diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/analyze/AnalyzeRequest.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/analyze/AnalyzeRequest.java
index 9592bb6822c..9cec36db840 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/analyze/AnalyzeRequest.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/analyze/AnalyzeRequest.java
@@ -79,6 +79,15 @@ public class AnalyzeRequest extends SingleCustomOperationRequest {
         return this.analyzer;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * if this operation hits a node with a local relevant shard, should it be preferred
+     * to be executed on, or just do plain round robin. Defaults to <tt>true</tt>
+     */
+    @Override public AnalyzeRequest preferLocal(boolean preferLocal) {
+        super.preferLocal(preferLocal);
+        return this;
+    }
+
     @Override public ActionRequestValidationException validate() {
         ActionRequestValidationException validationException = super.validate();
         if (index == null) {
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/analyze/TransportAnalyzeAction.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/analyze/TransportAnalyzeAction.java
index aaeb35ce982..7c080dfb444 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/analyze/TransportAnalyzeAction.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/analyze/TransportAnalyzeAction.java
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public class TransportAnalyzeAction extends TransportSingleCustomOperationAction
 
     @Override protected ShardsIterator shards(ClusterState clusterState, AnalyzeRequest request) {
         request.index(clusterState.metaData().concreteIndex(request.index()));
-        return clusterState.routingTable().index(request.index()).allShardsIt();
+        return clusterState.routingTable().index(request.index()).randomAllShardsIt();
     }
 
     @Override protected AnalyzeResponse shardOperation(AnalyzeRequest request, int shardId) throws ElasticSearchException {
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/percolate/PercolateRequest.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/percolate/PercolateRequest.java
index 69b3369a8dc..dc7d15dde3e 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/percolate/PercolateRequest.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/percolate/PercolateRequest.java
@@ -150,6 +150,15 @@ public class PercolateRequest extends SingleCustomOperationRequest {
         return this;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * if this operation hits a node with a local relevant shard, should it be preferred
+     * to be executed on, or just do plain round robin. Defaults to <tt>true</tt>
+     */
+    @Override public PercolateRequest preferLocal(boolean preferLocal) {
+        super.preferLocal(preferLocal);
+        return this;
+    }
+
     @Override public ActionRequestValidationException validate() {
         ActionRequestValidationException validationException = super.validate();
         if (index == null) {
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/percolate/TransportPercolateAction.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/percolate/TransportPercolateAction.java
index b153d191a4e..7020edde2fc 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/percolate/TransportPercolateAction.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/percolate/TransportPercolateAction.java
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public class TransportPercolateAction extends TransportSingleCustomOperationActi
 
     @Override protected ShardsIterator shards(ClusterState clusterState, PercolateRequest request) {
         request.index(clusterState.metaData().concreteIndex(request.index()));
-        return clusterState.routingTable().index(request.index()).allShardsIt();
+        return clusterState.routingTable().index(request.index()).randomAllShardsIt();
     }
 
     @Override protected PercolateResponse shardOperation(PercolateRequest request, int shardId) throws ElasticSearchException {
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/single/custom/SingleCustomOperationRequest.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/single/custom/SingleCustomOperationRequest.java
index 0661176b04c..dfcd9d0bd53 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/single/custom/SingleCustomOperationRequest.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/single/custom/SingleCustomOperationRequest.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ public abstract class SingleCustomOperationRequest implements ActionRequest {
 
     private boolean threadedListener = false;
     private boolean threadedOperation = true;
+    private boolean preferLocal = true;
 
     protected SingleCustomOperationRequest() {
     }
@@ -68,15 +69,34 @@ public abstract class SingleCustomOperationRequest implements ActionRequest {
         return this;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * if this operation hits a node with a local relevant shard, should it be preferred
+     * to be executed on, or just do plain round robin. Defaults to <tt>true</tt>
+     */
+    public SingleCustomOperationRequest preferLocal(boolean preferLocal) {
+        this.preferLocal = preferLocal;
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * if this operation hits a node with a local relevant shard, should it be preferred
+     * to be executed on, or just do plain round robin. Defaults to <tt>true</tt>
+     */
+    public boolean preferLocalShard() {
+        return this.preferLocal;
+    }
+
     public void beforeLocalFork() {
 
     }
 
     @Override public void readFrom(StreamInput in) throws IOException {
         // no need to pass threading over the network, they are always false when coming throw a thread pool
+        preferLocal = in.readBoolean();
     }
 
