diff --git a/core/src/main/java/me/prettyprint/cassandra/connection/CassandraHostRetryService.java b/core/src/main/java/me/prettyprint/cassandra/connection/CassandraHostRetryService.java
index 2c8fb0f6c..2af51a465 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/me/prettyprint/cassandra/connection/CassandraHostRetryService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/me/prettyprint/cassandra/connection/CassandraHostRetryService.java
@@ -10,16 +10,11 @@
 import me.prettyprint.cassandra.service.CassandraHost;
 import me.prettyprint.cassandra.service.CassandraHostConfigurator;
 import me.prettyprint.cassandra.service.ExceptionsTranslator;
-import me.prettyprint.hector.api.exceptions.HCassandraInternalException;
-import me.prettyprint.hector.api.exceptions.HectorException;
 import me.prettyprint.hector.api.exceptions.HectorTransportException;
 
-import org.apache.thrift.transport.TTransportException;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
-import com.google.common.collect.Sets;
-
 public class CassandraHostRetryService extends BackgroundCassandraHostService {
 
   private static Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(CassandraHostRetryService.class);
@@ -56,15 +51,23 @@ void shutdown() {
     log.info("Downed Host retry shutdown complete");
   }
 
-  public void add(CassandraHost cassandraHost) {
-    if(verifyConnection(cassandraHost)) {
-      connectionManager.addCassandraHost(cassandraHost);
-      return;
-    }
+  public void add(final CassandraHost cassandraHost) {
     downedHostQueue.add(cassandraHost);
     if ( log.isInfoEnabled() ) {
       log.info("Host detected as down was added to retry queue: {}", cassandraHost.getName());
     }
+    
+    //schedule a check of this host immediately,
+    executor.submit(new Runnable() {
+      @Override
+      public void run() {
+        if(verifyConnection(cassandraHost)) {
+          connectionManager.addCassandraHost(cassandraHost);
+          downedHostQueue.remove(cassandraHost);
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+    });
   }
 
   public boolean remove(CassandraHost cassandraHost) {