diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/flow/impl/DeviceFlowTable.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/flow/impl/DeviceFlowTable.java
index ff89a6f..c438885 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/flow/impl/DeviceFlowTable.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/flow/impl/DeviceFlowTable.java
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@
 
     private final DeviceId deviceId;
     private final ClusterCommunicationService clusterCommunicator;
+    private final ClusterService clusterService;
     private final DeviceService deviceService;
     private final LifecycleManager lifecycleManager;
     private final ScheduledExecutorService scheduler;
@@ -127,6 +128,7 @@
         long antiEntropyPeriod) {
         this.deviceId = deviceId;
         this.clusterCommunicator = clusterCommunicator;
+        this.clusterService = clusterService;
         this.lifecycleManager = lifecycleManager;
         this.deviceService = deviceService;
         this.scheduler = scheduler;
@@ -236,7 +238,6 @@
      */
     private CompletableFuture<Set<FlowEntry>> getFlowEntries(FlowBucket bucket) {
         DeviceReplicaInfo replicaInfo = lifecycleManager.getReplicaInfo();
-
         // If the local node is the master, fetch the entries locally. Otherwise, request the entries
         // from the current master. Note that there's a change of a brief cycle during a mastership change.
         if (replicaInfo.isMaster(localNodeId)) {
@@ -254,6 +255,18 @@
                 Duration.ofSeconds(GET_FLOW_ENTRIES_TIMEOUT));
         } else if (deviceService.isAvailable(deviceId)) {
             throw new FlowRuleStoreException("There is no master for available device " + deviceId);
+        } else if (clusterService.getNodes().size() <= 1 + ECFlowRuleStore.backupCount) {
+            //TODO remove this check when [ONOS-8080] is fixed
+            //When device is not available and has no master and
+            // the number of nodes surpasses the guaranteed backup count,
+            // we are certain that this node has a replica.
+            // -- DISCLAIMER --
+            // You manually need to set the backup count for clusters > 3 nodes,
+            // the default is 2, which handles the single instance and 3 node scenarios
+            return CompletableFuture.completedFuture(
+                    bucket.getFlowBucket().values().stream()
+                            .flatMap(entries -> entries.values().stream())
+                            .collect(Collectors.toSet()));
         } else {
             return CompletableFuture.completedFuture(Collections.emptySet());
         }
@@ -823,8 +836,10 @@
             this.replicaInfo = replicaInfo;
         }
 
-        // If the local node is neither the master or a backup for the device, clear the flow table.
-        if (!replicaInfo.isMaster(localNodeId) && !replicaInfo.isBackup(localNodeId)) {
+        // If the local node is neither the master or a backup for the device,
+        // and the number of nodes surpasses the guaranteed backup count, clear the flow table.
+        if (!replicaInfo.isMaster(localNodeId) && !replicaInfo.isBackup(localNodeId) &&
+            (clusterService.getNodes().size() > 1 + ECFlowRuleStore.backupCount)) {
             flowBuckets.values().forEach(bucket -> bucket.clear());
         }
         activeTerm = replicaInfo.term();
@@ -839,10 +854,11 @@
             this.replicaInfo = replicaInfo;
 
             // If the local node is neither the master or a backup for the device *and the term is active*,
-            // clear the flow table.
+            // and the number of nodes surpasses the guaranteed backup count, clear the flow table.
             if (activeTerm == replicaInfo.term()
                 && !replicaInfo.isMaster(localNodeId)
-                && !replicaInfo.isBackup(localNodeId)) {
+                && !replicaInfo.isBackup(localNodeId)
+            && (clusterService.getNodes().size() > 1 + ECFlowRuleStore.backupCount)) {
                 flowBuckets.values().forEach(bucket -> bucket.clear());
             }
         }
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/flow/impl/ECFlowRuleStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/flow/impl/ECFlowRuleStore.java
index 7949dc5..354b494 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/flow/impl/ECFlowRuleStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/flow/impl/ECFlowRuleStore.java
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@
     private boolean persistenceEnabled = EC_FLOW_RULE_STORE_PERSISTENCE_ENABLED_DEFAULT;
 
