diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 0fcda4e09..05b0a73a7 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ pub struct Opt {
 
 #[derive(Deserialize, Debug)]
 pub struct Config {
+	datacenter: String,
+
 	metadata_dir: PathBuf,
 	data_dir: PathBuf,
 
diff --git a/src/membership.rs b/src/membership.rs
index e468c9b05..7aaa07591 100644
--- a/src/membership.rs
+++ b/src/membership.rs
@@ -41,30 +41,17 @@ impl Members {
 			NodeStatus{
 				addr: addr.clone(),
 				remaining_ping_attempts: MAX_FAILED_PINGS,
+				datacenter: info.datacenter.clone(),
 			});
 		match old_status {
 			None => {
-				eprintln!("Discovered new node (ping): {}", hex::encode(info.id));
+				eprintln!("Newly pingable node: {}", hex::encode(info.id));
 				true
 			}
 			Some(x) => x.addr != addr,
 		}
 	}
 
-	fn handle_advertise_node(&mut self, id: &UUID, addr: &SocketAddr) -> bool {
-		if !self.status.contains_key(id) {
-			eprintln!("Discovered new node (advertisment): {}", hex::encode(id));
-			self.status.insert(id.clone(),
-				NodeStatus{
-					addr: addr.clone(),
-					remaining_ping_attempts: MAX_FAILED_PINGS,
-				});
-			true
-		} else {
-			false
-		}
-	}
-
 	fn recalculate_status_hash(&mut self) {
 		let mut nodes = self.status.iter().collect::<Vec<_>>();
 		nodes.sort_by_key(|(id, _status)| *id);
@@ -72,7 +59,7 @@ impl Members {
 		let mut hasher = Sha256::new();
 		eprintln!("Current set of pingable nodes: --");
 		for (id, status) in nodes {
-			eprintln!("{} {}", hex::encode(id), status.addr);
+			eprintln!("{} {} ({})", hex::encode(id), status.addr, status.datacenter);
 			hasher.input(format!("{} {}\n", hex::encode(id), status.addr));
 		}
 		eprintln!("END --");
@@ -82,6 +69,7 @@ impl Members {
 
 pub struct NodeStatus {
 	pub addr: SocketAddr,
+	pub datacenter: String,
 	pub remaining_ping_attempts: usize,
 }
 
@@ -109,6 +97,7 @@ impl System {
 		let members = self.members.read().await;
 		Message::Ping(PingMessage{
 			id: self.id,
+			datacenter: self.config.datacenter.clone(),
 			rpc_port: self.config.rpc_port,
 			status_hash: members.status_hash.clone(),
 			config_version: members.config.version,
@@ -123,27 +112,69 @@ impl System {
 	}
 
 	pub async fn bootstrap(self: Arc<Self>) {
+		let bootstrap_peers = self.config.bootstrap_peers
+			.iter()
+			.map(|ip| (ip.clone(), None))
+			.collect::<Vec<_>>();
+		self.clone().ping_nodes(bootstrap_peers).await;
+
+		tokio::spawn(self.ping_loop());
+	}
+
+	pub async fn ping_nodes(self: Arc<Self>, peers: Vec<(SocketAddr, Option<UUID>)>) {
 		let ping_msg = self.make_ping().await;
 		let ping_resps = join_all(
-			self.config.bootstrap_peers.iter().cloned()
-			.map(|to| {
+			peers.iter()
+			.map(|(addr, id_option)| {
 				let sys = self.clone();
 				let ping_msg_ref = &ping_msg;
 				async move {
-					(to.clone(), rpc_call_addr(sys, &to, ping_msg_ref, PING_TIMEOUT).await)
+					(id_option, addr.clone(), rpc_call_addr(sys, &addr, ping_msg_ref, PING_TIMEOUT).await)
 				}
 			})).await;
 		
 		let mut members = self.members.write().await;
-		for (addr, ping_resp) in ping_resps {
+
+		let mut has_changes = false;
+		let mut to_advertise = vec![];
+
+		for (id_option, addr, ping_resp) in ping_resps {
 			if let Ok(Message::Ping(info)) = ping_resp {
-				members.handle_ping(addr.ip(), &info);
+				let is_new = members.handle_ping(addr.ip(), &info);
+				if is_new {
+					has_changes = true;
+					to_advertise.push(AdvertisedNode{
+						id: info.id.clone(),
+						addr: addr.clone(),
+					});
+				}
+				if is_new || members.status_hash != info.status_hash {
+					tokio::spawn(self.clone().pull_status(info.id.clone()));
+				}
+				if is_new || members.config.version < info.config_version {
+					tokio::spawn(self.clone().pull_config(info.id.clone()));
+				}
+			} else if let Some(id) = id_option {
+				let remaining_attempts = members.status.get(id).map(|x| x.remaining_ping_attempts).unwrap_or(0);
+				if remaining_attempts == 0 {
+					eprintln!("Removing node {} after too many failed pings", hex::encode(id));
+					members.status.remove(id);
+					has_changes = true;
+				} else {
+					if let Some(st) = members.status.get_mut(id) {
+						st.remaining_ping_attempts = remaining_attempts - 1;
+					}
+				}
 			}
 		}
-		members.recalculate_status_hash();
+		if has_changes {
+			members.recalculate_status_hash();
+		}
 		drop(members);
 
