diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ElectionContext.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ElectionContext.java
index 0948a8edc2c..c8fc0dec16e 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ElectionContext.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ElectionContext.java
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public abstract class ElectionContext {
     }
   }
 
-  abstract void runLeaderProcess(boolean weAreReplacement) throws KeeperException, InterruptedException, IOException;
+  abstract void runLeaderProcess(boolean weAreReplacement, int pauseTime) throws KeeperException, InterruptedException, IOException;
 
   public void checkIfIamLeaderFired() {}
 
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ class ShardLeaderElectionContextBase extends ElectionContext {
   }
 
   @Override
-  void runLeaderProcess(boolean weAreReplacement) throws KeeperException,
+  void runLeaderProcess(boolean weAreReplacement, int pauseBeforeStart) throws KeeperException,
       InterruptedException, IOException {
     
     zkClient.makePath(leaderPath, ZkStateReader.toJSON(leaderProps),
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ final class ShardLeaderElectionContext extends ShardLeaderElectionContextBase {
    * weAreReplacement: has someone else been the leader already?
    */
   @Override
-  void runLeaderProcess(boolean weAreReplacement) throws KeeperException,
+  void runLeaderProcess(boolean weAreReplacement, int pauseBeforeStart) throws KeeperException,
       InterruptedException, IOException {
     log.info("Running the leader process for shard " + shardId);
     
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ final class ShardLeaderElectionContext extends ShardLeaderElectionContextBase {
     }
     boolean success = false;
     try {
-      super.runLeaderProcess(weAreReplacement);
+      super.runLeaderProcess(weAreReplacement, 0);
       success = true;
     } catch (Exception e) {
       SolrException.log(log, "There was a problem trying to register as the leader", e);
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ final class OverseerElectionContext extends ElectionContext {
   }
 
   @Override
-  void runLeaderProcess(boolean weAreReplacement) throws KeeperException,
+  void runLeaderProcess(boolean weAreReplacement, int pauseBeforeStart) throws KeeperException,
       InterruptedException {
     log.info("I am going to be the leader {}", id);
     final String id = leaderSeqPath
@@ -458,6 +458,13 @@ final class OverseerElectionContext extends ElectionContext {
 
     zkClient.makePath(leaderPath, ZkStateReader.toJSON(myProps),
         CreateMode.EPHEMERAL, true);
+    if(pauseBeforeStart >0){
+      try {
+        Thread.sleep(pauseBeforeStart);
+      } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+        log.warn("Wait interrupted ", e);
+      }
+    }
     
     overseer.start(id);
   }
diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/LeaderElector.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/LeaderElector.java
index 799fcf1c97e..488ae8f7f7a 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/LeaderElector.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/LeaderElector.java
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ public  class LeaderElector {
   // TODO: get this core param out of here
   protected void runIamLeaderProcess(final ElectionContext context, boolean weAreReplacement) throws KeeperException,
       InterruptedException, IOException {
-    context.runLeaderProcess(weAreReplacement);
+    context.runLeaderProcess(weAreReplacement,0);
   }
   
   /**
diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/Overseer.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/Overseer.java
index 89c14ba062f..1c3c5efd630 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/Overseer.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/Overseer.java
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@ public class Overseer {
   public static final String ADD_ROUTING_RULE = "addroutingrule";
   public static final String REMOVE_ROUTING_RULE = "removeroutingrule";
 
-  private static final int STATE_UPDATE_DELAY = 1500;  // delay between cloud state updates
+  public static final int STATE_UPDATE_DELAY = 1500;  // delay between cloud state updates
 
   private static Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(Overseer.class);
-  
+
   static enum LeaderStatus { DONT_KNOW, NO, YES };
 
   private long lastUpdatedTime = 0;
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ public class Overseer {
     
     @Override
     public void run() {
-        
+
       LeaderStatus isLeader = amILeader();
       while (isLeader == LeaderStatus.DONT_KNOW) {
         log.debug("am_i_leader unclear {}", isLeader);
diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ZkController.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ZkController.java
index 7b8d60478f1..3b83db45e8b 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ZkController.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/ZkController.java
@@ -295,9 +295,8 @@ public final class ZkController {
   public void forceOverSeer(){
     try {
       zkClient.delete("/overseer_elect/leader",-1, true);
-      log.info("Forcing me to be leader  {} ",getBaseUrl());
-      overseerElector.getContext().runLeaderProcess(true);
-      rejoinOverseerElection();
+      log.info("Forcing me to be leader  {} ", getBaseUrl());
+      overseerElector.getContext().runLeaderProcess(true, Overseer.STATE_UPDATE_DELAY+100);
     } catch (Exception e) {
       throw new SolrException(ErrorCode.SERVER_ERROR, " Error becoming overseer ",e);