diff --git a/db/repl/health.cpp b/db/repl/health.cpp
index afadff77cb7..bce57873aa9 100644
--- a/db/repl/health.cpp
+++ b/db/repl/health.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         }
     } cmdReplSetHeartbeat;
 
+    /* poll every other set member to check its status */
     class FeedbackThread : public BackgroundJob {
     public:
         ReplSet::MemberInfo *m;
@@ -51,6 +52,9 @@ namespace mongo {
                     BSONObj info;
                     bool ok = conn.simpleCommand("admin", &info, "replSetHeartbeat");
                     log() << "TEMP heartbeat " << ok << ' ' << info.toString() << endl;
+                    if( ok ) {
+                        m->lastHeartbeat = time(0);
+                    }
                 }
                 catch(...) { 
                     log() << "TEMP heartbeat not ok" << endl;
diff --git a/db/repl/replset.h b/db/repl/replset.h
index 42d8fa2f64c..88e9112b8c4 100644
--- a/db/repl/replset.h
+++ b/db/repl/replset.h
@@ -59,8 +59,9 @@ namespace mongo {
             const char *host;
             int port;
 
-            int lastHeartbeat;
+            time_t lastHeartbeat;
         };
+        /* all members of the set EXCEPT SELF. */
         List1<MemberInfo> _members;
 
         void startHealthThreads();