diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/MastershipTerm.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/MastershipTerm.java
index f11dafd..f015ae5 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/MastershipTerm.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/MastershipTerm.java
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
 
     @Override
     public boolean equals(Object other) {
+        if (this == other) {
+            return true;
+        }
         if (other instanceof MastershipTerm) {
             MastershipTerm that = (MastershipTerm) other;
             if (!this.master.equals(that.master)) {
diff --git a/core/net/src/test/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/impl/MastershipManagerTest.java b/core/net/src/test/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/impl/MastershipManagerTest.java
index 40902f2..d4a13ab 100644
--- a/core/net/src/test/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/impl/MastershipManagerTest.java
+++ b/core/net/src/test/java/org/onlab/onos/cluster/impl/MastershipManagerTest.java
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import org.onlab.onos.cluster.ControllerNode.State;
 import org.onlab.onos.cluster.DefaultControllerNode;
 import org.onlab.onos.cluster.MastershipService;
+import org.onlab.onos.cluster.MastershipTermService;
 import org.onlab.onos.cluster.NodeId;
 import org.onlab.onos.event.impl.TestEventDispatcher;
 import org.onlab.onos.net.DeviceId;
@@ -100,6 +101,20 @@
         assertEquals("should be two devices:", 2, mgr.getDevicesOf(NID_LOCAL).size());
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void termService() {
+        MastershipTermService ts = mgr.requestTermService();
+
+        //term = 0 for both
+        mgr.setRole(NID_LOCAL, DEV_MASTER, MASTER);
+        assertEquals("inconsistent term: ", 0, ts.getMastershipTerm(DEV_MASTER).termNumber());
+
+        //hand devices to NID_LOCAL and back: term = 2
+        mgr.setRole(NID_OTHER, DEV_MASTER, MASTER);
+        mgr.setRole(NID_LOCAL, DEV_MASTER, MASTER);
+        assertEquals("inconsistent terms: ", 2, ts.getMastershipTerm(DEV_MASTER).termNumber());
+    }
+
     private final class TestClusterService implements ClusterService {
 
         ControllerNode local = new DefaultControllerNode(NID_LOCAL, LOCALHOST);