returnme[idx]=="":
+					returnme[idx] = 0
+				else:
+					returnme[idx] = EAPI_UNRECOGNIZED
 
 		return returnme
 
Index: portage/pym/portage_const.py
===================================================================
--- portage.orig/pym/portage_const.py
+++ portage/pym/portage_const.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ INCREMENTALS=["USE","FEATURES","ACCEPT_K
 STICKIES=["KEYWORDS_ACCEPT","USE","CFLAGS","CXXFLAGS","MAKEOPTS","EXTRA_ECONF","EXTRA_EINSTALL","EXTRA_EMAKE"]
 
 EAPI = 0
+EAPI_UNRECOGNIZED = 65536
 
 # ===========================================================================
 # END OF CONSTANTS -- END OF CONSTANTS -- END OF CONSTANTS -- END OF CONSTANT