diff --git a/libra/admin_api/device_pool/manage_pool.py b/libra/admin_api/device_pool/manage_pool.py
index 768636b3..ce21e9e2 100644
--- a/libra/admin_api/device_pool/manage_pool.py
+++ b/libra/admin_api/device_pool/manage_pool.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 import ipaddress
 import threading
+import uuid
 
 from datetime import datetime
 from gearman.constants import JOB_UNKNOWN
@@ -76,7 +77,10 @@ class Pool(object):
                         'action': 'DELETE_DEVICE',
                         'name': device.name
                     }
-                    message.append(dict(task='libra_pool_mgm', data=job_data))
+                    unique_uuid = str(uuid.uuid4())
+                    message.append(dict(task='libra_pool_mgm',
+                                        data=job_data,
+                                        unique=unique_uuid))
 
                 counter = session.query(Counters).\
                     filter(Counters.name == 'devices_deleted').first()
@@ -177,7 +181,10 @@ class Pool(object):
         it = 0
         job_data = {'action': 'BUILD_DEVICE'}
         while it < count:
-            message.append(dict(task='libra_pool_mgm', data=job_data))
+            unique_uuid = str(uuid.uuid4())
+            message.append(dict(task='libra_pool_mgm',
+                                data=job_data,
+                                unique=unique_uuid))
             it += 1
         gear = GearmanWork()
         gear.send_create_message(message)
@@ -187,7 +194,10 @@ class Pool(object):
         it = 0
         job_data = {'action': 'BUILD_IP'}
         while it < count:
-            message.append(dict(task='libra_pool_mgm', data=job_data))
+            unique_uuid = str(uuid.uuid4())
+            message.append(dict(task='libra_pool_mgm',
+                                data=job_data,
+                                unique=unique_uuid))
             it += 1
         gear = GearmanWork()
         gear.send_vips_message(message)
diff --git a/libra/mgm/controllers/vip.py b/libra/mgm/controllers/vip.py
index f94771e9..ce386435 100644
--- a/libra/mgm/controllers/vip.py
+++ b/libra/mgm/controllers/vip.py
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ class AssignIpController(object):
                 .format(self.msg['name'], node_id)
             )
             nova.vip_assign(node_id, self.msg['ip'])
+
+            self._wait_until_ip_assigned(nova, node_id, self.msg['ip'])
+
             if cfg.CONF['mgm']['tcp_check_port']:
                 self.check_ip(self.msg['ip'],
                               cfg.CONF['mgm']['tcp_check_port'])
@@ -123,6 +126,30 @@ class AssignIpController(object):
                     raise
                 time.sleep(2)
 
+    def _wait_until_ip_assigned(self, nova, node_id, vip):
+        current_instance_id = None
+        # We can check the status for up to 24 seconds since the assign
+        # attempts five times.  All attempts must be before the Gearman
+        # message times out at two minutes, so let's aim for
+        # trying five times in ~20 secs each of the five attempts
+        for x in xrange(1, 6):
+            try:
+                current_instance_id = nova.vip_get_instance_id(vip)
+                LOG.debug("Confirmed VIP {0} is assigned to instance ID {1}"
+                          .format(vip, current_instance_id)
+                         )
+                if current_instance_id == node_id:
+                   return
+            except:
+                pass
+            LOG.debug("VIP has instance ID {0} but was assigned to " \
+                      "instance {1}, sleeping"
+                      .format(current_instance_id, node_id)
+                     )
+            if x < 5:
+                time.sleep(5)
+        raise Exception('VIP instance ID did not match assigned ' \
+                        'instance ID after 20 secs.  Failing assignment')
 
 class RemoveIpController(object):
 
diff --git a/libra/mgm/nova.py b/libra/mgm/nova.py
index 5d9ae5e3..d53d2a47 100644
--- a/libra/mgm/nova.py
+++ b/libra/mgm/nova.py
@@ -135,6 +135,19 @@ class Node(object):
         except exceptions.ClientException:
             resp, body = self.nova.delete(url)
 
+    def vip_get_instance_id(self, vip):
+        """ get the instance id owning the vip """
+        vip_id = self._find_vip_id(vip)
+        url = '/os-floating-ips/{0}'.format(vip_id)
+        resp, body = self.nova.get(url)
+        if resp.status_code != 200:
+           raise Exception(
+             'Response code {0}, message {1} when getting ' \
+             'floating IP {2} details'
+             .format(resp.status_code, body, vip)
+           )
+        return body['floating_ip']['instance_id']
+
     def _find_vip_id(self, vip):
         url = '/os-floating-ips'
         resp, body = self.nova.get(url)