diff --git a/weed/operation/list_masters.go b/weed/operation/list_masters.go
index 0a15b0af8..75838de4d 100644
--- a/weed/operation/list_masters.go
+++ b/weed/operation/list_masters.go
@@ -13,20 +13,20 @@ type ClusterStatusResult struct {
 	Peers    []string `json:"Peers,omitempty"`
 }
 
-func ListMasters(server string) ([]string, error) {
+func ListMasters(server string) (leader string, peers []string, err error) {
 	jsonBlob, err := util.Get("http://" + server + "/cluster/status")
 	glog.V(2).Info("list masters result :", string(jsonBlob))
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return "", nil, err
 	}
 	var ret ClusterStatusResult
 	err = json.Unmarshal(jsonBlob, &ret)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return "", nil, err
 	}
-	masters := ret.Peers
+	peers = ret.Peers
 	if ret.IsLeader {
-		masters = append(masters, ret.Leader)
+		peers = append(peers, ret.Leader)
 	}
-	return masters, nil
+	return ret.Leader, peers, nil
 }
diff --git a/weed/server/filer_server.go b/weed/server/filer_server.go
index 4a0b2103b..0601effed 100644
--- a/weed/server/filer_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/filer_server.go
@@ -117,17 +117,6 @@ func NewFilerServer(r *http.ServeMux, ip string, port int, master string, dir st
 		fs.masterNodes = storage.NewMasterNodes(fs.master)
 		glog.V(0).Infof("Filer server bootstraps with master %s", fs.getMasterNode())
 
-		//force initialize with all available master nodes
-		for {
-			_, err := fs.masterNodes.FindMaster()
-			if err != nil {
-				glog.Infof("filer server failed to get master cluster info:%s", err.Error())
-				time.Sleep(3 * time.Second)
-			} else {
-				break
-			}
-		}
-
 		for {
 			glog.V(4).Infof("Filer server sending to master %s", fs.getMasterNode())
 			master, err := fs.detectHealthyMaster(fs.getMasterNode())
diff --git a/weed/server/volume_grpc_client.go b/weed/server/volume_grpc_client.go
index ac3871c8c..d2d6f1a91 100644
--- a/weed/server/volume_grpc_client.go
+++ b/weed/server/volume_grpc_client.go
@@ -23,13 +23,14 @@ func (vs *VolumeServer) heartbeat() {
 		err := vs.doHeartbeat(time.Duration(vs.pulseSeconds) * time.Second)
 		if err != nil {
 			glog.V(0).Infof("heartbeat error: %v", err)
-			time.Sleep(time.Duration(3*vs.pulseSeconds) * time.Second)
+			time.Sleep(time.Duration(vs.pulseSeconds) * time.Second)
 		}
 	}
 }
 
 func (vs *VolumeServer) doHeartbeat(sleepInterval time.Duration) error {
 
+	vs.masterNodes.Reset()
 	masterNode, err := vs.masterNodes.FindMaster()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("No master found: %v", err)
diff --git a/weed/storage/store.go b/weed/storage/store.go
index c62ac9ab7..ade323c2e 100644
--- a/weed/storage/store.go
+++ b/weed/storage/store.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package storage
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"math/rand"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -17,49 +16,47 @@ const (
 )
 
 type MasterNodes struct {
-	nodes    []string
-	lastNode int
+	nodes  []string
+	leader string
 }
 
 func (mn *MasterNodes) String() string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("nodes:%v, lastNode:%d", mn.nodes, mn.lastNode)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("nodes:%v, leader:%s", mn.nodes, mn.leader)
 }
 
 func NewMasterNodes(bootstrapNode string) (mn *MasterNodes) {
-	mn = &MasterNodes{nodes: []string{bootstrapNode}, lastNode: -1}
+	mn = &MasterNodes{nodes: []string{bootstrapNode}, leader: ""}
 	return
 }
 func (mn *MasterNodes) Reset() {
-	glog.V(4).Infof("Resetting master nodes: %v", mn)
-	if len(mn.nodes) > 1 && mn.lastNode >= 0 {
-		glog.V(0).Infof("Reset master %s from: %v", mn.nodes[mn.lastNode], mn.nodes)
-		mn.lastNode = -mn.lastNode - 1
+	if mn.leader != "" {
+		mn.leader = ""
+		glog.V(0).Infof("Resetting master nodes: %v", mn)
 	}
 }
-func (mn *MasterNodes) FindMaster() (string, error) {
+func (mn *MasterNodes) FindMaster() (leader string, err error) {
 	if len(mn.nodes) == 0 {
 		return "", errors.New("No master node found!")
 	}
-	if mn.lastNode < 0 {
+	if mn.leader == "" {
 		for _, m := range mn.nodes {
 			glog.V(4).Infof("Listing masters on %s", m)
-			if masters, e := operation.ListMasters(m); e == nil {
-				if len(masters) == 0 {
-					continue
+			if leader, masters, e := operation.ListMasters(m); e == nil {
+				if leader != "" {
+					mn.nodes = append(masters, m)
+					mn.leader = leader
+					glog.V(2).Infof("current master nodes is %v", mn)
+					break
 				}
-				mn.nodes = append(masters, m)
-				mn.lastNode = rand.Intn(len(mn.nodes))
-				glog.V(2).Infof("current master nodes is %v", mn)
-				break
 			} else {
 				glog.V(4).Infof("Failed listing masters on %s: %v", m, e)
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if mn.lastNode < 0 {
+	if mn.leader == "" {
 		return "", errors.New("No master node available!")
 	}
-	return mn.nodes[mn.lastNode], nil
+	return mn.leader, nil
 }
 
 /*