diff --git a/server/modules/include/readwritesplit.h b/server/modules/include/readwritesplit.h
index a4eecf4d5..00857ae1b 100644
--- a/server/modules/include/readwritesplit.h
+++ b/server/modules/include/readwritesplit.h
@@ -229,7 +229,6 @@ typedef struct router_instance {
 } ROUTER_INSTANCE;
 
 #define BACKEND_TYPE(b) (SERVER_IS_MASTER((b)->backend_server) ? BE_MASTER :    \
-        (SERVER_IS_SLAVE((b)->backend_server) ? BE_SLAVE :                      \
-        (SERVER_IS_JOINED((b)->backend_server) ? BE_JOINED : BE_UNDEFINED)));
+        (SERVER_IS_SLAVE((b)->backend_server) ? BE_SLAVE :  BE_UNDEFINED));
 
 #endif /*< _RWSPLITROUTER_H */
diff --git a/server/modules/monitor/galera_mon.c b/server/modules/monitor/galera_mon.c
index 715edfb96..a9f242756 100644
--- a/server/modules/monitor/galera_mon.c
+++ b/server/modules/monitor/galera_mon.c
@@ -317,10 +317,22 @@ char 			*server_string;
 	if (database->con == NULL || mysql_ping(database->con) != 0)
 	{
 		char *dpwd = decryptPassword(passwd);
+		int rc;
+		int read_timeout = 1;
+
 		database->con = mysql_init(NULL);
+		rc = mysql_options(database->con, MYSQL_OPT_READ_TIMEOUT, (void *)&read_timeout);
+
 		if (mysql_real_connect(database->con, database->server->name,
 			uname, dpwd, NULL, database->server->port, NULL, 0) == NULL)
 		{
+			LOGIF(LE, (skygw_log_write_flush(
+				LOGFILE_ERROR,
+				"Error : Monitor was unable to connect to "
+				"server %s:%d : \"%s\"",
+				database->server->name,
+				database->server->port,
+				mysql_error(database->con))));
 			server_clear_status(database->server, SERVER_RUNNING);
 			database->server->node_id = -1;
 			free(dpwd);
@@ -416,6 +428,7 @@ long master_id;
 
 		while (ptr)
 		{
+			unsigned int prev_status = ptr->server->status;
 			monitorDatabase(ptr, handle->defaultUser, handle->defaultPasswd);
 
 			/* set master_id to the lowest value of ptr->server->node_id */
@@ -433,6 +446,16 @@ long master_id;
 				server_clear_status(ptr->server, SERVER_SLAVE);
                 		server_clear_status(ptr->server, SERVER_MASTER);
 			}
+			if (ptr->server->status != prev_status ||
+				SERVER_IS_DOWN(ptr->server))
+			{
+				LOGIF(LM, (skygw_log_write_flush(
+					LOGFILE_MESSAGE,
+					"Backend server %s:%d state : %s",
+					ptr->server->name,
+					ptr->server->port,
+					STRSRVSTATUS(ptr->server))));
+			}
 			ptr = ptr->next;
 		}
 
diff --git a/server/modules/monitor/mysql_mon.c b/server/modules/monitor/mysql_mon.c
index 78ced4d75..d643a00b9 100644
--- a/server/modules/monitor/mysql_mon.c
+++ b/server/modules/monitor/mysql_mon.c
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ char		*sep;
  * Monitor an individual server
  *
  * @param handle        The MySQL Monitor object
- * @param database      The database to probe
+ * @param database	The database to probe
  */
 static void
 monitorDatabase(MYSQL_MONITOR *handle, MONITOR_SERVERS *database)
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ int			replication_heartbeat = handle->replicationHeartbeat;
 	}
 	if (uname == NULL)
 		return;
-
+        
 	/* Don't probe servers in maintenance mode */
 	if (SERVER_IN_MAINT(database->server))
 		return;
@@ -332,7 +332,11 @@ int			replication_heartbeat = handle->replicationHeartbeat;
 	if (database->con == NULL || mysql_ping(database->con) != 0)
 	{
 		char *dpwd = decryptPassword(passwd);
+                int  rc;
+                int  read_timeout = 1;
 		database->con = mysql_init(NULL);
+                rc = mysql_options(database->con, MYSQL_OPT_READ_TIMEOUT, (void *)&read_timeout);
+                
 		if (mysql_real_connect(database->con,
                                        database->server->name,
                                        uname,
@@ -342,6 +346,14 @@ int			replication_heartbeat = handle->replicationHeartbeat;
                                        NULL,
                                        0) == NULL)
 		{
+                        LOGIF(LE, (skygw_log_write_flush(
+                                LOGFILE_ERROR,
+                                "Error : Monitor was unable to connect to "
+                                "server %s:%d : \"%s\"",
+                                database->server->name,
+                                database->server->port,
+                                mysql_error(database->con))));
+                        
 			free(dpwd);
 			server_clear_status(database->server, SERVER_RUNNING);
 			return;
@@ -626,7 +638,6 @@ int			replication_heartbeat = handle->replicationHeartbeat;
 		server_clear_status(database->server, SERVER_SLAVE);
 		server_clear_status(database->server, SERVER_MASTER);
 	}
-	
 }
 
