diff --git a/src/cluster/write_buffer.go b/src/cluster/write_buffer.go
index 025e3d710e..583ff5e625 100644
--- a/src/cluster/write_buffer.go
+++ b/src/cluster/write_buffer.go
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 package cluster
 
 import (
-	log "code.google.com/p/log4go"
 	"protocol"
 	"time"
+
+	log "code.google.com/p/log4go"
 )
 
 // Acts as a buffer for writes
@@ -86,31 +87,33 @@ func (self *WriteBuffer) write(request *protocol.Request) {
 
 func (self *WriteBuffer) replayAndRecover(missedRequest uint32) {
 	var req *protocol.Request
+
+	// empty out the buffer before the replay so new writes can buffer while we're replaying
+	channelLen := len(self.writes)
+	// This is the first run through the replay. Start from the start of the write queue
+	for i := 0; i < channelLen; i++ {
+		r := <-self.writes
+		if req == nil {
+			req = r
+		}
+	}
+
+	if req == nil {
+		log.Error("%s: REPLAY: emptied channel, but no request set", self.writerInfo)
+		return
+	}
+	log.Debug("%s: REPLAY: Emptied out channel", self.writerInfo)
+
+	shardIds := make([]uint32, 0)
+	for shardId, _ := range self.shardIds {
+		shardIds = append(shardIds, shardId)
+	}
+
+	// while we're behind keep replaying from WAL
 	for {
 		log.Info("%s: REPLAY: Replaying dropped requests...", self.writerInfo)
-		// empty out the buffer before the replay so new writes can buffer while we're replaying
-		channelLen := len(self.writes)
 
-		// if req is nil, this is the first run through the replay. Start from the start of the write queue
-		if req == nil {
-			for i := 0; i < channelLen; i++ {
-				r := <-self.writes
-				if req == nil {
-					req = r
-				}
-			}
-		}
-		if req == nil {
-			log.Error("%s: REPLAY: emptied channel, but no request set", self.writerInfo)
-			return
-		}
-		log.Debug("%s: REPLAY: Emptied out channel", self.writerInfo)
-		shardIds := make([]uint32, 0)
-		for shardId, _ := range self.shardIds {
-			shardIds = append(shardIds, shardId)
-		}
-
-		log.Debug("%s: REPLAY: from request %d. Shards: ", self.writerInfo, req.GetRequestNumber(), shardIds)
+		log.Debug("%s: REPLAY: from request %d. Shards: %v", self.writerInfo, req.GetRequestNumber(), shardIds)
 		self.wal.RecoverServerFromRequestNumber(*req.RequestNumber, shardIds, func(request *protocol.Request, shardId uint32) error {
 			log.Debug("%s: REPLAY: writing request number: %d", self.writerInfo, request.GetRequestNumber())
 			req = request