diff --git a/protocols/p4runtime/ctl/src/main/java/org/onosproject/p4runtime/ctl/client/StreamClientImpl.java b/protocols/p4runtime/ctl/src/main/java/org/onosproject/p4runtime/ctl/client/StreamClientImpl.java
index df4844b..11e91aa 100644
--- a/protocols/p4runtime/ctl/src/main/java/org/onosproject/p4runtime/ctl/client/StreamClientImpl.java
+++ b/protocols/p4runtime/ctl/src/main/java/org/onosproject/p4runtime/ctl/client/StreamClientImpl.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import io.grpc.StatusRuntimeException;
 import io.grpc.stub.ClientCallStreamObserver;
 import io.grpc.stub.StreamObserver;
+import org.onlab.util.SharedScheduledExecutors;
 import org.onosproject.net.DeviceId;
 import org.onosproject.net.device.DeviceAgentEvent;
 import org.onosproject.net.pi.model.PiPipeconf;
@@ -41,11 +42,14 @@
 import java.math.BigInteger;
 import java.net.ConnectException;
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
+import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledFuture;
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
 
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkArgument;
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
 import static java.lang.String.format;
+import static java.lang.System.currentTimeMillis;
 import static org.onosproject.p4runtime.ctl.codec.Codecs.CODECS;
 import static org.slf4j.LoggerFactory.getLogger;
 
@@ -57,6 +61,9 @@
 
     private static final Logger log = getLogger(StreamClientImpl.class);
 
+    private static final int ARBITRATION_RETRY_SECONDS = 3;
+    private static final int ARBITRATION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS = 15;
+
     private final P4RuntimeClientImpl client;
     private final DeviceId deviceId;
     private final long p4DeviceId;
@@ -73,6 +80,9 @@
     private BigInteger pendingElectionId = null;
     private BigInteger lastUsedElectionId = null;
 
+    private ScheduledFuture<?> pendingElectionIdRetryTask = null;
+    private long pendingElectionIdTimestamp = 0;
+
     StreamClientImpl(
             PiPipeconfService pipeconfService,
             MasterElectionIdStore masterElectionIdStore,
@@ -120,23 +130,54 @@
                 // No pending requests.
                 return;
             }
-            if (!requestedToBeMaster.get() && masterElectionId != null
-                    && pendingElectionId.compareTo(masterElectionId) > 0) {
-                log.info("Deferring sending master arbitration update, master " +
-                                  "election ID of server ({}) is smaller than " +
-                                  "requested one ({}), but we do NOT want to be master...",
-                          masterElectionId, pendingElectionId);
-                // Will try again as soon as the server reports a new master
-                // election ID that is bigger than the pending non-master one.
+            // Cancel any pending task. We'll reschedule if needed.
+            if (pendingElectionIdRetryTask != null) {
+                // Do not interrupt if running, as this might be executed by the
+                // pending task itself.
+                pendingElectionIdRetryTask.cancel(false);
+                pendingElectionIdRetryTask = null;
+            }
+            // We implement a deferring mechanism to avoid becoming master when
+            // we shouldn't, i.e. when the requested election ID is bigger than
+            // the master one on the device, but we don't want to be master.
+            // However, we make sure not to defer for more than
+            // ARBITRATION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS.
+            final boolean timeoutExpired;
+            if (pendingElectionIdTimestamp == 0) {
+                pendingElectionIdTimestamp = currentTimeMillis();
+                timeoutExpired = false;
+            } else {
+                timeoutExpired = (currentTimeMillis() - pendingElectionIdTimestamp)
+                        > ARBITRATION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS * 1000;
+            }
+            if (timeoutExpired) {
+                log.warn("{} arbitration timeout expired! Will send pending election ID now...",
+                         deviceId);
+            }
+            if (!timeoutExpired &&
+                    !requestedToBeMaster.get() && masterElectionId != null &&
+                    pendingElectionId.compareTo(masterElectionId) > 0) {
+                log.info("Deferring sending master arbitration update for {}, master " +
+                                 "election ID of server ({}) is smaller than " +
+                                 "requested one ({}), but we do NOT want to be master...",
+                         deviceId, masterElectionId, pendingElectionId);
+                // Will try again as soon as the master election ID store is
+                // updated...
                 masterElectionIdStore.setListener(deviceId, masterElectionIdListener);
+                // ..or in ARBITRATION_RETRY_SECONDS at the latest (if we missed
+                // the store event).
+                pendingElectionIdRetryTask = SharedScheduledExecutors.newTimeout(
+                        () -> handlePendingElectionId(masterElectionIdStore.get(deviceId)),
+                        ARBITRATION_RETRY_SECONDS, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
             } else {
                 // Send now.
                 log.info("Setting mastership on {}... " +
-                                  "master={}, newElectionId={}, masterElectionId={}",
-                          deviceId, requestedToBeMaster.get(),
-                          pendingElectionId, masterElectionId);
+                                 "master={}, newElectionId={}, masterElectionId={}",
+                         deviceId, requestedToBeMaster.get(),
+                         pendingElectionId, masterElectionId);
                 sendMasterArbitrationUpdate(pendingElectionId);
                 pendingElectionId = null;
+                pendingElectionIdTimestamp = 0;
                 // No need to listen for master election ID changes.
                 masterElectionIdStore.unsetListener(deviceId);
             }
@@ -151,8 +192,8 @@
     @Override
     public void packetOut(PiPacketOperation packet, PiPipeconf pipeconf) {
         if (!isSessionOpen()) {
-            log.debug("Dropping packet-out request for {}, session is closed",
-                      deviceId);
+            log.warn("Dropping packet-out request for {}, session is closed",
+                     deviceId);
             return;
         }
         if (log.isTraceEnabled()) {
@@ -284,6 +325,8 @@
 
         @Override
         public void updated(BigInteger masterElectionId) {
+            log.debug("UPDATED master election ID of {}: {}",
+                      deviceId, masterElectionId);
             handlePendingElectionId(masterElectionId);
         }
     }