 /**
@@ -661,13 +672,27 @@ MONITOR_SERVERS	*ptr;
 		ptr = handle->databases;
 		while (ptr)
 		{
+                        unsigned int prev_status = ptr->server->status;
+                        
 			monitorDatabase(handle, ptr);
+                        
+                        if (ptr->server->status != prev_status ||
+                                SERVER_IS_DOWN(ptr->server))
+                        {
+                                LOGIF(LM, (skygw_log_write_flush(
+                                        LOGFILE_MESSAGE,
+                                        "Backend server %s:%d state : %s",
+                                        ptr->server->name,
+                                        ptr->server->port,
+                                        STRSRVSTATUS(ptr->server))));
+                        }
+                        
 			ptr = ptr->next;
 		}
 		thread_millisleep(handle->interval);
 	}
 }
-
+                        
 /**
  * Set the default id to use in the monitor.
  *
@@ -676,11 +701,11 @@ MONITOR_SERVERS	*ptr;
  */
 static void
 defaultId(void *arg, unsigned long id)
-{
+                        {
 MYSQL_MONITOR   *handle = (MYSQL_MONITOR *)arg;
 	memcpy(&handle->id, &id, sizeof(unsigned long));
-}
-
+                        }
+                        
 /**
  * Set the monitor sampling interval.
  *
@@ -692,7 +717,7 @@ setInterval(void *arg, unsigned long interval)
 {
 MYSQL_MONITOR   *handle = (MYSQL_MONITOR *)arg;
 	memcpy(&handle->interval, &interval, sizeof(unsigned long));
-}
+	}
 
 /**
  * Enable/Disable the MySQL Replication hearbeat, detecting slave lag behind master.
diff --git a/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/readwritesplit.c b/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/readwritesplit.c
index fca3bca92..ddb0422c7 100644
--- a/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/readwritesplit.c
+++ b/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/readwritesplit.c
@@ -808,7 +808,7 @@ static bool get_dcb(
                 }                        
                 ss_dassert(succp);
         }
-        else if (btype == BE_MASTER || BE_JOINED)
+        else if (btype == BE_MASTER)
         {
                 for (i=0; i<rses->rses_nbackends; i++)
                 {
diff --git a/utils/skygw_debug.h b/utils/skygw_debug.h
index 7277cb2e5..835b30aaa 100644
--- a/utils/skygw_debug.h
+++ b/utils/skygw_debug.h
@@ -228,7 +228,13 @@ typedef enum skygw_chk_t {
                         ((c) == LEAST_GLOBAL_CONNECTIONS ? "LEAST_GLOBAL_CONNECTIONS" : \
                         ((c) == LEAST_ROUTER_CONNECTIONS ? "LEAST_ROUTER_CONNECTIONS" : \
                         ((c) == LEAST_BEHIND_MASTER ? "LEAST_BEHIND_MASTER" : "Unknown criteria"))))
-                        
+
+#define STRSRVSTATUS(s) ((SERVER_IS_RUNNING(s) && SERVER_IS_MASTER(s)) ? "RUNNING MASTER" :     \
+                        ((SERVER_IS_RUNNING(s) && SERVER_IS_SLAVE(s)) ? "RUNNING SLAVE" :       \
+                        ((SERVER_IS_RUNNING(s) && SERVER_IS_JOINED(s)) ? "RUNNING JOINED" :     \
+                        ((SERVER_IS_RUNNING(s) && SERVER_IS_MAINT(s)) ? "RUNNING MAINTENANCE" : \
+                        (SERVER_IS_RUNNING(s) ? "RUNNING (only)" : "NO STATUS")))))
+
 #define CHK_MLIST(l) {                                                  \
             ss_info_dassert((l->mlist_chk_top ==  CHK_NUM_MLIST &&      \
                              l->mlist_chk_tail == CHK_NUM_MLIST),       \