diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/cluster/messaging/impl/ClusterCommunicationManager.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/cluster/messaging/impl/ClusterCommunicationManager.java
index 4db23ce..b2f679c 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/cluster/messaging/impl/ClusterCommunicationManager.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/cluster/messaging/impl/ClusterCommunicationManager.java
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
         final ControllerNode localNode = clusterService.getLocalNode();
         for (NodeId nodeId : nodes) {
             if (!nodeId.equals(localNode.id())) {
-                ok = unicast(message, nodeId) && ok;
+                ok = unicastUnchecked(message, nodeId) && ok;
             }
         }
         return ok;
@@ -124,6 +124,14 @@
         }
     }
 
+    private boolean unicastUnchecked(ClusterMessage message, NodeId toNodeId) throws IOException {
+        try {
+            return unicast(message, toNodeId);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     @Override
     public ClusterMessageResponse sendAndReceive(ClusterMessage message, NodeId toNodeId) throws IOException {
         ControllerNode node = clusterService.getNode(toNodeId);