--- gnus-sum.el~	2008-12-25 02:41:43 +0000
+++ gnus-sum.el	2009-01-06 06:42:33 +0000
@@ -3831,18 +3831,18 @@
       (and (consp elem)			; Has to be a cons.
 	   (consp (cdr elem))		; The cdr has to be a list.
 	   (symbolp (car elem))		; Has to be a symbol in there.
-
-	   ;; Variables like `gnus-show-threads' that are globally bound,
-	   ;; if used as group parameters, need to get to be buffer-local,
-	   ;; whereas just parameters like `gcc-self', `timestamp', etc.
-	   ;; should not be bound as variables.
-	   (boundp (car elem))		; Has to be already bound
-
 	   (not (memq (car elem) vars))
-	   (ignore-errors		; So we set it.
+	   (ignore-errors
 	     (push (car elem) vars)
-	     (make-local-variable (car elem))
-	     (set (car elem) (eval (nth 1 elem))))))))
+	     ;; Variables like `gnus-show-threads' that are globally
+	     ;; bound, if used as group parameters, need to get to be
+	     ;; buffer-local, whereas just parameters like `gcc-self',
+	     ;; `timestamp', etc. should not be bound as variables.
+	     (if (boundp (car elem))
+		 (progn
+		   (make-local-variable (car elem))
+		   (set (car elem) (eval (nth 1 elem))))
+	       (eval (nth 1 elem))))))))
 
 (defun gnus-summary-read-group (group &optional show-all no-article
 				      kill-buffer no-display backward