diff --git a/db/repl.cpp b/db/repl.cpp
index d18efc1ec08..36fd6161f61 100644
--- a/db/repl.cpp
+++ b/db/repl.cpp
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ namespace mongo {
 
             int was = cmdObj.getIntField("i_was");
             string myname = cmdObj.getStringField("your_name");
-            if ( myname.empty() || was < -1 ) {
+            if ( myname.empty() || was < -3 ) {
                 errmsg = "your_name/i_was not specified";
                 return false;
             }
diff --git a/jstests/repl/pair3.js b/jstests/repl/pair3.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7903cc79d27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jstests/repl/pair3.js
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+// test arbitration
+
+var baseName = "jstests_pair3test";
+
+ismaster = function( n ) {
+    var im = n.getDB( "admin" ).runCommand( { "ismaster" : 1 } );
+    print( "ismaster: " + tojson( im ) );
+    assert( im, "command ismaster failed" );
+    return im.ismaster;
+}
+
+connect = function() {
+    startMongoProgram( "mongobridge", "--port", alPort, "--dest", "localhost:" + aPort );
+    startMongoProgram( "mongobridge", "--port", arPort, "--dest", "localhost:" + aPort );
+    startMongoProgram( "mongobridge", "--port", lpPort, "--dest", "localhost:" + lPort );
+    startMongoProgram( "mongobridge", "--port", rpPort, "--dest", "localhost:" + rPort );
+}
+
+doTest = function() {
+    ports = allocatePorts( 7 );
+    aPort = ports[ 0 ];
+    alPort = ports[ 1 ];
+    arPort = ports[ 2 ];
+    lPort = ports[ 3 ];
+    lpPort = ports[ 4 ];
+    rPort = ports[ 5 ];
+    rpPort = ports[ 6 ];
+    
+    connect();
+    
+    a = startMongod( "--port", aPort, "--dbpath", "/data/db/" + baseName + "-arbiter", "--nohttpinterface" );
+    l = startMongod( "--port", lPort, "--dbpath", "/data/db/" + baseName + "-left", "--pairwith", "127.0.0.1:" + rpPort, "127.0.0.1:" + alPort, "--oplogSize", "1", "--nohttpinterface" );
+    r = startMongod( "--port", rPort, "--dbpath", "/data/db/" + baseName + "-right", "--pairwith", "127.0.0.1:" + lpPort, "127.0.0.1:" + arPort, "--oplogSize", "1", "--nohttpinterface" );
+    
+    // normal startup
+    
+    assert.soon( function() {
+                am = ismaster( a );
+                lm = ismaster( l );
+                rm = ismaster( r );
+                
+                assert( am == 1, "am value invalid" );
+                assert( lm == -1 || lm == 0, "lm value invalid" );
+                assert( rm == -1 || rm == 0 || rm == 1, "rm value invalid" );
+                
+                return ( lm == 0 && rm == 1 );
+                } );
+
+    // disconnect l (slave)
+    
+    stopMongoProgram( alPort );
+    stopMongoProgram( lpPort );
+    stopMongoProgram( rpPort );
+    
+    assert.soon( function() {
+                lm = ismaster( l );
+                rm = ismaster( r );
+                
+                assert( lm == 0 || lm == -3, "lm value invalid" );
+                assert( rm == 1, "rm value invalid" );
+                
+                return ( lm == -3 );
+                } );
+    
+    // disconnect r ( master )
+    
+    stopMongoProgram( arPort );
+    
+    assert.soon( function() {
+                rm = ismaster( r );
+                assert( rm == 1 || rm == -3, "rm value invalid" );
+                return ( rm == -3 );
+                } );
+    
+    // reconnect
+    
+    connect();
+    assert.soon( function() {
+                lm = ismaster( l );
+                rm = ismaster( r );
+                
+                assert( lm == -3 || lm == 0, "lm value invalid" );
+                assert( rm == -3 || rm == 1, "rm value invalid" );
+                
+                return ( lm == 0 && rm == 1 );
+                } );
+    
+}
+
+doTest();