diff --git a/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/Controller.java b/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/Controller.java
index d45bb07..44d70ac 100644
--- a/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/Controller.java
+++ b/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/Controller.java
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@
     protected boolean alwaysClearFlowsOnSwAdd = false;
     private OpenFlowAgent agent;
 
+    private NioServerSocketChannelFactory execFactory;
+
     // Perf. related configuration
     protected static final int SEND_BUFFER_SIZE = 4 * 1024 * 1024;
     protected static final int BATCH_MAX_SIZE = 100;
@@ -155,16 +157,17 @@
     }
 
     private ServerBootstrap createServerBootStrap() {
+
         if (workerThreads == 0) {
-            return new ServerBootstrap(
-                    new NioServerSocketChannelFactory(
-                            Executors.newCachedThreadPool(),
-                            Executors.newCachedThreadPool()));
+            execFactory =  new NioServerSocketChannelFactory(
+                    Executors.newCachedThreadPool(),
+                    Executors.newCachedThreadPool());
+            return new ServerBootstrap(execFactory);
         } else {
-            return new ServerBootstrap(
-                    new NioServerSocketChannelFactory(
-                            Executors.newCachedThreadPool(),
-                            Executors.newCachedThreadPool(), workerThreads));
+            execFactory = new NioServerSocketChannelFactory(
+                    Executors.newCachedThreadPool(),
+                    Executors.newCachedThreadPool(), workerThreads);
+            return new ServerBootstrap(execFactory);
         }
     }
 
@@ -237,6 +240,7 @@
 
 
     public void stop() {
+        execFactory.shutdown();
         cg.close();
     }
 
diff --git a/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/OFChannelHandler.java b/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/OFChannelHandler.java
index 66c1e60..8af45e1 100644
--- a/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/OFChannelHandler.java
+++ b/of/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/of/controller/impl/OFChannelHandler.java
@@ -435,8 +435,8 @@
                 log.debug("Setting new switch {} to EQUAL and sending Role request",
                         h.sw.getStringId());
                 h.sw.activateEqualSwitch();
-                //h.setSwitchRole(RoleState.EQUAL);
-                h.setSwitchRole(RoleState.MASTER);
+                h.setSwitchRole(RoleState.EQUAL);
+
                 h.sw.startDriverHandshake();
                 h.setState(WAIT_SWITCH_DRIVER_SUB_HANDSHAKE);