diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/mastership/MastershipStore.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/mastership/MastershipStore.java
index 2112029..16d6d39 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/mastership/MastershipStore.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/mastership/MastershipStore.java
@@ -113,4 +113,12 @@
      */
     MastershipEvent relinquishRole(NodeId nodeId, DeviceId deviceId);
 
+    /**
+     * Removes all the roles for the specified controller instance.
+     * If the role was MASTER, another controller instance will be selected
+     * as a candidate master.
+     *
+     * @param nodeId the controller instance identifier
+     */
+    void relinquishAllRole(NodeId nodeId);
 }
diff --git a/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/cluster/impl/MastershipManager.java b/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/cluster/impl/MastershipManager.java
index 17647ac..6f76ad0 100644
--- a/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/cluster/impl/MastershipManager.java
+++ b/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/cluster/impl/MastershipManager.java
@@ -304,38 +304,18 @@
                 case INSTANCE_REMOVED:
                 case INSTANCE_DEACTIVATED:
                     ControllerNode node = event.subject();
+                    log.info("instance {} removed/deactivated", node);
+                    store.relinquishAllRole(node.id());
 
-                    if (node.equals(clusterService.getLocalNode())) {
-                        //If we are in smaller cluster, relinquish and return
-                        for (DeviceId device : getDevicesOf(node.id())) {
-                            if (!isInMajority()) {
-                                //own DeviceManager should catch event and tell switch
-                                store.relinquishRole(node.id(), device);
-                            }
-                        }
-                        log.info("broke off from cluster, relinquished devices");
-                        break;
-                    }
-
-                    // if we are the larger one and the removed node(s) are brain dead,
-                    // force relinquish on behalf of disabled node.
-                    // check network channel to do this?
-                    for (DeviceId device : getDevicesOf(node.id())) {
-                        //some things to check:
-                        // 1. we didn't break off as well while we're at it
-                        // 2. others don't pile in and try too - maybe a lock
-                        if (isInMajority()) {
-                            store.relinquishRole(node.id(), device);
-                        }
-                    }
                     clusterSize.decrementAndGet();
-                    log.info("instance {} removed/deactivated", event.subject());
                     break;
                 default:
                     log.warn("unknown cluster event {}", event);
             }
         }
 
+        // Can be removed if we go with naive split-brain handling: only majority
+        // assigns mastership
         private boolean isInMajority() {
             if (clusterService.getNodes().size() > (clusterSize.intValue() / 2)) {
                 return true;
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/mastership/impl/DistributedMastershipStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/mastership/impl/DistributedMastershipStore.java
index 5f98d79..db7edc5 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/mastership/impl/DistributedMastershipStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/mastership/impl/DistributedMastershipStore.java
@@ -19,8 +19,11 @@
 import static org.onosproject.mastership.MastershipEvent.Type.BACKUPS_CHANGED;
 import static org.apache.commons.lang3.concurrent.ConcurrentUtils.putIfAbsent;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Map.Entry;
 import java.util.Set;
 
 import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Activate;
@@ -360,6 +363,26 @@
         }
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public void relinquishAllRole(NodeId nodeId) {
+
+        List<MastershipEvent> events = new ArrayList<>();
+        for (Entry<DeviceId, RoleValue> entry : roleMap.entrySet()) {
+            final DeviceId deviceId = entry.getKey();
+            final RoleValue roleValue = entry.getValue();
+
+            if (roleValue.contains(MASTER, nodeId) ||
+                roleValue.contains(STANDBY, nodeId)) {
+
+                MastershipEvent event = relinquishRole(nodeId, deviceId);
+                if (event != null) {
+                    events.add(event);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        notifyDelegate(events);
+    }
+
     // TODO: Consider moving this to RoleValue method
     //helper to fetch a new master candidate for a given device.
     private NodeId reelect(
diff --git a/core/store/trivial/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/trivial/impl/SimpleMastershipStore.java b/core/store/trivial/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/trivial/impl/SimpleMastershipStore.java
index 7236de5..f9e4273 100644
--- a/core/store/trivial/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/trivial/impl/SimpleMastershipStore.java
+++ b/core/store/trivial/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/trivial/impl/SimpleMastershipStore.java
@@ -352,4 +352,27 @@
         }
         return null;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public synchronized void relinquishAllRole(NodeId nodeId) {
+        List<MastershipEvent> events = new ArrayList<>();
+        Set<DeviceId> toRelinquish = new HashSet<>();
+
+        masterMap.entrySet().stream()
+            .filter(entry -> nodeId.equals(entry.getValue()))
+            .forEach(entry -> toRelinquish.add(entry.getKey()));
+
+        backups.entrySet().stream()
+            .filter(entry -> entry.getValue().contains(nodeId))
+            .forEach(entry -> toRelinquish.add(entry.getKey()));
+
+        toRelinquish.forEach(deviceId -> {
+            MastershipEvent event = relinquishRole(nodeId, deviceId);
+            if (event != null) {
+                events.add(event);
+            }
+        });
+
+        notifyDelegate(events);
+    }
 }