diff --git a/cli/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cli/BalanceMastersCommand.java b/cli/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cli/BalanceMastersCommand.java
index 77d0c16..9b31715 100644
--- a/cli/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cli/BalanceMastersCommand.java
+++ b/cli/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cli/BalanceMastersCommand.java
@@ -15,23 +15,8 @@
  */
 package org.onlab.onos.cli;
 
-import com.google.common.collect.HashMultimap;
-import com.google.common.collect.Multimap;
 import org.apache.karaf.shell.commands.Command;
-import org.onlab.onos.cluster.ClusterService;
-import org.onlab.onos.cluster.ControllerNode;
 import org.onlab.onos.mastership.MastershipAdminService;
-import org.onlab.onos.mastership.MastershipService;
-import org.onlab.onos.net.DeviceId;
-import org.onlab.onos.net.device.DeviceService;
-
-import java.util.Collection;
-import java.util.Iterator;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Set;
-
-import static com.google.common.collect.Lists.newArrayList;
-import static org.onlab.onos.net.MastershipRole.MASTER;
 
 /**
  * Forces device mastership rebalancing.
@@ -42,72 +27,7 @@
 
     @Override
     protected void execute() {
-        ClusterService service = get(ClusterService.class);
-        MastershipService mastershipService = get(MastershipService.class);
-        MastershipAdminService adminService = get(MastershipAdminService.class);
-
-        List<ControllerNode> nodes = newArrayList(service.getNodes());
-
-        Multimap<ControllerNode, DeviceId> controllerDevices = HashMultimap.create();
-
-        // Create buckets reflecting current ownership.
-        for (ControllerNode node : nodes) {
-            Set<DeviceId> devicesOf = mastershipService.getDevicesOf(node.id());
-            controllerDevices.putAll(node, devicesOf);
-            print("Node %s has %d devices.", node.id(), devicesOf.size());
-        }
-
-        int rounds = nodes.size();
-        for (int i = 0; i < rounds; i++) {
-            // Iterate over the buckets and find the smallest and the largest.
-            ControllerNode smallest = findBucket(true, nodes, controllerDevices);
-            ControllerNode largest = findBucket(false, nodes, controllerDevices);
-            balanceBuckets(smallest, largest, controllerDevices, adminService);
-        }
-    }
-
-    private ControllerNode findBucket(boolean min, Collection<ControllerNode> nodes,
-                                      Multimap<ControllerNode, DeviceId> controllerDevices) {
-        int xSize = min ? Integer.MAX_VALUE : -1;
-        ControllerNode xNode = null;
-        for (ControllerNode node : nodes) {
-            int size = controllerDevices.get(node).size();
-            if ((min && size < xSize) || (!min && size > xSize)) {
-                xSize = size;
-                xNode = node;
-            }
-        }
-        return xNode;
-    }
-
-    // FIXME: enhance to better handle cases where smallest cannot take any of the devices from largest
-
-    private void balanceBuckets(ControllerNode smallest, ControllerNode largest,
-                                Multimap<ControllerNode, DeviceId> controllerDevices,
-                                MastershipAdminService adminService) {
-        Collection<DeviceId> minBucket = controllerDevices.get(smallest);
-        Collection<DeviceId> maxBucket = controllerDevices.get(largest);
-        int bucketCount = controllerDevices.keySet().size();
-        int deviceCount = get(DeviceService.class).getDeviceCount();
-
-        int delta = (maxBucket.size() - minBucket.size()) / 2;
-        delta = Math.min(deviceCount / bucketCount, delta);
-
-        if (delta > 0) {
-            print("Attempting to move %d nodes from %s to %s...",
-                  delta, largest.id(), smallest.id());
-
-            int i = 0;
-            Iterator<DeviceId> it = maxBucket.iterator();
-            while (it.hasNext() && i < delta) {
-                DeviceId deviceId = it.next();
-                print("Setting %s as the master for %s", smallest.id(), deviceId);
-                adminService.setRole(smallest.id(), deviceId, MASTER);
-                controllerDevices.put(smallest, deviceId);
-                it.remove();
-                i++;
-            }
-        }
+        get(MastershipAdminService.class).balanceRoles();
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/mastership/MastershipAdminService.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/mastership/MastershipAdminService.java
index f2fd8f4..cb3869d 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/mastership/MastershipAdminService.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/mastership/MastershipAdminService.java
@@ -33,4 +33,10 @@
      */
     void setRole(NodeId instance, DeviceId deviceId, MastershipRole role);
 
