Getting Message: 589... 'Invalid role string received' after adding a new database to the replication system

Getting Message: 589... 'Invalid role string received' after adding a new database to the replication system, and DSI thread goes down.

I have verified with rs_helpuser that the maint_user is used for the connection to database (mctest) .

I revoked and re-granted replication_role and sa_role to maint_user in mctest.

Dropped and recreated the maint_user login in the ASE, as well as the user in the database. Even made the user an alias to dbo.

To no avail. I'd very much appreciate any help anyone can provide. -Thanks, Andrei