diff --git a/broadcast.go b/broadcast.go
index 9b894fea2..d102fda22 100644
--- a/broadcast.go
+++ b/broadcast.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import (
 type MemberSet interface {
 	// Open starts any network activity implemented by the MemberSet
 	// Node is the local node, used for membership broadcasts.
-	Open(n *Node) error
+	Open() error
 }
 
 // StaticMemberSet represents a basic MemberSet for testing.
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func NewStaticMemberSet(nodes []*Node) *StaticMemberSet {
 }
 
 // Open implements the MemberSet interface to start network activity, but for a static MemberSet it does nothing.
-func (s *StaticMemberSet) Open(n *Node) error {
+func (s *StaticMemberSet) Open() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/cluster.go b/cluster.go
index ae34bf03c..75c29ceb8 100644
--- a/cluster.go
+++ b/cluster.go
@@ -861,7 +861,7 @@ func (h *jmphasher) Hash(key uint64, n int) int {
 	return int(b)
 }
 
-func (c *Cluster) open() error {
+func (c *Cluster) setup() error {
 	// Cluster always comes up in state STARTING until cluster membership is determined.
 	c.state = ClusterStateStarting
 
@@ -876,7 +876,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) open() error {
 	if c.isCoordinator() {
 		err := c.considerTopology()
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("considerTopology: %v", err)
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "considerTopology")
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -885,10 +885,21 @@ func (c *Cluster) open() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "adding local node")
 	}
+	return nil
+}
 
+func (c *Cluster) open() error {
+	err := c.setup()
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "setting up cluster")
+	}
+	return c.waitForStarted()
+}
+
+func (c *Cluster) waitForStarted() error {
 	// Open MemberSet communication.
-	if err := c.MemberSet.Open(c.Node); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("opening MemberSet: %v", err)
+	if err := c.MemberSet.Open(); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "opening MemberSet")
 	}
 
 	// If not coordinator then wait for ClusterStatus from coordinator.
diff --git a/cluster_internal_test.go b/cluster_internal_test.go
index bdd51c047..86e027600 100644
--- a/cluster_internal_test.go
+++ b/cluster_internal_test.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/davecgh/go-spew/spew"
 	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/internal"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
 // Ensure that fragCombos creates the correct fragment mapping.
@@ -591,10 +592,10 @@ func TestCluster_ResizeStates(t *testing.T) {
 		tc.WriteTopology(node.Path, top)
 
 		// Open TestCluster.
-		expected := "considerTopology: coordinator node0 is not in topology: [some-other-host]"
+		expected := "coordinator node0 is not in topology: [some-other-host]"
 		err := tc.Open()
-		if err == nil || err.Error() != expected {
-			t.Errorf("did not receive expected error: %s", expected)
+		if err == nil || errors.Cause(err).Error() != expected {
+			t.Errorf("did not receive expected error, got: %s", errors.Cause(err).Error())
 		}
 
 		// Close TestCluster.
diff --git a/gossip/gossip.go b/gossip/gossip.go
index 4749c9c58..d67215e85 100644
--- a/gossip/gossip.go
+++ b/gossip/gossip.go
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ var _ memberlist.Delegate = &GossipMemberSet{}
 // GossipMemberSet represents a gossip implementation of MemberSet using memberlist.
 type GossipMemberSet struct {
 	mu         sync.RWMutex
-	node       *pilosa.Node
 	memberlist *memberlist.Memberlist
 	handler    pilosa.BroadcastHandler
 
@@ -63,7 +62,7 @@ func (g *GossipMemberSet) GetBindAddr() string {
 }
 
 // Open implements the MemberSet interface to start network activity.
-func (g *GossipMemberSet) Open(n *pilosa.Node) error {
+func (g *GossipMemberSet) Open() error {
 	err := g.gossipEventReceiver.Start(g.pserver)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "starting event delegate")
@@ -72,8 +71,6 @@ func (g *GossipMemberSet) Open(n *pilosa.Node) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("must call Start(pilosa.BroadcastHandler) before calling Open()")
 	}
 
-	g.node = n
-
 	g.mu.Lock()
 	g.memberlist, err = memberlist.Create(g.config.memberlistConfig)
 	g.mu.Unlock()
@@ -241,7 +238,7 @@ func NewGossipMemberSet(name string, host string, cfg Config, s *pilosa.Server,
 
 // NodeMeta implementation of the memberlist.Delegate interface.
 func (g *GossipMemberSet) NodeMeta(limit int) []byte {
-	buf, err := proto.Marshal(pilosa.EncodeNode(g.node))
+	buf, err := proto.Marshal(pilosa.EncodeNode(g.pserver.Node()))
 	if err != nil {
 		g.Logger.Printf("marshal message error: %s", err)
 		return []byte{}
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 74bedab5b..27c56be6e 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ type Server struct {
 	metricInterval      time.Duration
 	diagnosticInterval  time.Duration
 	maxWritesPerRequest int
+	isCoordinator       bool
 
 	primaryTranslateStore TranslateStore
 
@@ -203,6 +204,13 @@ func OptServerClusterDisabled(disabled bool, hosts []string) ServerOption {
 	}
 }
 
