diff --git a/weed/server/master_grpc_server.go b/weed/server/master_grpc_server.go
index 2952a8071..e12449819 100644
--- a/weed/server/master_grpc_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/master_grpc_server.go
@@ -43,55 +43,54 @@ func (ms *MasterServer) SendHeartbeat(stream master_pb.Seaweed_SendHeartbeatServ
 
 	for {
 		heartbeat, err := stream.Recv()
-		if err == nil {
-			if dn == nil {
-				t.Sequence.SetMax(heartbeat.MaxFileKey)
-				if heartbeat.Ip == "" {
-					if pr, ok := peer.FromContext(stream.Context()); ok {
-						if pr.Addr != net.Addr(nil) {
-							heartbeat.Ip = pr.Addr.String()[0:strings.LastIndex(pr.Addr.String(), ":")]
-							glog.V(0).Infof("remote IP address is detected as %v", heartbeat.Ip)
-						}
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if dn == nil {
+			t.Sequence.SetMax(heartbeat.MaxFileKey)
+			if heartbeat.Ip == "" {
+				if pr, ok := peer.FromContext(stream.Context()); ok {
+					if pr.Addr != net.Addr(nil) {
+						heartbeat.Ip = pr.Addr.String()[0:strings.LastIndex(pr.Addr.String(), ":")]
+						glog.V(0).Infof("remote IP address is detected as %v", heartbeat.Ip)
 					}
 				}
-				dcName, rackName := t.Configuration.Locate(heartbeat.Ip, heartbeat.DataCenter, heartbeat.Rack)
-				dc := t.GetOrCreateDataCenter(dcName)
-				rack := dc.GetOrCreateRack(rackName)
-				dn = rack.GetOrCreateDataNode(heartbeat.Ip,
-					int(heartbeat.Port), heartbeat.PublicUrl,
-					int(heartbeat.MaxVolumeCount))
-				glog.V(0).Infof("added volume server %v:%d", heartbeat.GetIp(), heartbeat.GetPort())
-				if err := stream.Send(&master_pb.HeartbeatResponse{
-					VolumeSizeLimit: uint64(ms.volumeSizeLimitMB) * 1024 * 1024,
-					SecretKey:       string(ms.guard.SecretKey),
-				}); err != nil {
-					return err
-				}
 			}
+			dcName, rackName := t.Configuration.Locate(heartbeat.Ip, heartbeat.DataCenter, heartbeat.Rack)
+			dc := t.GetOrCreateDataCenter(dcName)
+			rack := dc.GetOrCreateRack(rackName)
+			dn = rack.GetOrCreateDataNode(heartbeat.Ip,
+				int(heartbeat.Port), heartbeat.PublicUrl,
+				int(heartbeat.MaxVolumeCount))
+			glog.V(0).Infof("added volume server %v:%d", heartbeat.GetIp(), heartbeat.GetPort())
+			if err := stream.Send(&master_pb.HeartbeatResponse{
+				VolumeSizeLimit: uint64(ms.volumeSizeLimitMB) * 1024 * 1024,
+				SecretKey:       string(ms.guard.SecretKey),
+			}); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
 
-			newVolumes, deletedVolumes := t.SyncDataNodeRegistration(heartbeat.Volumes, dn)
+		newVolumes, deletedVolumes := t.SyncDataNodeRegistration(heartbeat.Volumes, dn)
 
-			message := &master_pb.VolumeLocation{
-				Url:       dn.Url(),
-				PublicUrl: dn.PublicUrl,
-			}
-			for _, v := range newVolumes {
-				message.NewVids = append(message.NewVids, uint32(v.Id))
-			}
-			for _, v := range deletedVolumes {
-				message.DeletedVids = append(message.DeletedVids, uint32(v.Id))
-			}
+		message := &master_pb.VolumeLocation{
+			Url:       dn.Url(),
+			PublicUrl: dn.PublicUrl,
+		}
+		for _, v := range newVolumes {
+			message.NewVids = append(message.NewVids, uint32(v.Id))
+		}
+		for _, v := range deletedVolumes {
+			message.DeletedVids = append(message.DeletedVids, uint32(v.Id))
+		}
 
-			if len(message.NewVids) > 0 || len(message.DeletedVids) > 0 {
-				ms.clientChansLock.RLock()
-				for _, ch := range ms.clientChans {
-					ch <- message
-				}
-				ms.clientChansLock.RUnlock()
+		if len(message.NewVids) > 0 || len(message.DeletedVids) > 0 {
+			ms.clientChansLock.RLock()
+			for _, ch := range ms.clientChans {
+				ch <- message
 			}
-
-		} else {
-			return err
+			ms.clientChansLock.RUnlock()
 		}
 
 		// tell the volume servers about the leader