diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/consistent/impl/DistributedLeadershipManager.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/consistent/impl/DistributedLeadershipManager.java
index 303129d..ed610ad 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/consistent/impl/DistributedLeadershipManager.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/consistent/impl/DistributedLeadershipManager.java
@@ -362,8 +362,8 @@
         Leadership newInfo = new Leadership(path, candidates, epoch, electedTime);
         final MutableBoolean updated = new MutableBoolean(false);
         candidateBoard.compute(path, (k, current) -> {
-            if (current != null && current.epoch() == newInfo.epoch()) {
-                log.info("updating candidateboard with {}", newInfo);
+            if (current != null && current.epoch() <= newInfo.epoch()) {
+                log.info("updating candidateboard with removal of {}", newInfo);
                 updated.setTrue();
                 if (candidates.isEmpty()) {
                     return null;
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@
                 });
             } else if (eventType.equals(LeadershipEvent.Type.LEADER_BOOTED)) {
                 leaderBoard.compute(topic, (k, currentLeadership) -> {
-                    if (currentLeadership == null || currentLeadership.epoch() < leadershipUpdate.epoch()) {
+                    if (currentLeadership == null || currentLeadership.epoch() == leadershipUpdate.epoch()) {
                         updateAccepted.setTrue();
                         return null;
                     }
@@ -462,6 +462,9 @@
                 candidateBoard.compute(topic, (k, currentInfo) -> {
                     if (currentInfo == null || currentInfo.epoch() <= leadershipUpdate.epoch()) {
                         updateAccepted.setTrue();
+                        if (leadershipUpdate.candidates().isEmpty()) {
+                            return null;
+                        }
                         return leadershipUpdate;
                     }
                     return currentInfo;
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/mastership/impl/ConsistentDeviceMastershipStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/mastership/impl/ConsistentDeviceMastershipStore.java
index 8a54502..27a33b3 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/mastership/impl/ConsistentDeviceMastershipStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/mastership/impl/ConsistentDeviceMastershipStore.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 package org.onosproject.store.mastership.impl;
 
 import static org.onlab.util.Tools.groupedThreads;
+import static org.onlab.util.Tools.futureGetOrElse;
 import static org.onosproject.mastership.MastershipEvent.Type.BACKUPS_CHANGED;
 import static org.onosproject.mastership.MastershipEvent.Type.MASTER_CHANGED;
 import static org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger;
@@ -25,12 +26,8 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
-import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
-import java.util.concurrent.Future;
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
 import java.util.regex.Matcher;
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
@@ -182,12 +179,12 @@
                 return MastershipRole.NONE;
             }
         }
-        MastershipRole role = complete(clusterCommunicator.sendAndReceive(
+        MastershipRole role = futureGetOrElse(clusterCommunicator.sendAndReceive(
                 deviceId,
                 ROLE_QUERY_SUBJECT,
                 SERIALIZER::encode,
                 SERIALIZER::decode,
-                nodeId));
+                nodeId), null);
         return role == null ? MastershipRole.NONE : role;
     }
 
@@ -270,12 +267,12 @@
         if (!nodeId.equals(localNodeId)) {
             log.debug("Forwarding request to relinquish "
                     + "role for device {} to {}", deviceId, nodeId);
-            return complete(clusterCommunicator.sendAndReceive(
+            return futureGetOrElse(clusterCommunicator.sendAndReceive(
                     deviceId,
                     ROLE_RELINQUISH_SUBJECT,
                     SERIALIZER::encode,
                     SERIALIZER::decode,
-                    nodeId));
+                    nodeId), null);
         }
 
         // Check if this node is can be managed by this node.
@@ -374,16 +371,4 @@
         return m.matches();
     }
 
-    private <T> T complete(Future<byte[]> future) {
-        try {
-            return SERIALIZER.decode(future.get(PEER_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS));
-        } catch (InterruptedException e) {
-            Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
-            log.error("Interrupted while waiting for operation to complete.", e);
-            return null;
-        } catch (TimeoutException | ExecutionException e) {
-            log.error("Failed remote operation", e);
-            return null;
-        }
-    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file