diff --git a/vere/ames.c b/vere/ames.c
index acdb3a674a..b8db287a84 100644
--- a/vere/ames.c
+++ b/vere/ames.c
@@ -58,10 +58,11 @@ _ames_czar(c3_y imp_y, c3_s* por_s)
     time_t now = time(0);
     *por_s = 13337 + imp_y;
 
-    if ( 0xffffffff == sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] ) {
+    if ( 0xffffffff == sam_u->imp_w[imp_y]
+      && (now - sam_u -> imp_t[imp_y]) < 300 ) {
       return 0;
     }
-    else if ( 0 == sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] 
+    else if ( 0 == sam_u->imp_w[imp_y]
            || (now - sam_u->imp_t[imp_y]) > 300 ) { /* 5 minute TTL */
       u3_noun nam   = u3dc("scot", 'p', imp_y);
       c3_c*   nam_c = u3r_string(nam);
@@ -78,8 +79,11 @@ _ames_czar(c3_y imp_y, c3_s* por_s)
 
         if ( 0 != getaddrinfo(dns_c, 0, 0, &air_u) ) {
           uL(fprintf(uH, "ames: czar at %s: not found (a)\n", dns_c));
-          sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] = 0xffffffff;
-          sam_u->imp_t[imp_y] = 0;
+          if ( sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] == 0
+            || sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] == 0xffffffff ) {
+            sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] = 0xffffffff;
+          } /* else keep existing ip for 5 more minutes */
+          sam_u->imp_t[imp_y] = now;
           return 0;
         }
 
@@ -89,8 +93,11 @@ _ames_czar(c3_y imp_y, c3_s* por_s)
           while ( 1 ) {
             if ( !rai_u ) {
               uL(fprintf(uH, "ames: czar at %s: not found (b)\n", dns_c));
-              sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] = 0xffffffff;
-              sam_u->imp_t[imp_y] = 0;
+              if ( sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] == 0
+                || sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] == 0xffffffff ) {
+                sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] = 0xffffffff;
+              } /* else keep existing ip for 5 more minutes */
+              sam_u->imp_t[imp_y] = now;
               return 0;
             }
             if ( (AF_INET == rai_u->ai_family) ) {
@@ -100,7 +107,8 @@ _ames_czar(c3_y imp_y, c3_s* por_s)
               sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] = ntohl(add_u->sin_addr.s_addr);
               sam_u->imp_t[imp_y] = now;
 #if 1
-              if ( sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] != old_w ) {
+              if ( sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] != old_w
+                && sam_u->imp_w[imp_y] != 0xffffffff ) {
                 u3_noun wad = u3i_words(1, &sam_u->imp_w[imp_y]);
                 u3_noun nam = u3dc("scot", c3__if, wad);
                 c3_c*   nam_c = u3r_string(nam);