     @Override public void writeTo(StreamOutput out) throws IOException {
+        out.writeBoolean(preferLocal);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/single/custom/TransportSingleCustomOperationAction.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/single/custom/TransportSingleCustomOperationAction.java
index 8355321ae39..48e1421bd5a 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/single/custom/TransportSingleCustomOperationAction.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/support/single/custom/TransportSingleCustomOperationAction.java
@@ -116,40 +116,44 @@ public abstract class TransportSingleCustomOperationAction<Request extends Singl
          * First get should try and use a shard that exists on a local node for better performance
          */
         private void performFirst() {
-            while (shardsIt.hasNextActive()) {
-                final ShardRouting shard = shardsIt.nextActive();
-                if (shard.currentNodeId().equals(nodes.localNodeId())) {
-                    if (request.operationThreaded()) {
-                        request.beforeLocalFork();
-                        threadPool.execute(new Runnable() {
-                            @Override public void run() {
-                                try {
-                                    Response response = shardOperation(request, shard.id());
-                                    listener.onResponse(response);
-                                } catch (Exception e) {
-                                    onFailure(shard, e);
-                                }
-                            }
-                        });
-                        return;
-                    } else {
-                        try {
-                            final Response response = shardOperation(request, shard.id());
-                            if (request.listenerThreaded()) {
-                                threadPool.execute(new Runnable() {
-                                    @Override public void run() {
+            if (request.preferLocalShard()) {
+                while (shardsIt.hasNextActive()) {
+                    final ShardRouting shard = shardsIt.nextActive();
+                    if (shard.currentNodeId().equals(nodes.localNodeId())) {
+                        if (request.operationThreaded()) {
+                            request.beforeLocalFork();
+                            threadPool.execute(new Runnable() {
+                                @Override public void run() {
+                                    try {
+                                        Response response = shardOperation(request, shard.id());
                                         listener.onResponse(response);
+                                    } catch (Exception e) {
+                                        onFailure(shard, e);
                                     }
-                                });
-                            } else {
-                                listener.onResponse(response);
-                            }
+                                }
+                            });
                             return;
-                        } catch (Exception e) {
-                            onFailure(shard, e);
+                        } else {
+                            try {
+                                final Response response = shardOperation(request, shard.id());
+                                if (request.listenerThreaded()) {
+                                    threadPool.execute(new Runnable() {
+                                        @Override public void run() {
+                                            listener.onResponse(response);
+                                        }
+                                    });
+                                } else {
+                                    listener.onResponse(response);
+                                }
+                                return;
+                            } catch (Exception e) {
+                                onFailure(shard, e);
+                            }
                         }
                     }
                 }
+            } else {
+                perform(null);
             }
             if (!shardsIt.hasNextActive()) {
                 // no local node get, go remote
@@ -162,7 +166,41 @@ public abstract class TransportSingleCustomOperationAction<Request extends Singl
             while (shardsIt.hasNextActive()) {
                 final ShardRouting shard = shardsIt.nextActive();
                 // no need to check for local nodes, we tried them already in performFirstGet
-                if (!shard.currentNodeId().equals(nodes.localNodeId())) {
+                if (shard.currentNodeId().equals(nodes.localNodeId())) {
+                    // we don't prefer local shard, so try and do it here
+                    if (!request.preferLocalShard()) {
+                        if (request.operationThreaded()) {
+                            request.beforeLocalFork();
+                            threadPool.execute(new Runnable() {
+                                @Override public void run() {
+                                    try {
+                                        Response response = shardOperation(request, shard.id());
+                                        listener.onResponse(response);
+                                    } catch (Exception e) {
+                                        onFailure(shard, e);
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            });
+                            return;
+                        } else {
+                            try {
+                                final Response response = shardOperation(request, shard.id());
+                                if (request.listenerThreaded()) {
+                                    threadPool.execute(new Runnable() {
+                                        @Override public void run() {
+                                            listener.onResponse(response);
+                                        }
+                                    });
+                                } else {
+                                    listener.onResponse(response);
+                                }
+                                return;
+                            } catch (Exception e) {
+                                onFailure(shard, e);
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                } else {
                     DiscoveryNode node = nodes.get(shard.currentNodeId());
                     transportService.sendRequest(node, transportShardAction(), new ShardSingleOperationRequest(request, shard.id()), new BaseTransportResponseHandler<Response>() {
                         @Override public Response newInstance() {
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/action/admin/indices/analyze/AnalyzeRequestBuilder.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/action/admin/indices/analyze/AnalyzeRequestBuilder.java
index b830c02c8ca..4ce2664c3d9 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/action/admin/indices/analyze/AnalyzeRequestBuilder.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/action/admin/indices/analyze/AnalyzeRequestBuilder.java
@@ -44,6 +44,15 @@ public class AnalyzeRequestBuilder extends BaseIndicesRequestBuilder<AnalyzeRequ
         return this;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * if this operation hits a node with a local relevant shard, should it be preferred
+     * to be executed on, or just do plain round robin. Defaults to <tt>true</tt>
+     */
+    public AnalyzeRequestBuilder setPreferLocal(boolean preferLocal) {
+        request.preferLocal(preferLocal);
+        return this;
+    }
+
     @Override protected void doExecute(ActionListener<AnalyzeResponse> listener) {
         client.analyze(request, listener);
     }
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/action/percolate/PercolateRequestBuilder.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/action/percolate/PercolateRequestBuilder.java
index 1deecc17a26..8cba63a693b 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/action/percolate/PercolateRequestBuilder.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/action/percolate/PercolateRequestBuilder.java
@@ -128,6 +128,15 @@ public class PercolateRequestBuilder extends BaseRequestBuilder<PercolateRequest
         return this;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * if this operation hits a node with a local relevant shard, should it be preferred
+     * to be executed on, or just do plain round robin. Defaults to <tt>true</tt>
+     */
+    public PercolateRequestBuilder setPreferLocal(boolean preferLocal) {
+        request.preferLocal(preferLocal);
+        return this;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Controls if the operation will be executed on a separate thread when executed locally. Defaults
      * to <tt>true</tt> when running in embedded mode.
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/IndexRoutingTable.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/IndexRoutingTable.java
index 3f4ddd88d6d..7a6ef09ea6d 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/IndexRoutingTable.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/IndexRoutingTable.java
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ public class IndexRoutingTable implements Iterable<IndexShardRoutingTable> {
     /**
      * An iterator over all shards (including replicas).
      */
-    public ShardsIterator allShardsIt() {
+    public ShardsIterator randomAllShardsIt() {
         return new PlainShardsIterator(allShards, Math.abs(counter.incrementAndGet()));
     }
 
