diff --git a/dbutils.c b/dbutils.c
index f8f48df4..eae8441a 100644
--- a/dbutils.c
+++ b/dbutils.c
@@ -485,7 +485,6 @@ get_upstream_connection(PGconn *standby_conn, char *cluster, int node_id,
  * connection string is placed there.
  */
 
-// ZZZ value placed in `master_id` used by callers in repmgrd
 PGconn *
 get_master_connection(PGconn *standby_conn, char *cluster,
 					  int *master_id, char *master_conninfo_out)
@@ -497,10 +496,14 @@ get_master_connection(PGconn *standby_conn, char *cluster,
 	char		master_conninfo_stack[MAXCONNINFO];
 	char	   *master_conninfo = &*master_conninfo_stack;
 
-	int			i;
+	int			i,
+				node_id;
 
+	if(master_id != NULL)
+	{
+		*master_id = -1;
+	}
 
-	// ZZZ below old stuff
 	/* find all nodes belonging to this cluster */
 	log_info(_("finding node list for cluster '%s'\n"),
 			 cluster);
@@ -525,10 +528,10 @@ get_master_connection(PGconn *standby_conn, char *cluster,
 	for (i = 0; i < PQntuples(res1); i++)
 	{
 		/* initialize with the values of the current node being processed */
-		*master_id = atoi(PQgetvalue(res1, i, 0));
+		node_id = atoi(PQgetvalue(res1, i, 0));
 		strncpy(master_conninfo, PQgetvalue(res1, i, 1), MAXCONNINFO);
 		log_info(_("checking role of cluster node '%i'\n"),
-				 *master_id);
+				 node_id);
 		master_conn = establish_db_connection(master_conninfo, false);
 
 		if (PQstatus(master_conn) != CONNECTION_OK)
@@ -555,6 +558,12 @@ get_master_connection(PGconn *standby_conn, char *cluster,
 		{
 			PQclear(res2);
 			PQclear(res1);
+
+			if(master_id != NULL)
+			{
+				*master_id = node_id;
+			}
+
 			return master_conn;
 		}
 		else
@@ -562,7 +571,6 @@ get_master_connection(PGconn *standby_conn, char *cluster,
 			/* if it is a standby, clear info */
 			PQclear(res2);
 			PQfinish(master_conn);
-			*master_id = -1;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/repmgr.c b/repmgr.c
index 1437a924..d4512bff 100644
--- a/repmgr.c
+++ b/repmgr.c
@@ -480,7 +480,6 @@ do_cluster_show(void)
 static void
 do_cluster_cleanup(void)
 {
-	int			master_id;
 	PGconn	   *conn = NULL;
 	PGconn	   *master_conn = NULL;
 	PGresult   *res;
@@ -493,7 +492,7 @@ do_cluster_cleanup(void)
 	/* check if there is a master in this cluster */
 	log_info(_("%s connecting to master database\n"), progname);
 	master_conn = get_master_connection(conn, options.cluster_name,
-										&master_id, NULL);
+										NULL, NULL);
 	if (!master_conn)
 	{
 		log_err(_("cluster cleanup: cannot connect to master\n"));
@@ -595,7 +594,6 @@ do_master_register(void)
 	else
 	{
 		PGconn	   *master_conn;
-		int			id;
 
 		if (runtime_options.force)
 		{
@@ -619,7 +617,7 @@ do_master_register(void)
 
 		/* Ensure there isn't any other master already registered */
 		master_conn = get_master_connection(conn,
-											options.cluster_name, &id, NULL);
+											options.cluster_name, NULL, NULL);
 		if (master_conn != NULL)
 		{
 			PQfinish(master_conn);
@@ -656,8 +654,7 @@ do_standby_register(void)
 {
 	PGconn	   *conn;
 	PGconn	   *master_conn;
-	int			master_id,
-				ret;
+	int			ret;
 
 	PGresult   *res;
 	char		sqlquery[QUERY_STR_LEN];
@@ -701,7 +698,7 @@ do_standby_register(void)
 	/* check if there is a master in this cluster */
 	log_info(_("%s connecting to master database\n"), progname);
 	master_conn = get_master_connection(conn, options.cluster_name,
-										&master_id, NULL);
+										NULL, NULL);
 	if (!master_conn)
 	{
 		log_err(_("A master must be defined before configuring a slave\n"));
@@ -1105,7 +1102,6 @@ do_standby_promote(void)
 	char		script[MAXLEN];
 
 	PGconn	   *old_master_conn;
-	int			old_master_id;
 
 	int			r,
 				retval;
@@ -1139,7 +1135,7 @@ do_standby_promote(void)
 
 	/* we also need to check if there isn't any master already */
 	old_master_conn = get_master_connection(conn,
-											options.cluster_name, &old_master_id, NULL);
+											options.cluster_name, NULL, NULL);
 	if (old_master_conn != NULL)
 	{
 		log_err(_("This cluster already has an active master server\n"));
@@ -1220,7 +1216,6 @@ do_standby_follow(void)
 	char		script[MAXLEN];
 	char		master_conninfo[MAXLEN];
 	PGconn	   *master_conn;
-	int			master_id;
 
 	int			r,
 				retval;
@@ -1268,7 +1263,7 @@ do_standby_follow(void)
 		}
 
 		master_conn = get_master_connection(conn,
-				options.cluster_name, &master_id, (char *) &master_conninfo);
+				options.cluster_name, NULL, (char *) &master_conninfo);
 	}
 	while (master_conn == NULL && runtime_options.wait_for_master);