diff --git a/node-daemon/pvcd/Daemon.py b/node-daemon/pvcd/Daemon.py
index b23fcb51..463eaf45 100644
--- a/node-daemon/pvcd/Daemon.py
+++ b/node-daemon/pvcd/Daemon.py
@@ -682,8 +682,8 @@ def cmd(data, stat, event=''):
             node, device, weight = args.split(',')
             if node == this_node.name:
                 # Lock the command queue
-                lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
-                with lock:
+                zk_lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
+                with zk_lock:
                     # Add the OSD
                     result = CephInstance.add_osd(zk_conn, logger, node, device, weight)
                     # Command succeeded
@@ -703,8 +703,8 @@ def cmd(data, stat, event=''):
             # Verify osd_id is in the list
             if d_osd[osd_id] and d_osd[osd_id].node == this_node.name:
                 # Lock the command queue
-                lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
-                with lock:
+                zk_lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
+                with zk_lock:
                     # Remove the OSD
                     result = CephInstance.remove_osd(zk_conn, logger, osd_id, d_osd[osd_id])
                     # Command succeeded
@@ -724,8 +724,8 @@ def cmd(data, stat, event=''):
             # Verify osd_id is in the list
             if d_osd[osd_id] and d_osd[osd_id].node == this_node.name:
                 # Lock the command queue
-                lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
-                with lock:
+                zk_lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
+                with zk_lock:
                     # Online the OSD
                     result = CephInstance.in_osd(zk_conn, logger, osd_id)
                     # Command succeeded
@@ -745,8 +745,8 @@ def cmd(data, stat, event=''):
             # Verify osd_id is in the list
             if d_osd[osd_id] and d_osd[osd_id].node == this_node.name:
                 # Lock the command queue
-                lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
-                with lock:
+                zk_lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
+                with zk_lock:
                     # Offline the OSD
                     result = CephInstance.out_osd(zk_conn, logger, osd_id)
                     # Command succeeded
@@ -765,8 +765,8 @@ def cmd(data, stat, event=''):
 
             if this_node.router_state == 'primary':
                 # Lock the command queue
-                lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
-                with lock:
+                zk_lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
+                with zk_lock:
                     # Set the property
                     result = CephInstance.set_property(zk_conn, logger, option)
                     # Command succeeded
@@ -785,8 +785,8 @@ def cmd(data, stat, event=''):
 
             if this_node.router_state == 'primary':
                 # Lock the command queue
-                lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
-                with lock:
+                zk_lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
+                with zk_lock:
                     # Unset the property
                     result = CephInstance.unset_property(zk_conn, logger, option)
                     # Command succeeded
@@ -805,8 +805,8 @@ def cmd(data, stat, event=''):
             name, pgs = args.split(',')
             if this_node.router_state == 'primary':
                 # Lock the command queue
-                lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
-                with lock:
+                zk_lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
+                with zk_lock:
                     # Add the pool
                     result = CephInstance.add_pool(zk_conn, logger, name, pgs)
                     # Command succeeded
@@ -825,8 +825,8 @@ def cmd(data, stat, event=''):
 
             if this_node.router_state == 'primary':
                 # Lock the command queue
-                lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
-                with lock:
+                zk_lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/ceph/cmd')
+                with zk_lock:
                     # Remove the pool
                     result = CephInstance.remove_pool(zk_conn, logger, name)
                     # Command succeeded
@@ -1088,29 +1088,33 @@ def update_zookeeper():
     # Close the Libvirt connection
     lv_conn.close()
 
-    # Update our local node lists
-    flushed_node_list = []
-    active_node_list = []
-    inactive_node_list = []
-    for node_name in d_node:
-        try:
-            node_daemon_state = zkhandler.readdata(zk_conn, '/nodes/{}/daemonstate'.format(node_name))
-            node_domain_state = zkhandler.readdata(zk_conn, '/nodes/{}/domainstate'.format(node_name))
-            node_keepalive = int(zkhandler.readdata(zk_conn, '/nodes/{}/keepalive'.format(node_name)))
-        except:
-            node_daemon_state = 'unknown'
-            node_domain_state = 'unknown'
-            node_keepalive = 0
+    # Look for dead nodes and fence them
+    if config['daemon_mode'] == 'coordinator':
+        for node_name in d_node:
+            try:
+                node_daemon_state = zkhandler.readdata(zk_conn, '/nodes/{}/daemonstate'.format(node_name))
+                node_domain_state = zkhandler.readdata(zk_conn, '/nodes/{}/domainstate'.format(node_name))
+                node_keepalive = int(zkhandler.readdata(zk_conn, '/nodes/{}/keepalive'.format(node_name)))
+            except:
+                node_daemon_state = 'unknown'
+                node_domain_state = 'unknown'
+                node_keepalive = 0
 
-        # Handle deadtime and fencng if needed
-        # (A node is considered dead when its keepalive timer is >6*keepalive_interval seconds
-        # out-of-date while in 'start' state)
-        node_deadtime = int(time.time()) - ( int(config['keepalive_interval']) * int(config['fence_intervals']) )
-        if node_keepalive < node_deadtime and node_daemon_state == 'run':
-            logger.out('Node {} seems dead - starting monitor for fencing'.format(node_name), state='w')
-            zkhandler.writedata(zk_conn, { '/nodes/{}/daemonstate'.format(node_name): 'dead' })
-            fence_thread = threading.Thread(target=fencing.fenceNode, args=(node_name, zk_conn, config, logger), kwargs={})
-            fence_thread.start()
+            # Handle deadtime and fencng if needed
+            # (A node is considered dead when its keepalive timer is >6*keepalive_interval seconds
+            # out-of-date while in 'start' state)
+            node_deadtime = int(time.time()) - ( int(config['keepalive_interval']) * int(config['fence_intervals']) )
+            if node_keepalive < node_deadtime and node_daemon_state == 'run':
+                logger.out('Node {} seems dead - starting monitor for fencing'.format(node_name), state='w')
+                zk_lock = zkhandler.writelock(zk_conn, '/nodes/{}/daemonstate')
+                with zk_lock:
+                    # Ensures that, if we lost the lock race and come out of waiting,
+                    # we won't try to trigger our own fence thread.
+                    if zkhandler.readdata(zk_conn, '/nodes/{}/daemonstate') != 'dead':
+                        fence_thread = threading.Thread(target=fencing.fenceNode, args=(node_name, zk_conn, config, logger), kwargs={})
+                        fence_thread.start()
+                    # Write the updated data after we start the fence thread
+                    zkhandler.writedata(zk_conn, { '/nodes/{}/daemonstate'.format(node_name): 'dead' })
 
     # Display node information to the terminal
     logger.out(