+func OptServerIsCoordinator(is bool) ServerOption {
+	return func(s *Server) error {
+		s.isCoordinator = is
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // NewServer returns a new instance of Server.
 func NewServer(opts ...ServerOption) (*Server, error) {
 	s := &Server{
@@ -249,6 +257,10 @@ func NewServer(opts ...ServerOption) (*Server, error) {
 
 	// Get or create NodeID.
 	s.NodeID = s.LoadNodeID()
+	if s.isCoordinator {
+		s.Cluster.Coordinator = s.NodeID
+	}
+
 	// Set Cluster Node.
 	node := &Node{
 		ID:            s.NodeID,
@@ -271,6 +283,14 @@ func NewServer(opts ...ServerOption) (*Server, error) {
 	s.executor.Cluster = s.Cluster
 	s.executor.TranslateStore = s.translateFile
 	s.executor.MaxWritesPerRequest = s.maxWritesPerRequest
+	s.Cluster.Broadcaster = s
+	s.Cluster.MaxWritesPerRequest = s.maxWritesPerRequest
+	s.holder.Broadcaster = s
+
+	err = s.Cluster.setup()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "setting up cluster")
+	}
 
 	return s, nil
 }
@@ -290,15 +310,8 @@ func (s *Server) Open() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// Cluster settings.
-	s.Cluster.Broadcaster = s
-	s.Cluster.MaxWritesPerRequest = s.maxWritesPerRequest
-
-	// Initialize Holder.
-	s.holder.Broadcaster = s
-
 	// Open Cluster management.
-	if err := s.Cluster.open(); err != nil {
+	if err := s.Cluster.waitForStarted(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("opening Cluster: %v", err)
 	}
 
@@ -529,6 +542,12 @@ func (s *Server) SendTo(to *Node, pb proto.Message) error {
 	return s.defaultClient.SendMessage(context.Background(), &to.URI, pb)
 }
 
+// Node returns the pilosa.Node object. It is used by membership protocols to
+// get this node's name(ID), location(URI), and coordinator status.
+func (s *Server) Node() *Node {
+	return s.Cluster.Node
+}
+
 // Server implements StatusHandler.
 // LocalStatus is used to periodically sync information
 // between nodes. Under normal conditions, nodes should
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index a6bc1d995..8b958d314 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -247,6 +247,12 @@ func (m *Command) SetupServer() error {
 		primaryTranslateStore = http.NewTranslateStore(m.Config.Translation.PrimaryURL)
 	}
 
+	// Set Coordinator.
+	coordinatorOpt := pilosa.OptServerIsCoordinator(false)
+	if m.Config.Cluster.Coordinator || len(m.Config.Gossip.Seeds) == 0 {
+		coordinatorOpt = pilosa.OptServerIsCoordinator(true)
+	}
+
 	serverOptions := []pilosa.ServerOption{
 		pilosa.OptServerAntiEntropyInterval(time.Duration(m.Config.AntiEntropy.Interval)),
 		pilosa.OptServerLongQueryTime(time.Duration(m.Config.Cluster.LongQueryTime)),
@@ -265,6 +271,7 @@ func (m *Command) SetupServer() error {
 		pilosa.OptServerInternalClient(http.NewInternalClientFromURI(uri, c)),
 		pilosa.OptServerPrimaryTranslateStore(primaryTranslateStore),
 		pilosa.OptServerClusterDisabled(m.Config.Cluster.Disabled, m.Config.Cluster.Hosts),
+		coordinatorOpt,
 	}
 
 	serverOptions = append(serverOptions, m.serverOptions...)
@@ -313,12 +320,6 @@ func (m *Command) SetupNetworking() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Set Coordinator.
-	if m.Config.Cluster.Coordinator || len(m.Config.Gossip.Seeds) == 0 {
-		m.Server.Cluster.Coordinator = m.Server.NodeID
-		m.Server.Cluster.Node.IsCoordinator = true
-	}
-
 	gossipMemberSet, err := gossip.NewGossipMemberSet(
 		m.Server.NodeID,
 		m.Server.URI.Host(),
diff --git a/test/pilosa.go b/test/pilosa.go
index 47b132508..2ae9ae9b0 100644
--- a/test/pilosa.go
+++ b/test/pilosa.go
@@ -196,13 +196,6 @@ func (m *Main) RunWithTransport(host string, bindPort int, joinSeeds []string) (
 	   - SetupNetworking (does the gossip or static stuff) - calls NewTransport
 	   - Open server - calls OpenListener
 	*/
-
-	// SetupServer
-	err = m.SetupServer()
-	if err != nil {
-		return seed, err
-	}
-
 	// Open gossip transport to use in SetupServer.
 	transport, err := gossip.NewTransport(host, bindPort, nil)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -215,17 +208,21 @@ func (m *Main) RunWithTransport(host string, bindPort int, joinSeeds []string) (
 	} else {
 		m.Config.Gossip.Seeds = []string{transport.URI.String()}
 	}
-
 	seed = transport.URI.String()
 
+	// SetupServer
+	m.Config.Cluster.Disabled = false
+	err = m.SetupServer()
+	if err != nil {
+		return seed, err
+	}
+
 	// SetupNetworking
 	err = m.SetupNetworking()
 	if err != nil {
 		return seed, err
 	}
 
-	m.Server.Cluster.Static = false
-
 	go func() {
 		err := m.Handler.Serve()
 		if err != nil {