diff --git a/retrieval/discovery/serverset.go b/retrieval/discovery/serverset.go
index 52e92b913..874855f2d 100644
--- a/retrieval/discovery/serverset.go
+++ b/retrieval/discovery/serverset.go
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ func NewZookeeperTreeCache(conn *zk.Conn, path string, events chan zookeeperTree
 	tc.head = &zookeeperTreeCacheNode{
 		events:   make(chan zk.Event),
 		children: map[string]*zookeeperTreeCacheNode{},
+		stopped:  true,
 	}
 	err := tc.recursiveNodeUpdate(path, tc.head)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -279,16 +280,20 @@ func (tc *zookeeperTreeCache) loop(failureMode bool) {
 				if err != nil {
 					log.Errorf("Error during processing of Zookeeper event: %s", err)
 					failure()
+				} else if tc.head.data == nil {
+					log.Errorf("Error during processing of Zookeeper event: path %s no longer exists", tc.prefix)
+					failure()
 				}
 			}
 		case <-retryChan:
 			log.Infof("Attempting to resync state with Zookeeper")
 			err := tc.recursiveNodeUpdate(tc.prefix, tc.head)
-			if err == nil {
-				failureMode = false
-			} else {
+			if err != nil {
 				log.Errorf("Error during Zookeeper resync: %s", err)
 				failure()
+			} else {
+				log.Infof("Zookeeper resync successful")
+				failureMode = false
 			}
 		case <-tc.stop:
 			close(tc.events)
@@ -301,6 +306,9 @@ func (tc *zookeeperTreeCache) recursiveNodeUpdate(path string, node *zookeeperTr
 	data, _, dataWatcher, err := tc.conn.GetW(path)
 	if err == zk.ErrNoNode {
 		tc.recursiveDelete(path, node)
+		if node == tc.head {
+			return fmt.Errorf("path %s does not exist", path)
+		}
 		return nil
 	} else if err != nil {
 		return err