diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/collective/manager.py b/confluent_server/confluent/collective/manager.py
index 9979107b..1f863e96 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/collective/manager.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/collective/manager.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import confluent.noderange as noderange
 import confluent.tlvdata as tlvdata
 import confluent.util as util
 import eventlet
+import eventlet.greenpool as greenpool
 import eventlet.green.socket as socket
 import eventlet.green.ssl as ssl
 import eventlet.green.threading as threading
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ class ContextBool(object):
 connecting = ContextBool()
 leader_init = ContextBool()
 
-def connect_to_leader(cert=None, name=None, leader=None):
+def connect_to_leader(cert=None, name=None, leader=None, remote=None):
     global currentleader
     global follower
     if leader is None:
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ def connect_to_leader(cert=None, name=None, leader=None):
     log.log({'info': 'Attempting connection to leader {0}'.format(leader),
              'subsystem': 'collective'})
     try:
-        remote = connect_to_collective(cert, leader)
+        remote = connect_to_collective(cert, leader, remote)
     except socket.error as e:
         log.log({'error': 'Collective connection attempt to {0} failed: {1}'
                           ''.format(leader, str(e)),
@@ -187,13 +188,24 @@ def follow_leader(remote, leader):
         currentleader = None
         eventlet.spawn_n(start_collective)
 
+def create_connection(member):
+        remote = None
+        try:
+            remote = socket.create_connection((member, 13001), 2)
+            remote.settimeout(15)
+            # TLS cert validation is custom and will not pass normal CA vetting
+            # to override completely in the right place requires enormous effort, so just defer until after connect
+            remote = ssl.wrap_socket(remote, cert_reqs=ssl.CERT_NONE, keyfile='/etc/confluent/privkey.pem',
+                                    certfile='/etc/confluent/srvcert.pem')
+        except Exception as e:
+            return member, e
+        return member, remote
 
-def connect_to_collective(cert, member):
-    remote = socket.create_connection((member, 13001), 15)
-    # TLS cert validation is custom and will not pass normal CA vetting
-    # to override completely in the right place requires enormous effort, so just defer until after connect
-    remote = ssl.wrap_socket(remote, cert_reqs=ssl.CERT_NONE, keyfile='/etc/confluent/privkey.pem',
-                             certfile='/etc/confluent/srvcert.pem')
+def connect_to_collective(cert, member, remote=None):
+    if remote is None:
+        _, remote = create_connection(member)
+        if isinstance(remote, Exception):
+            raise remote
     if cert:
         fprint = cert
     else:
@@ -541,9 +553,9 @@ def populate_collinfo(collinfo):
             collinfo['offline'].append(member)
 
 
-def try_assimilate(drone, followcount):
+def try_assimilate(drone, followcount, remote):
     try:
-        remote = connect_to_collective(None, drone)
+        remote = connect_to_collective(None, drone, remote)
     except socket.error:
         # Oh well, unable to connect, hopefully the rest will be
         # in order
@@ -561,23 +573,25 @@ def try_assimilate(drone, followcount):
                  'No answer from {0} while trying to assimilate'.format(
                      drone),
             'subsystem': 'collective'})
-        return
+        return True
     if 'txcount' in answer:
         log.log({'info': 'Deferring to {0} due to target being a better leader'.format(
             drone), 'subsystem': 'collective'})
+        retire_as_leader(drone)
         connect_to_leader(None, None, leader=remote.getpeername()[0])
-        return
+        return False
     if 'leader' in answer:
         # Will wait for leader to see about assimilation
-        return
+        return True
     if 'error' in answer:
         log.log({
             'error': 'Error encountered while attempting to '
                      'assimilate {0}: {1}'.format(drone, answer['error']),
             'subsystem': 'collective'})
-        return
+        return True
     log.log({'info': 'Assimilated {0} into collective'.format(drone),
              'subsystem': 'collective'})
+    return True
 
 
 def get_leader(connection):
@@ -616,11 +630,20 @@ def become_leader(connection):
     numfollowers = len(list(skipem))
     skipem.add(currentleader)
     skipem.add(skipaddr)
+    connecto = []
     for member in cfm.list_collective():
         dronecandidate = cfm.get_collective_member(member)['address']
         if dronecandidate in skipem or member == myname:
             continue
-        eventlet.spawn_n(try_assimilate, dronecandidate, numfollowers)
+        connecto.append(dronecandidate)
+    conpool = greenpool.GreenPool(64)
+    connections = conpool.imap(create_connection, connecto)
+    for ent in connections:
+        member, remote = ent
+        if isinstance(remote, Exception):
+            continue
+        if not try_assimilate(member, numfollowers, remote):
+            return
     schedule_rebalance()
 
 
@@ -697,15 +720,23 @@ def start_collective():
             # xmitting data to a follower
             return
         myname = get_myname()
+        connecto = []
         for member in sorted(list(cfm.list_collective())):
             if member == myname:
                 continue
             if cfm.cfgleader is None:
                 cfm.stop_following(True)
             ldrcandidate = cfm.get_collective_member(member)['address']
+            connecto.append(ldrcandidate)
+        conpool = greenpool.GreenPool(64)
+        connections = conpool.imap(create_connection, connecto)
+        for ent in connections:
+            member, remote = ent
+            if isinstance(remote, Exception):
+                continue
             log.log({'info': 'Performing startup attempt to {0}'.format(
-                ldrcandidate), 'subsystem': 'collective'})
-            if connect_to_leader(name=myname, leader=ldrcandidate):
+                member), 'subsystem': 'collective'})
+            if connect_to_leader(name=myname, leader=member, remote=remote):
                 break
         else:
             retrythread = eventlet.spawn_after(5 + random.random(),