diff --git a/salt/minion.py b/salt/minion.py
index 1223eef0cf..9fb137e370 100644
--- a/salt/minion.py
+++ b/salt/minion.py
@@ -2025,7 +2025,10 @@ class MultiSyndic(Syndic):
     Make a Syndic minion, this minion will handle relaying jobs and returns from
     all minions connected to it to the list of masters it is connected to.
 
-    Note: jobs will be returned best-effort to the requesting master
+    Note: jobs will be returned best-effort to the requesting master. This also means
+    (since we are using zmq) that if a job was fired and the master disconnects
+    between the publish and return, that the return will end up in a zmq buffer
+    in this Syndic headed to that original master
     '''
     # timeout for one of the connections to an upstream master
     MASTER_MINION_CONNECT_TIMEOUT = 5
@@ -2064,7 +2067,7 @@ class MultiSyndic(Syndic):
                 t_minion = Minion(minion['opts'], self.MASTER_MINION_CONNECT_TIMEOUT, False)
 
                 # TODO: make less terrible...
-                # connect the minion to the master
+                # connect the minion to the master, since the minion class doesn't do it already
                 t_minion.socket = self.context.socket(zmq.SUB)
                 t_minion._set_reconnect_ivl()
                 t_minion._setsockopts()
@@ -2083,22 +2086,43 @@ class MultiSyndic(Syndic):
         Pick a master (based on the master_id if you have it) and change the opts
         to match that master (MAJOR HACK)
         '''
-        if master_id not in self.master_minions:
-            # TODO: make random
-            master_id = self.master_minions.keys()[0]
-
         self.opts = self.master_minions[master_id]['minion'].opts
-        return master_id
+
+    def iter_master_options(self, master_id=None):
+        '''
+        Iterate (in order) over your options for master
+        '''
+        masters = set(self.master_minions.keys())
+        if master_id not in self.master_minions:
+            master_id = masters.pop()
+        else:
+            masters.remove(master_id)
+
+        while True:
+            self._pick_master(master_id)
+            yield master_id
+            if len(masters) == 0:
+                break
+            master_id = masters.pop()
+
 
     def _fire_master(self, data=None, tag=None, events=None, pretag=None):
-        # if you don't care, or the master you want we dont have, pick one at random
-        master = self._pick_master()
 
-        self.master_minions[master]['minion']._fire_master(data=data,
-                                                           tag=tag,
-                                                           events=events,
-                                                           pretag=pretag,
-                                                           )
+        # if you don't care, or the master you want we dont have, pick one at random
+        for master in self.iter_master_options():
+            try:
+                self.master_minions[master]['minion']._fire_master(data=data,
+                                                                   tag=tag,
+                                                                   events=events,
+                                                                   pretag=pretag,
+                                                                   )
+                return
+            # unable to return, ususally because the master is down
+            except SaltClientError:
+                log.error('Unable to fire event to {0}, trying another...'.format(master))
+
+        log.critical('Unable to fire event on ANY master')
+
 
     # Syndic Tune In
     def tune_in(self):
@@ -2167,7 +2191,7 @@ class MultiSyndic(Syndic):
                         self.poller.register(minion_map['minion'].socket, zmq.POLLIN)
                     # check if you had events
                     if socks.get(minion_map['minion'].socket) == zmq.POLLIN:
-                        self._process_cmd_socket(minion_map['minion'])
+                        self._process_cmd_socket(master_id, minion_map['minion'])
 
                 if socks.get(self.local.event.sub) == zmq.POLLIN:
                     self._process_event_socket()
@@ -2186,7 +2210,7 @@ class MultiSyndic(Syndic):
                     exc_info=True
                 )
 
-    def _process_cmd_socket(self, minion):
+    def _process_cmd_socket(self, master_id, minion):
         '''
         process a pub job that a minion recieved
         '''
@@ -2209,13 +2233,10 @@ class MultiSyndic(Syndic):
         log.trace('Handling payload')
         # TODO: remove this Terrible hack...
         self.crypticle = minion.crypticle
+        # Terrible hack: We have to set the opts so all the class funcs work
+        self._pick_master(master_id)
         self._handle_payload(payload)
 
-    def _reset_event_aggregation(self):
-        self.jids = {}
-        self.raw_events = []
-        self.event_forward_timeout = None
-
     def _process_event_socket(self):
         tout = time.time() + self.opts['syndic_max_event_process_time']
         while tout > time.time():
@@ -2262,8 +2283,13 @@ class MultiSyndic(Syndic):
                               pretag=tagify(self.opts['id'], base='syndic'),
                               )
         for jid, jid_ret in self.jids.iteritems():
-            self._pick_master(jid_ret.get('__master_id__'))
-            self._return_pub(jid_ret, '_syndic_return')
+            for master in self.iter_master_options(jid_ret.get('__master_id__')):
+                try:
+                    self._return_pub(jid_ret, '_syndic_return')
+                    break
+                except SaltClientError:
+                    log.error('Unable to return to {0}, trying another...'.format(master))
+                    continue
         self._reset_event_aggregation()