+    /**
+     * Balances the mastership to be shared as evenly as possibly by all
+     * online instances.
+     */
+    void balanceRoles();
+
 }
diff --git a/core/net/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/impl/MastershipManager.java b/core/net/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/impl/MastershipManager.java
index 4f993c4..aaac493 100644
--- a/core/net/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/impl/MastershipManager.java
+++ b/core/net/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/impl/MastershipManager.java
@@ -15,13 +15,10 @@
  */
 package org.onlab.onos.cluster.impl;
 
-import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
-import static org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger;
-import static org.onlab.metrics.MetricsUtil.*;
-
-import java.util.Set;
-import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
-
+import com.codahale.metrics.Timer;
+import com.codahale.metrics.Timer.Context;
+import com.google.common.collect.HashMultimap;
+import com.google.common.collect.Multimap;
 import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Activate;
 import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Component;
 import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Deactivate;
@@ -50,8 +47,18 @@
 import org.onlab.onos.net.MastershipRole;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 
-import com.codahale.metrics.Timer;
-import com.codahale.metrics.Timer.Context;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Iterator;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
+
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
+import static com.google.common.collect.Lists.newArrayList;
+import static org.onlab.metrics.MetricsUtil.startTimer;
+import static org.onlab.metrics.MetricsUtil.stopTimer;
+import static org.onlab.onos.net.MastershipRole.MASTER;
+import static org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger;
 
 @Component(immediate = true)
 @Service
@@ -198,6 +205,71 @@
         return metricsService;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public void balanceRoles() {
+        List<ControllerNode> nodes = newArrayList(clusterService.getNodes());
+        Multimap<ControllerNode, DeviceId> controllerDevices = HashMultimap.create();
+        int deviceCount = 0;
+
+        // Create buckets reflecting current ownership.
+        for (ControllerNode node : nodes) {
+            Set<DeviceId> devicesOf = getDevicesOf(node.id());
+            deviceCount += devicesOf.size();
+            controllerDevices.putAll(node, devicesOf);
+            log.info("Node {} has {} devices.", node.id(), devicesOf.size());
+        }
+
+        int rounds = nodes.size();
+        for (int i = 0; i < rounds; i++) {
+            // Iterate over the buckets and find the smallest and the largest.
+            ControllerNode smallest = findBucket(true, nodes, controllerDevices);
+            ControllerNode largest = findBucket(false, nodes, controllerDevices);
+            balanceBuckets(smallest, largest, controllerDevices, deviceCount);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private ControllerNode findBucket(boolean min, Collection<ControllerNode> nodes,
+                                      Multimap<ControllerNode, DeviceId> controllerDevices) {
+        int xSize = min ? Integer.MAX_VALUE : -1;
+        ControllerNode xNode = null;
+        for (ControllerNode node : nodes) {
+            int size = controllerDevices.get(node).size();
+            if ((min && size < xSize) || (!min && size > xSize)) {
+                xSize = size;
+                xNode = node;
+            }
+        }
+        return xNode;
+    }
+
+    private void balanceBuckets(ControllerNode smallest, ControllerNode largest,
+                                Multimap<ControllerNode, DeviceId> controllerDevices,
+                                int deviceCount) {
+        Collection<DeviceId> minBucket = controllerDevices.get(smallest);
+        Collection<DeviceId> maxBucket = controllerDevices.get(largest);
+        int bucketCount = controllerDevices.keySet().size();
+
+        int delta = (maxBucket.size() - minBucket.size()) / 2;
+        delta = Math.min(deviceCount / bucketCount, delta);
+
+        if (delta > 0) {
+            log.info("Attempting to move {} nodes from {} to {}...", delta,
+                     largest.id(), smallest.id());
+
+            int i = 0;
+            Iterator<DeviceId> it = maxBucket.iterator();
+            while (it.hasNext() && i < delta) {
+                DeviceId deviceId = it.next();
+                log.info("Setting {} as the master for {}", smallest.id(), deviceId);
+                setRole(smallest.id(), deviceId, MASTER);
+                controllerDevices.put(smallest, deviceId);
+                it.remove();
+                i++;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+
     // Posts the specified event to the local event dispatcher.
     private void post(MastershipEvent event) {
         if (event != null && eventDispatcher != null) {
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/gui/TopologyViewWebSocket.java b/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/gui/TopologyViewWebSocket.java
index 84e2e02..7477e60 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/gui/TopologyViewWebSocket.java
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/gui/TopologyViewWebSocket.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 import org.onlab.onos.event.AbstractEventAccumulator;
 import org.onlab.onos.event.Event;
 import org.onlab.onos.event.EventAccumulator;
+import org.onlab.onos.mastership.MastershipAdminService;
 import org.onlab.onos.mastership.MastershipEvent;
 import org.onlab.onos.mastership.MastershipListener;
 import org.onlab.onos.net.ConnectPoint;
@@ -233,6 +234,9 @@
             requestSummary(event);
         } else if (type.equals("cancelSummary")) {
             cancelSummary(event);
+
+        } else if (type.equals("equalizeMasters")) {
+            equalizeMasters(event);
         }
     }
 
