diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/mastership/MastershipService.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/mastership/MastershipService.java
index 9f9257d..1d16a44 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/mastership/MastershipService.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/mastership/MastershipService.java
@@ -124,7 +124,9 @@
      *
      * @param nodeId the ID of the controller
      * @return a set of device IDs
+     * @deprecated 1.6.0 Goldeneye release.
      */
+    @Deprecated
     Set<DeviceId> getDevicesOf(NodeId nodeId);
 
 }
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/flow/impl/DistributedFlowRuleStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/flow/impl/DistributedFlowRuleStore.java
index 4790ece..57ee153 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/flow/impl/DistributedFlowRuleStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/flow/impl/DistributedFlowRuleStore.java
@@ -843,8 +843,9 @@
             }
             try {
                 // determine the set of devices that we need to backup during this run.
-                Set<DeviceId> devicesToBackup = mastershipService.getDevicesOf(local)
+                Set<DeviceId> devicesToBackup = flowEntries.keySet()
                             .stream()
+                            .filter(mastershipService::isLocalMaster)
                             .filter(deviceId -> {
                                 Long lastBackupTime = lastBackupTimes.get(deviceId);
                                 Long lastUpdateTime = lastUpdateTimes.get(deviceId);