diff --git a/logic/hosts.go b/logic/hosts.go
index 0b995b16..addb8dc0 100644
--- a/logic/hosts.go
+++ b/logic/hosts.go
@@ -395,6 +395,21 @@ func HostExists(h *models.Host) bool {
 	return (err != nil && !database.IsEmptyRecord(err)) || (err == nil)
 }
 
+// GetHostByNodeID - returns a host if found to have a node's ID, else nil
+func GetHostByNodeID(id string) *models.Host {
+	hosts, err := GetAllHosts()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	for i := range hosts {
+		h := hosts[i]
+		if StringSliceContains(h.Nodes, id) {
+			return &h
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func updatePort(p *int) {
 	*p++
 	if *p > maxPort {
diff --git a/logic/nodes.go b/logic/nodes.go
index ba4f4687..4dd52c1e 100644
--- a/logic/nodes.go
+++ b/logic/nodes.go
@@ -83,8 +83,9 @@ func UpdateNode(currentNode *models.Node, newNode *models.Node) error {
 
 // DeleteNode - marks node for deletion (and adds to zombie list) if called by UI or deletes node if called by node
 func DeleteNode(node *models.Node, purge bool) error {
+	alreadyDeleted := node.PendingDelete || node.Action == models.NODE_DELETE
 	node.Action = models.NODE_DELETE
-	if !purge {
+	if !purge && !alreadyDeleted {
 		newnode := *node
 		newnode.PendingDelete = true
 		if err := UpdateNode(node, &newnode); err != nil {
@@ -93,8 +94,15 @@ func DeleteNode(node *models.Node, purge bool) error {
 		newZombie <- node.ID
 		return nil
 	}
+	if alreadyDeleted {
+		logger.Log(1, "forcibly deleting node", node.ID.String())
+	}
 	host, err := GetHost(node.HostID.String())
 	if err != nil {
+		logger.Log(1, "no host found for node", node.ID.String(), "deleting..")
+		if delErr := deleteNodeByID(node); delErr != nil {
+			logger.Log(0, "failed to delete node", node.ID.String(), delErr.Error())
+		}
 		return err
 	}
 	if err := DissasociateNodeFromHost(node, host); err != nil {
diff --git a/mq/handlers.go b/mq/handlers.go
index 379fbfc2..63095353 100644
--- a/mq/handlers.go
+++ b/mq/handlers.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	mqtt "github.com/eclipse/paho.mqtt.golang"
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/database"
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/logger"
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/logic"
@@ -31,13 +32,19 @@ func Ping(client mqtt.Client, msg mqtt.Message) {
 		node, err := logic.GetNodeByID(id)
 		if err != nil {
 			logger.Log(3, "mq-ping error getting node: ", err.Error())
-			record, err := database.FetchRecord(database.NODES_TABLE_NAME, id)
-			if err != nil {
-				logger.Log(3, "error reading database ", err.Error())
-				return
+			if database.IsEmptyRecord(err) {
+				h := logic.GetHostByNodeID(id) // check if a host is still associated
+				if h != nil {                  // inform host that node should be removed
+					fakeNode := models.Node{}
+					fakeNode.ID, _ = uuid.Parse(id)
+					fakeNode.Action = models.NODE_DELETE
+					fakeNode.PendingDelete = true
+					if err := NodeUpdate(&fakeNode); err != nil {
+						logger.Log(0, "failed to inform host", h.Name, h.ID.String(), "to remove node", id, err.Error())
+					}
+				}
 			}
-			logger.Log(3, "record from database")
-			logger.Log(3, record)
+
 			return
 		}
 		decrypted, decryptErr := decryptMsg(&node, msg.Payload())