@@ -449,6 +453,12 @@
     }
 
 
+    // Forces mastership role rebalancing.
+    private void equalizeMasters(ObjectNode event) {
+        directory.get(MastershipAdminService.class).balanceRoles();
+    }
+
+
     // Adds all internal listeners.
     private void addListeners() {
         clusterService.addListener(clusterListener);
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/d3Utils.js b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/d3Utils.js
index 33bba5a..0161459 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/d3Utils.js
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/d3Utils.js
@@ -140,12 +140,12 @@
     // TODO: tune colors for light and dark themes
     // Note: These colors look good on the white background. Still, need to tune for dark.
 
-    //               blue       brown      purple     sea green  brick red  dark teal  lime
-    var lightNorm = ['#3E5780', '#78533B', '#8A2979', '#018D61', '#CB4D28', '#006D73', '#56AF00'],
-        lightMute = ['#A8B8CC', '#CCB3A8', '#D19FCE', '#96D6BF', '#FFC2BD', '#8FCCCA', '#CAEAA4'],
+    //               blue       brown      brick red  sea green  purple     dark teal  lime
+    var lightNorm = ['#3E5780', '#78533B', '#CB4D28', '#018D61', '#8A2979', '#006D73', '#56AF00'],
+        lightMute = ['#A8B8CC', '#CCB3A8', '#FFC2BD', '#96D6BF', '#D19FCE', '#8FCCCA', '#CAEAA4'],
 
-        darkNorm  = ['#3E5780', '#78533B', '#8A2979', '#018D61', '#CB4D28', '#006D73', '#56AF00'],
-        darkMute  = ['#A8B8CC', '#CCB3A8', '#D19FCE', '#96D6BF', '#FFC2BD', '#8FCCCA', '#CAEAA4'];
+        darkNorm  = ['#3E5780', '#78533B', '#CB4D28', '#018D61', '#8A2979', '#006D73', '#56AF00'],
+        darkMute  = ['#A8B8CC', '#CCB3A8', '#FFC2BD', '#96D6BF', '#D19FCE', '#8FCCCA', '#CAEAA4'];
 
     function cat7() {
         var colors = {
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/onos.js b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/onos.js
index 53d68f6..5dfcad1 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/onos.js
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/onos.js
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@
                 case 187: return 'equals';
                 case 189: return 'dash';
                 case 191: return 'slash';
+                case 192: return 'backQuote';
                 default:
                     if ((code >= 48 && code <= 57) ||
                         (code >= 65 && code <= 90)) {
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/onosQuickHelp.js b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/onosQuickHelp.js
index 596276b..9e2a5ec 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/onosQuickHelp.js
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/onosQuickHelp.js
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
         equals: '=',
         dash: '-',
         slash: '/',
+        backQuote: '`',
         leftArrow: 'L-arrow',
         upArrow: 'U-arrow',
         rightArrow: 'R-arrow',
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/topo.js b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/topo.js
index 6673b28..4018757 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/topo.js
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/topo.js
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@
         equals: injectStartupEvents,
         dash: injectTestEvent,
 
+        E: [equalizeMasters, 'Equalize mastership roles'],
         O: [toggleSummary, 'Toggle ONOS summary pane'],
         I: [toggleInstances, 'Toggle ONOS instances pane'],
         D: [toggleDetails, 'Disable / enable details pane'],
@@ -926,6 +927,11 @@
         updateDeviceColors();
     }
 
+    function equalizeMasters() {
+        flash('Equalizing master roles');
+        sendMessage('equalizeMasters');
+    }
+
     function toggleSummary() {
         if (!summaryPane.isVisible()) {
             requestSummary();