diff --git a/logic/peers.go b/logic/peers.go
index 9d117040..c746717d 100644
--- a/logic/peers.go
+++ b/logic/peers.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func GetPeerUpdate(node *models.Node) (models.PeerUpdate, error) {
 			continue
 		}
 		if len(metrics.FailoverPeers[peer.ID]) > 0 {
-			logger.Log(0, "peer", peer.Name, peer.PrimaryAddress(), "was found to be in failover peers list for node", node.Name, node.PrimaryAddress())
+			logger.Log(2, "peer", peer.Name, peer.PrimaryAddress(), "was found to be in failover peers list for node", node.Name, node.PrimaryAddress())
 			continue
 		}
 		pubkey, err := wgtypes.ParseKey(peer.PublicKey)
@@ -283,8 +283,13 @@ func GetAllowedIPs(node, peer *models.Node, metrics *models.Metrics) []net.IPNet
 					// get original node so we can traverse the allowed ips
 					nodeToFailover, err := GetNodeByID(k)
 					if err == nil {
-						allowedips = append(allowedips, getNodeAllowedIPs(&nodeToFailover, peer)...)
-						logger.Log(0, "failing over node", nodeToFailover.Name, nodeToFailover.PrimaryAddress(), "to failover node", peer.Name)
+						failoverNodeMetrics, err := GetMetrics(nodeToFailover.ID)
+						if err == nil && failoverNodeMetrics != nil {
+							if len(failoverNodeMetrics.NodeName) > 0 {
+								allowedips = append(allowedips, getNodeAllowedIPs(&nodeToFailover, peer)...)
+								logger.Log(0, "failing over node", nodeToFailover.Name, nodeToFailover.PrimaryAddress(), "to failover node", peer.Name)
+							}
+						}
 					}
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/mq/handlers.go b/mq/handlers.go
index 65071fee..dcf4671e 100644
--- a/mq/handlers.go
+++ b/mq/handlers.go
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ func updateNodeMetrics(currentNode *models.Node, newMetrics *models.Metrics) {
 		currMetric.TotalTime += oldMetric.TotalTime
 		currMetric.Uptime += oldMetric.Uptime // get the total uptime for this connection
 		currMetric.PercentUp = 100.0 * (float64(currMetric.Uptime) / float64(currMetric.TotalTime))
-		totalUpMinutes := currMetric.Uptime * 5
+		totalUpMinutes := currMetric.Uptime * ncutils.CheckInInterval
 		currMetric.ActualUptime = time.Duration(totalUpMinutes) * time.Minute
 		delete(oldMetrics.Connectivity, k) // remove from old data
 		newMetrics.Connectivity[k] = currMetric
diff --git a/netclient/functions/mqpublish.go b/netclient/functions/mqpublish.go
index c8bc3e12..163354cf 100644
--- a/netclient/functions/mqpublish.go
+++ b/netclient/functions/mqpublish.go
@@ -31,9 +31,8 @@ var metricsCache = new(sync.Map)
 func Checkin(ctx context.Context, wg *sync.WaitGroup) {
 	logger.Log(2, "starting checkin goroutine")
 	defer wg.Done()
-	currentRun := 0
-	checkin(currentRun)
-	ticker := time.NewTicker(time.Second * 60)
+	checkin()
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(time.Minute * ncutils.CheckInInterval)
 	defer ticker.Stop()
 	for {
 		select {
@@ -42,16 +41,12 @@ func Checkin(ctx context.Context, wg *sync.WaitGroup) {
 			return
 			//delay should be configuraable -> use cfg.Node.NetworkSettings.DefaultCheckInInterval ??
 		case <-ticker.C:
-			currentRun++
-			checkin(currentRun)
-			if currentRun >= 0 {
-				currentRun = 0
-			}
+			checkin()
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-func checkin(currentRun int) {
+func checkin() {
 	networks, _ := ncutils.GetSystemNetworks()
 	logger.Log(3, "checkin with server(s) for all networks")
 	for _, network := range networks {
@@ -116,7 +111,7 @@ func checkin(currentRun int) {
 		}
 		Hello(&nodeCfg)
 		checkCertExpiry(&nodeCfg)
-		if currentRun >= 0 && nodeCfg.Server.Is_EE {
+		if nodeCfg.Server.Is_EE {
 			logger.Log(0, "collecting metrics for node", nodeCfg.Node.Name)
 			publishMetrics(&nodeCfg)
 		}
diff --git a/netclient/ncutils/util.go b/netclient/ncutils/util.go
index f1da648b..d7df17b0 100644
--- a/netclient/ncutils/util.go
+++ b/netclient/ncutils/util.go
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/logger"
 )
 
+// CheckInInterval - the interval for check-in time in units/minute
+const CheckInInterval = 1
+
 // BackOff - back off any function while there is an error
 func BackOff(isExponential bool, maxTime int, f interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
 	// maxTime seconds