diff --git a/apps/optical/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/optical/cfg/OpticalConfigProvider.java b/apps/optical/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/optical/cfg/OpticalConfigProvider.java
index 68db55a..325128c 100644
--- a/apps/optical/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/optical/cfg/OpticalConfigProvider.java
+++ b/apps/optical/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/optical/cfg/OpticalConfigProvider.java
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void triggerProbe(Device device) {
+    public void triggerProbe(DeviceId deviceId) {
         // TODO We may want to consider re-reading config files and publishing them based on this event.
     }
 
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DeviceProvider.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DeviceProvider.java
index 8dd405a..7280faf 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DeviceProvider.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DeviceProvider.java
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
  */
 package org.onlab.onos.net.device;
 
-import org.onlab.onos.net.Device;
 import org.onlab.onos.net.DeviceId;
 import org.onlab.onos.net.MastershipRole;
 import org.onlab.onos.net.provider.Provider;
@@ -35,9 +34,9 @@
      * {@link org.onlab.onos.net.device.DeviceProviderService#deviceDisconnected}
      * at some later point in time.
      *
-     * @param device device to be probed
+     * @param deviceId ID of device to be probed
      */
-    void triggerProbe(Device device);
+    void triggerProbe(DeviceId deviceId);
 
     /**
      * Notifies the provider of a mastership role change for the specified
diff --git a/core/net/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/impl/DeviceManager.java b/core/net/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/impl/DeviceManager.java
index 546b497..597f15f 100644
--- a/core/net/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/impl/DeviceManager.java
+++ b/core/net/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/impl/DeviceManager.java
@@ -182,6 +182,9 @@
 
     // Check a device for control channel connectivity.
     private boolean isReachable(DeviceId deviceId) {
+        if (deviceId == null) {
+            return false;
+        }
         DeviceProvider provider = getProvider(deviceId);
         if (provider != null) {
             return provider.isReachable(deviceId);
@@ -370,7 +373,6 @@
             checkNotNull(portDescriptions,
                          "Port descriptions list cannot be null");
             checkValidity();
-
             if (!deviceClockProviderService.isTimestampAvailable(deviceId)) {
                 // Never been a master for this device
                 // any update will be ignored.
@@ -475,15 +477,7 @@
             return true;
         }
 
-        Device device = store.getDevice(deviceId);
-        // FIXME: Device might not be there yet. (eventual consistent)
-        // FIXME relinquish role
-        if (device == null) {
-            log.warn("{} was not there. Cannot apply role {}", deviceId, newRole);
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        DeviceProvider provider = getProvider(device.providerId());
+        DeviceProvider provider = getProvider(deviceId);
         if (provider == null) {
             log.warn("Provider for {} was not found. Cannot apply role {}", deviceId, newRole);
             return false;
@@ -492,10 +486,7 @@
 
         if (newRole.equals(MastershipRole.MASTER)) {
             // only trigger event when request was sent to provider
-            // TODO: consider removing this from Device event type?
-            post(new DeviceEvent(DEVICE_MASTERSHIP_CHANGED, device));
-
-            provider.triggerProbe(device);
+            provider.triggerProbe(deviceId);
         }
         return true;
     }
diff --git a/core/net/src/test/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/impl/DeviceManagerTest.java b/core/net/src/test/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/impl/DeviceManagerTest.java
index d278c24..58af77a 100644
--- a/core/net/src/test/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/impl/DeviceManagerTest.java
+++ b/core/net/src/test/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/impl/DeviceManagerTest.java
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@
         }
 
         @Override
-        public void triggerProbe(Device device) {
+        public void triggerProbe(DeviceId deviceId) {
         }
 
         @Override
diff --git a/core/store/trivial/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/trivial/impl/SimpleDeviceStore.java b/core/store/trivial/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/trivial/impl/SimpleDeviceStore.java
index 0c7fb0c..df6ed3c 100644
--- a/core/store/trivial/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/trivial/impl/SimpleDeviceStore.java
+++ b/core/store/trivial/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/trivial/impl/SimpleDeviceStore.java
@@ -235,7 +235,10 @@
                                          DeviceId deviceId,
                                          List<PortDescription> portDescriptions) {
         Device device = devices.get(deviceId);
-        checkArgument(device != null, DEVICE_NOT_FOUND, deviceId);
+        if (device == null) {
+            log.debug("Device {} doesn't exist or hasn't been initialized yet", deviceId);
+            return Collections.emptyList();
+        }
 
         Map<ProviderId, DeviceDescriptions> descsMap = deviceDescs.get(deviceId);
         checkArgument(descsMap != null, DEVICE_NOT_FOUND, deviceId);
diff --git a/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/controller/impl/RoleManager.java b/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/controller/impl/RoleManager.java
index 51e90e5..030b9c1 100644
--- a/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/controller/impl/RoleManager.java
+++ b/openflow/ctl/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/controller/impl/RoleManager.java
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
 
     private static Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(RoleManager.class);
 
-    // The time until cached XID is evicted. Arbitray for now.
+    // The time until cached XID is evicted. Arbitrary for now.
     private final int pendingXidTimeoutSeconds = 60;
 
     // The cache for pending expected RoleReplies keyed on expected XID
diff --git a/providers/openflow/device/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java b/providers/openflow/device/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java
index 3b74807..efb76ab 100644
--- a/providers/openflow/device/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java
+++ b/providers/openflow/device/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java
@@ -127,17 +127,16 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void triggerProbe(Device device) {
-        final DeviceId deviceId = device.id();
+    public void triggerProbe(DeviceId deviceId) {
         LOG.info("Triggering probe on device {}", deviceId);
 
         final Dpid dpid = dpid(deviceId.uri());
         OpenFlowSwitch sw = controller.getSwitch(dpid);
         if (sw == null || !sw.isConnected()) {
-            LOG.error("Failed to probe device {} on sw={}", device, sw);
+            LOG.error("Failed to probe device {} on sw={}", deviceId, sw);
             providerService.deviceDisconnected(deviceId);
         } else {
-            LOG.trace("Confirmed device {} connection", device);
+            LOG.trace("Confirmed device {} connection", deviceId);
             // FIXME require something like below to match javadoc description
             // but this starts infinite loop with current DeviceManager
 //            final ChassisId cId = new ChassisId(dpid.value());
diff --git a/web/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/rest/ConfigProvider.java b/web/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/rest/ConfigProvider.java
index e4a0763..5a0d909 100644
--- a/web/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/rest/ConfigProvider.java
+++ b/web/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/rest/ConfigProvider.java
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void triggerProbe(Device device) {
+    public void triggerProbe(DeviceId deviceId) {
     }
 
     @Override