-		tokio::spawn(self.ping_loop());
+		if to_advertise.len() > 0 {
+			self.broadcast(Message::AdvertiseNodesUp(to_advertise), PING_TIMEOUT).await;
+		}
 	}
 
 	pub async fn handle_ping(self: Arc<Self>,
@@ -191,21 +222,36 @@ impl System {
 									   adv: &[AdvertisedNode])
 		 -> Result<Message, Error>
 	{
-		let mut propagate = vec![];
+		let mut to_ping = vec![];
 
 		let mut members = self.members.write().await;
+		let mut has_changed = false;
+
 		for node in adv.iter() {
-			let is_new = members.handle_advertise_node(&node.id, &node.addr);
-			if is_new {
-				tokio::spawn(self.clone().pull_status(node.id.clone()));
-				tokio::spawn(self.clone().pull_config(node.id.clone()));
-				propagate.push(node.clone());
+			if node.id == self.id {
+				// learn our own ip address
+				let self_addr = SocketAddr::new(node.addr.ip(), self.config.rpc_port);
+				let old_self = members.status.insert(node.id.clone(),
+					NodeStatus{
+						addr: self_addr,
+						datacenter: self.config.datacenter.clone(),
+						remaining_ping_attempts: MAX_FAILED_PINGS,
+					});
+				has_changed = match old_self {
+					None => true,
+					Some(x) => x.addr != self_addr,
+				};
+			} else if !members.status.contains_key(&node.id) {
+				to_ping.push((node.addr.clone(), Some(node.id.clone())));
 			}
 		}
-		
-		if propagate.len() > 0 {
+		if has_changed {
 			members.recalculate_status_hash();
-			tokio::spawn(self.clone().broadcast(Message::AdvertiseNodesUp(propagate), PING_TIMEOUT));
+		}
+		drop(members);
+
+		if to_ping.len() > 0 {
+			tokio::spawn(self.clone().ping_nodes(to_ping));
 		}
 
 		Ok(Message::Ok)
@@ -231,53 +277,11 @@ impl System {
 			let members = self.members.read().await;
 			let ping_addrs = members.status.iter()
 					.filter(|(id, _)| **id != self.id)
-					.map(|(id, status)| (id.clone(), status.addr.clone()))
+					.map(|(id, status)| (status.addr.clone(), Some(id.clone())))
 					.collect::<Vec<_>>();
 			drop(members);
 
-			let ping_msg = self.make_ping().await;
-			let ping_resps = join_all(
-					ping_addrs.iter()
-						.map(|(id, addr)| {
-							let sys = self.clone();
-							let ping_msg_ref = &ping_msg;
-							async move {
-								(id, addr.clone(), rpc_call_addr(sys, &addr, ping_msg_ref, PING_TIMEOUT).await)
-							}
-					})).await;
-
-			let mut members = self.members.write().await;
-			let mut has_changes = false;
-
-			for (id, addr, ping_resp) in ping_resps {
-				if let Ok(Message::Ping(ping)) = ping_resp {
-					let is_new = members.handle_ping(addr.ip(), &ping);
-					if is_new {
-						has_changes = true;
-					}
-					if is_new || members.status_hash != ping.status_hash {
-						tokio::spawn(self.clone().pull_status(ping.id.clone()));
-					}
-					if is_new || members.config.version < ping.config_version {
-						tokio::spawn(self.clone().pull_config(ping.id.clone()));
-					}
-				} else {
-					let remaining_attempts = members.status.get(id).map(|x| x.remaining_ping_attempts).unwrap_or(0);
-					if remaining_attempts == 0 {
-						eprintln!("Removing node {} after too many failed pings", hex::encode(id));
-						members.status.remove(id);
-						has_changes = true;
-					} else {
-						if let Some(st) = members.status.get_mut(id) {
-							st.remaining_ping_attempts = remaining_attempts - 1;
-						}
-					}
-				}
-			}
-			if has_changes {
-				members.recalculate_status_hash();
-			}
-			drop(members);
+			self.clone().ping_nodes(ping_addrs).await;
 
 			restart_at.await
 		}
diff --git a/src/proto.rs b/src/proto.rs
index 8b60784ed..3a950c6c0 100644
--- a/src/proto.rs
+++ b/src/proto.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ pub enum Message {
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct PingMessage {
 	pub id: UUID,
+	pub datacenter: String,
 	pub rpc_port: u16,
 
 	pub status_hash: Hash,