diff --git a/node-daemon/pvcd/Daemon.py b/node-daemon/pvcd/Daemon.py
index db7bb294..7cab9dfc 100644
--- a/node-daemon/pvcd/Daemon.py
+++ b/node-daemon/pvcd/Daemon.py
@@ -540,6 +540,28 @@ def update_nodes(new_node_list):
 # Alias for our local node (passed to network and domain objects)
 this_node = d_node[myhostname]
 
+# Primary node
+@zk_conn.DataWatch('/primary_node')
+def update_primart(new_primary, stat, event=''):
+    try:
+        new_primary = new_primary.decode('ascii')
+    except AttributeError:
+        new_primary = 'none'
+
+    if new_primary != this_node.primary_node:
+        if config['daemon_mode'] == 'coordinator':
+            # We're a coordinator and there is no primary
+            if new_primary == 'none':
+                if this_node.daemon_state == 'run' and this_node.router_state != 'primary':
+                    logger.out('Contending for primary routing state', state='i')
+                    zkhandler.writedata(zk_conn, {'/primary_node': myhostname})
+            elif new_primary == myhostname:
+                zkhandler.writedata(zk_conn, {'/nodes/{}/routerstate'.format(myhostname): 'primary'})
+            else:
+                zkhandler.writedata(zk_conn, {'/nodes/{}/routerstate'.format(myhostname): 'secondary'})
+        for node in d_node:
+            d_node[node].primary_node = new_primary
+
 # Network objects
 @zk_conn.ChildrenWatch('/networks')
 def update_networks(new_network_list):
diff --git a/node-daemon/pvcd/NodeInstance.py b/node-daemon/pvcd/NodeInstance.py
index 00e4860f..ed8d0082 100644
--- a/node-daemon/pvcd/NodeInstance.py
+++ b/node-daemon/pvcd/NodeInstance.py
@@ -138,40 +138,6 @@ class NodeInstance(object):
                     if self.domain_state == 'unflush' and self.inflush == False:
                         self.unflush()
 
-        @self.zk_conn.DataWatch('/primary_node')
-        def watch_primary_node(data, stat, event=''):
-            if event and event.type == 'DELETED':
-                # The key has been deleted after existing before; terminate this watcher
-                # because this class instance is about to be reaped in Daemon.py
-                return False
-
-            try:
-                data = data.decode('ascii')
-            except AttributeError:
-                data = 'none'
-
-            if data != self.primary_node:
-                if self.daemon_mode == 'coordinator':
-                    # We're a coordinator so we care about networking
-                    if data == 'none':
-                        # Toggle state management of routing functions
-                        if self.name == self.this_node:
-                            if self.daemon_state == 'run' and self.router_state != 'primary':
-                                # Contend for primary
-                                self.logger.out('Contending for primary routing state', state='i')
-                                zkhandler.writedata(self.zk_conn, {'/primary_node': self.name })
-                    elif data == self.this_node:
-                        if self.name == self.this_node:
-                            zkhandler.writedata(self.zk_conn, { '/nodes/{}/routerstate'.format(self.name): 'primary' })
-                            self.primary_node = data
-                    else:
-                        if self.name == self.this_node:
-                            zkhandler.writedata(self.zk_conn, { '/nodes/{}/routerstate'.format(self.name): 'secondary' })
-                            self.primary_node = data
-                else:
-                    self.primary_node = data
-                    
-
         @self.zk_conn.DataWatch('/nodes/{}/memfree'.format(self.name))
         def watch_node_memfree(data, stat, event=''):
             if event and event.type == 'DELETED':