diff --git a/weed/pb/seaweed.pb.go b/weed/pb/seaweed.pb.go
index 19bbb39d8..51e115b56 100644
--- a/weed/pb/seaweed.pb.go
+++ b/weed/pb/seaweed.pb.go
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ func (m *Heartbeat) GetVolumes() []*VolumeInformationMessage {
 type HeartbeatResponse struct {
 	VolumeSizeLimit uint64 `protobuf:"varint,1,opt,name=volumeSizeLimit" json:"volumeSizeLimit,omitempty"`
 	SecretKey       string `protobuf:"bytes,2,opt,name=secretKey" json:"secretKey,omitempty"`
+	Leader          string `protobuf:"bytes,3,opt,name=leader" json:"leader,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (m *HeartbeatResponse) Reset()                    { *m = HeartbeatResponse{} }
@@ -139,6 +140,13 @@ func (m *HeartbeatResponse) GetSecretKey() string {
 	return ""
 }
 
+func (m *HeartbeatResponse) GetLeader() string {
+	if m != nil {
+		return m.Leader
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
 type VolumeInformationMessage struct {
 	Id               uint32 `protobuf:"varint,1,opt,name=id" json:"id,omitempty"`
 	Size             uint64 `protobuf:"varint,2,opt,name=size" json:"size,omitempty"`
@@ -340,36 +348,37 @@ var _Seaweed_serviceDesc = grpc.ServiceDesc{
 func init() { proto.RegisterFile("seaweed.proto", fileDescriptor0) }
 
 var fileDescriptor0 = []byte{
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-	0xff, 0xd5, 0x08, 0xa6, 0xf2, 0x30, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00,
+	// 498 bytes of a gzipped FileDescriptorProto
+	0x1f, 0x8b, 0x08, 0x00, 0x00, 0x09, 0x6e, 0x88, 0x02, 0xff, 0x74, 0x93, 0xdf, 0x6e, 0xd3, 0x30,
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+	0x00, 0x00,
 }
diff --git a/weed/pb/seaweed.proto b/weed/pb/seaweed.proto
index b796b9c26..0eb55b295 100644
--- a/weed/pb/seaweed.proto
+++ b/weed/pb/seaweed.proto
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ message Heartbeat {
 message HeartbeatResponse {
   uint64 volumeSizeLimit = 1;
   string secretKey = 2;
+  string leader = 3;
 }
 
 message VolumeInformationMessage {
diff --git a/weed/server/master_grpc_server.go b/weed/server/master_grpc_server.go
index b5cbd85b7..8a9117b1e 100644
--- a/weed/server/master_grpc_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/master_grpc_server.go
@@ -65,5 +65,17 @@ func (ms MasterServer) SendHeartbeat(stream pb.Seaweed_SendHeartbeatServer) erro
 			}
 			return err
 		}
+
+		if !t.IsLeader() {
+			newLeader, err := t.Leader()
+			if err == nil {
+				if err := stream.Send(&pb.HeartbeatResponse{
+					Leader: newLeader,
+				}); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
 	}
 }
diff --git a/weed/server/volume_grpc_client.go b/weed/server/volume_grpc_client.go
index d2d6f1a91..ee6f6095c 100644
--- a/weed/server/volume_grpc_client.go
+++ b/weed/server/volume_grpc_client.go
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ func (vs *VolumeServer) doHeartbeat(sleepInterval time.Duration) error {
 			}
 			vs.store.VolumeSizeLimit = in.GetVolumeSizeLimit()
 			vs.guard.SecretKey = security.Secret(in.GetSecretKey())
+			if in.GetLeader() != "" && masterNode != in.GetLeader() {
+				vs.masterNodes.SetPossibleLeader(in.GetLeader())
+				doneChan <- nil
+				return
+			}
 		}
 	}()
 
diff --git a/weed/storage/store.go b/weed/storage/store.go
index ade323c2e..f70ebe0ee 100644
--- a/weed/storage/store.go
+++ b/weed/storage/store.go
@@ -16,8 +16,9 @@ const (
 )
 
 type MasterNodes struct {
-	nodes  []string
-	leader string
+	nodes          []string
+	leader         string
+	possibleLeader string
 }
 
 func (mn *MasterNodes) String() string {
@@ -34,6 +35,10 @@ func (mn *MasterNodes) Reset() {
 		glog.V(0).Infof("Resetting master nodes: %v", mn)
 	}
 }
+func (mn *MasterNodes) SetPossibleLeader(possibleLeader string) {
+	// TODO try to check this leader first
+	mn.possibleLeader = possibleLeader
+}
 func (mn *MasterNodes) FindMaster() (leader string, err error) {
 	if len(mn.nodes) == 0 {
 		return "", errors.New("No master node found!")