     /** Max number of backup copies for each device. */
-    private volatile int backupCount = MAX_BACKUP_COUNT_DEFAULT;
+    protected static volatile int backupCount = MAX_BACKUP_COUNT_DEFAULT;
 
     private InternalFlowTable flowTable = new InternalFlowTable();
 
@@ -370,12 +370,12 @@
     @Override
     public int getFlowRuleCount(DeviceId deviceId, FlowEntryState state) {
         NodeId master = mastershipService.getMasterFor(deviceId);
-        if (master == null) {
+        if (master == null && deviceService.isAvailable(deviceId)) {
             log.debug("Failed to getFlowRuleCount: No master for {}", deviceId);
             return 0;
         }
 
-        if (Objects.equals(local, master)) {
+        if (Objects.equals(local, master) || master == null) {
             return flowTable.getFlowRuleCount(deviceId, state);
         }
 
@@ -395,12 +395,12 @@
     public FlowEntry getFlowEntry(FlowRule rule) {
         NodeId master = mastershipService.getMasterFor(rule.deviceId());
 
-        if (master == null) {
+        if (master == null && deviceService.isAvailable(rule.deviceId())) {
             log.debug("Failed to getFlowEntry: No master for {}", rule.deviceId());
             return null;
         }
 
-        if (Objects.equals(local, master)) {
+        if (Objects.equals(local, master) || master == null) {
             return flowTable.getFlowEntry(rule);
         }
 
@@ -892,7 +892,7 @@
     public Iterable<TableStatisticsEntry> getTableStatistics(DeviceId deviceId) {
         NodeId master = mastershipService.getMasterFor(deviceId);
 
-        if (master == null) {
+        if (master == null && deviceService.isAvailable(deviceId)) {
             log.debug("Failed to getTableStats: No master for {}", deviceId);
             return Collections.emptyList();
         }
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStore.java
index 87355d6..8db3385 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStore.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 import org.onosproject.mastership.MastershipService;
 import org.onosproject.net.DeviceId;
 import org.onosproject.net.MastershipRole;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceService;
 import org.onosproject.net.driver.DriverService;
 import org.onosproject.net.group.DefaultGroup;
 import org.onosproject.net.group.DefaultGroupBucket;
@@ -140,6 +141,9 @@
     @Reference(cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MANDATORY)
     protected ComponentConfigService cfgService;
 
+    @Reference(cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MANDATORY)
+    protected DeviceService deviceService;
+
     // Guarantees enabling DriverService before enabling GroupStore
     // (DriverService is used in serializing/de-serializing DefaultGroup)
     @Reference(cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MANDATORY)
@@ -379,7 +383,7 @@
 
     private Iterable<StoredGroupEntry> getStoredGroups(DeviceId deviceId) {
         NodeId master = mastershipService.getMasterFor(deviceId);
-        if (master == null) {
+        if (master == null && deviceService.isAvailable(deviceId)) {
             log.debug("Failed to getGroups: No master for {}", deviceId);
             return Collections.emptySet();
         }
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/test/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStoreTest.java b/core/store/dist/src/test/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStoreTest.java
index efa080d..9e0dd9d 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/test/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStoreTest.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/test/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStoreTest.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 import org.onosproject.net.DeviceId;
 import org.onosproject.net.MastershipRole;
 import org.onosproject.net.PortNumber;
+import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceServiceAdapter;
 import org.onosproject.net.flow.DefaultTrafficTreatment;
 import org.onosproject.net.flow.TrafficTreatment;
 import org.onosproject.net.group.DefaultGroup;
@@ -189,6 +190,7 @@
         groupStoreImpl.clusterCommunicator = new ClusterCommunicationServiceAdapter();
         groupStoreImpl.mastershipService = new MasterOfAll();
         groupStoreImpl.cfgService = new ComponentConfigAdapter();
+        groupStoreImpl.deviceService = new InternalDeviceServiceImpl();
 
         ClusterService mockClusterService = createMock(ClusterService.class);
         NodeId nodeId = new NodeId(NODE_ID);
@@ -661,4 +663,10 @@
     }
 
 
+    private class InternalDeviceServiceImpl extends DeviceServiceAdapter {
+        @Override
+        public boolean isAvailable(DeviceId deviceId) {
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
 }