diff --git a/contrib/mesos/pkg/election/master.go b/contrib/mesos/pkg/election/master.go
index d5f1a76a7c..8ab199634b 100644
--- a/contrib/mesos/pkg/election/master.go
+++ b/contrib/mesos/pkg/election/master.go
@@ -46,14 +46,14 @@ type Service interface {
 }
 
 type notifier struct {
-	lock sync.Mutex
-	cond *sync.Cond
+	changed chan struct{} // to notify the service loop about changed state
 
 	// desired is updated with every change, current is updated after
 	// Start()/Stop() finishes. 'cond' is used to signal that a change
 	// might be needed. This handles the case where mastership flops
 	// around without calling Start()/Stop() excessively.
 	desired, current Master
+	lock             sync.Mutex // to protect the desired variable
 
 	// for comparison, to see if we are master.
 	id Master
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ type notifier struct {
 // elected master starts/stops matching 'id'. Never returns.
 func Notify(m MasterElector, path, id string, s Service, abort <-chan struct{}) {
 	n := &notifier{id: Master(id), service: s}
-	n.cond = sync.NewCond(&n.lock)
+	n.changed = make(chan struct{})
 	finished := runtime.After(func() {
 		runtime.Until(func() {
 			for {
@@ -86,14 +86,16 @@ func Notify(m MasterElector, path, id string, s Service, abort <-chan struct{})
 							glog.Errorf("Unexpected object from election channel: %v", event.Object)
 							break
 						}
-						func() {
-							n.lock.Lock()
-							defer n.lock.Unlock()
-							n.desired = electedMaster
-							if n.desired != n.current {
-								n.cond.Signal()
-							}
-						}()
+
+						n.lock.Lock()
+						n.desired = electedMaster
+						n.lock.Unlock()
+
+						// notify serviceLoop, but don't block. If a change
+						// is queued already it will see the new n.desired.
+						select {
+						case n.changed <- struct{}{}:
+						}
 					}
 				}
 			}
@@ -104,31 +106,22 @@ func Notify(m MasterElector, path, id string, s Service, abort <-chan struct{})
 
 // serviceLoop waits for changes, and calls Start()/Stop() as needed.
 func (n *notifier) serviceLoop(abort <-chan struct{}) {
-	n.lock.Lock()
-	defer n.lock.Unlock()
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-abort:
 			return
-		default:
-			for n.desired == n.current {
-				ch := runtime.After(n.cond.Wait)
-				select {
-				case <-abort:
-					n.cond.Signal() // ensure that Wait() returns
-					<-ch
-					return
-				case <-ch:
-					// we were notified and have the lock, proceed..
-				}
-			}
-			if n.current != n.id && n.desired == n.id {
-				n.service.Validate(n.desired, n.current)
+		case <-n.changed:
+			n.lock.Lock()
+			newDesired := n.desired // copy value to avoid race below
+			n.lock.Unlock()
+
+			if n.current != n.id && newDesired == n.id {
+				n.service.Validate(newDesired, n.current)
 				n.service.Start()
-			} else if n.current == n.id && n.desired != n.id {
+			} else if n.current == n.id && newDesired != n.id {
 				n.service.Stop()
 			}
-			n.current = n.desired
+			n.current = newDesired
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/contrib/mesos/pkg/election/master_test.go b/contrib/mesos/pkg/election/master_test.go
index 5584ab25fa..307428e84b 100644
--- a/contrib/mesos/pkg/election/master_test.go
+++ b/contrib/mesos/pkg/election/master_test.go
@@ -69,8 +69,24 @@ func Test(t *testing.T) {
 	changes := make(chan bool, 1500)
 	done := make(chan struct{})
 	s := &slowService{t: t, changes: changes, done: done}
+
+	// change master to "notme" such that the initial m.Elect call inside Notify
+	// will trigger an obversable event. We will wait for it to make sure the
+	// Notify loop will see those master changes triggered by the go routine below.
+	m.ChangeMaster(Master("me"))
+	temporaryWatch := m.mux.Watch()
+	ch := temporaryWatch.ResultChan()
+
 	notifyDone := runtime.After(func() { Notify(m, "", "me", s, done) })
 
+	// wait for the event triggered by the initial m.Elect of Notify. Then drain
+	// the channel to not block anything.
+	<-ch
+	temporaryWatch.Stop()
+	for i := 0; i < len(ch); i += 1 { // go 1.3 and 1.4 compatible loop
+		<-ch
+	}
+
 	go func() {
 		defer close(done)
 		for i := 0; i < 500; i++ {
@@ -83,16 +99,8 @@ func Test(t *testing.T) {
 	<-notifyDone
 	close(changes)
 
-	changeList := []bool{}
-	for {
-		change, ok := <-changes
-		if !ok {
-			break
-		}
-		changeList = append(changeList, change)
-	}
-
-	if len(changeList) > 1000 {
-		t.Errorf("unexpected number of changes: %v", len(changeList))
+	changesNum := len(changes)
+	if changesNum > 1000 || changesNum == 0 {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected number of changes: %v", changesNum)
 	}
 }