diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/cluster/impl/DistributedClusterStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/cluster/impl/DistributedClusterStore.java
index 3bb6a70..b2ee832 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/cluster/impl/DistributedClusterStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/cluster/impl/DistributedClusterStore.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  */
 package org.onosproject.store.cluster.impl;
 
+import com.google.common.base.MoreObjects;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableSet;
 import com.google.common.collect.Maps;
 
@@ -163,7 +164,7 @@
     @Override
     public State getState(NodeId nodeId) {
         checkNotNull(nodeId, INSTANCE_ID_NULL);
-        return nodeStates.get(nodeId);
+        return MoreObjects.firstNonNull(nodeStates.get(nodeId), State.INACTIVE);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/consistent/impl/DistributedLeadershipManager.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/consistent/impl/DistributedLeadershipManager.java
index 1882b1b..704df83 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/consistent/impl/DistributedLeadershipManager.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/consistent/impl/DistributedLeadershipManager.java
@@ -96,17 +96,26 @@
     protected EventDeliveryService eventDispatcher;
 
     private final Logger log = getLogger(getClass());
+
     private ScheduledExecutorService electionRunner;
     private ScheduledExecutorService lockExecutor;
     private ScheduledExecutorService staleLeadershipPurgeExecutor;
     private ScheduledExecutorService leadershipRefresher;
 
+    // leader for each topic
     private ConsistentMap<String, NodeId> leaderMap;
+    // list of candidates (includes chosen leader) for each topic
     private ConsistentMap<String, List<NodeId>> candidateMap;
 
     private ListenerRegistry<LeadershipEvent, LeadershipEventListener> listenerRegistry;
+
+    // cached copy of leaderMap
+    // Note: Map value, Leadership, does not contain proper candidates info
     private final Map<String, Leadership> leaderBoard = Maps.newConcurrentMap();
+    // cached copy of candidateMap
+    // Note: Map value, Leadership, does not contain proper leader info
     private final Map<String, Leadership> candidateBoard = Maps.newConcurrentMap();
+
     private final ClusterEventListener clusterEventListener = new InternalClusterEventListener();
 
     private NodeId localNodeId;
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/ECDeviceStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/ECDeviceStore.java
index 2dae55b..2631fff 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/ECDeviceStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/ECDeviceStore.java
@@ -286,6 +286,11 @@
             deviceDescriptions.put(new DeviceKey(providerId, deviceId), deviceDescription);
             return refreshDeviceCache(providerId, deviceId);
         } else {
+            // Only forward for ConfigProvider
+            // Forwarding was added as a workaround for ONOS-490
+            if (!providerId.equals("cfg")) {
+                return null;
+            }
             DeviceInjectedEvent deviceInjectedEvent = new DeviceInjectedEvent(providerId, deviceId, deviceDescription);
             return Futures.getUnchecked(
                     clusterCommunicator.sendAndReceive(deviceInjectedEvent,
@@ -413,6 +418,11 @@
             });
             deviceEvents = refreshDevicePortCache(providerId, deviceId, Optional.empty());
         } else {
+            // Only forward for ConfigProvider
+            // Forwarding was added as a workaround for ONOS-490
+            if (!providerId.equals("cfg")) {
+                return null;
+            }
             if (master == null) {
                 return Collections.emptyList();
             }
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/GossipDeviceStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/GossipDeviceStore.java
index a9a9098..03e28f1 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/GossipDeviceStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/GossipDeviceStore.java
@@ -330,6 +330,11 @@
             }
 
         } else {
+            // Only forward for ConfigProvider
+            // Forwarding was added as a workaround for ONOS-490
+            if (!providerId.equals("cfg")) {
+                return null;
+            }
             // FIXME Temporary hack for NPE (ONOS-1171).
             // Proper fix is to implement forwarding to master on ConfigProvider
             // redo ONOS-490
@@ -579,6 +584,11 @@
             }
 
         } else {
+            // Only forward for ConfigProvider
+            // Forwarding was added as a workaround for ONOS-490
+            if (!providerId.equals("cfg")) {
+                return null;
+            }
             // FIXME Temporary hack for NPE (ONOS-1171).
             // Proper fix is to implement forwarding to master on ConfigProvider
             // redo ONOS-490
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/link/impl/ECLinkStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/link/impl/ECLinkStore.java
index 243caf8..3d3ff9a 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/link/impl/ECLinkStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/link/impl/ECLinkStore.java
@@ -218,6 +218,13 @@
             linkDescriptions.compute(internalLinkKey, (k, v) -> createOrUpdateLinkInternal(v  , linkDescription));
             return refreshLinkCache(linkKey);
         } else {
+            // Only forward for ConfigProvider
+            // Forwarding was added as a workaround for ONOS-490
+            if (!providerId.equals("cfg")) {
+                return null;
+            }
+            // Temporary hack for NPE (ONOS-1171).
+            // Proper fix is to implement forwarding to master on ConfigProvider
             if (dstNodeId == null) {
                 return null;
             }
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/link/impl/GossipLinkStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/link/impl/GossipLinkStore.java
index 47aa85c..06402cf 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/link/impl/GossipLinkStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/link/impl/GossipLinkStore.java
@@ -323,6 +323,11 @@
             }
 
         } else {
+            // Only forward for ConfigProvider
+            // Forwarding was added as a workaround for ONOS-490
+            if (!providerId.equals("cfg")) {
+                return null;
+            }
             // FIXME Temporary hack for NPE (ONOS-1171).
             // Proper fix is to implement forwarding to master on ConfigProvider
             // redo ONOS-490
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/mastership/impl/ConsistentDeviceMastershipStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/mastership/impl/ConsistentDeviceMastershipStore.java
index c6fc693..44fbea0 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/mastership/impl/ConsistentDeviceMastershipStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/mastership/impl/ConsistentDeviceMastershipStore.java
@@ -159,20 +159,12 @@
         checkArgument(deviceId != null, DEVICE_ID_NULL);
 
         String leadershipTopic = createDeviceMastershipTopic(deviceId);
-        if (connectedDevices.add(deviceId)) {
-            return leadershipService.runForLeadership(leadershipTopic)
-                                    .thenApply(leadership -> {
-                                        return Objects.equal(localNodeId, leadership.leader())
-                                                ? MastershipRole.MASTER : MastershipRole.STANDBY;
-                                    });
-        } else {
-            NodeId leader = leadershipService.getLeader(leadershipTopic);
-            if (Objects.equal(localNodeId, leader)) {
-                return CompletableFuture.completedFuture(MastershipRole.MASTER);
-            } else {
-                return CompletableFuture.completedFuture(MastershipRole.STANDBY);
-            }
-        }
+        connectedDevices.add(deviceId);
+        return leadershipService.runForLeadership(leadershipTopic)
+                .thenApply(leadership -> {
+                    return Objects.equal(localNodeId, leadership.leader())
+                            ? MastershipRole.MASTER : MastershipRole.STANDBY;
+                });
     }
 
     @Override