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/analyze/RestAnalyzeAction.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/analyze/RestAnalyzeAction.java
index b4266ef4a00..0bb5320f4e3 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/analyze/RestAnalyzeAction.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/analyze/RestAnalyzeAction.java
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ public class RestAnalyzeAction extends BaseRestHandler {
         }
 
         AnalyzeRequest analyzeRequest = new AnalyzeRequest(request.param("index"), text);
+        analyzeRequest.preferLocal(request.paramAsBoolean("prefer_local", analyzeRequest.preferLocalShard()));
         analyzeRequest.analyzer(request.param("analyzer"));
         client.admin().indices().analyze(analyzeRequest, new ActionListener<AnalyzeResponse>() {
             @Override public void onResponse(AnalyzeResponse response) {
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/percolate/RestPercolateAction.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/percolate/RestPercolateAction.java
index 1a13b4f4919..e2f95a1f1e8 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/percolate/RestPercolateAction.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/percolate/RestPercolateAction.java
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ public class RestPercolateAction extends BaseRestHandler {
         // we don't spawn, then fork if local
         percolateRequest.operationThreaded(true);
 
+        percolateRequest.preferLocal(request.paramAsBoolean("prefer_local", percolateRequest.preferLocalShard()));
         client.percolate(percolateRequest, new ActionListener<PercolateResponse>() {
             @Override public void onResponse(PercolateResponse response) {
                 try {
diff --git a/modules/test/integration/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/percolator/SimplePercolatorTests.java b/modules/test/integration/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/percolator/SimplePercolatorTests.java
index 83a77f8864f..f58fa73fc37 100644
--- a/modules/test/integration/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/percolator/SimplePercolatorTests.java
+++ b/modules/test/integration/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/percolator/SimplePercolatorTests.java
@@ -101,11 +101,21 @@ public class SimplePercolatorTests extends AbstractNodesTests {
                 .execute().actionGet();
         client.admin().cluster().prepareHealth().setWaitForGreenStatus().setWaitForActiveShards(4).execute().actionGet();
 
-        PercolateResponse percolate = client.preparePercolate("test").setSource(jsonBuilder().startObject().startObject("doc").startObject("type1")
-                .field("field1", "value1")
-                .endObject().endObject().endObject())
-                .execute().actionGet();
-        assertThat(percolate.matches().size(), equalTo(1));
+        for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+            PercolateResponse percolate = client.preparePercolate("test").setSource(jsonBuilder().startObject().startObject("doc").startObject("type1")
+                    .field("field1", "value1")
+                    .endObject().endObject().endObject())
+                    .execute().actionGet();
+            assertThat(percolate.matches().size(), equalTo(1));
+        }
+
+        for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+            PercolateResponse percolate = client.preparePercolate("test").setPreferLocal(false).setSource(jsonBuilder().startObject().startObject("doc").startObject("type1")
+                    .field("field1", "value1")
+                    .endObject().endObject().endObject())
+                    .execute().actionGet();
+            assertThat(percolate.matches().size(), equalTo(1));
+        }
     }
 
     @Test public void dynamicAddingRemovingQueries() throws Exception {