diff --git a/lib/redis/client.rb b/lib/redis/client.rb
index e95839669..d05386af9 100755
--- a/lib/redis/client.rb
+++ b/lib/redis/client.rb
@@ -530,7 +530,8 @@ def check(client); end
 
       class Sentinel < Connector
         EXPECTED_ROLES = {
-          "nearest_slave" => "slave"
+          "nearest_slave" => "slave",
+          "nearest" => "any"
         }
 
         def initialize(options)
@@ -547,14 +548,15 @@ def check(client)
           # Check the instance is really of the role we are looking for.
           # We can't assume the command is supported since it was introduced
           # recently and this client should work with old stuff.
+          expected_role = EXPECTED_ROLES.fetch(@role, @role)
           begin
             role = client.call([:role])[0]
           rescue Redis::CommandError
             # Assume the test is passed if we can't get a reply from ROLE...
-            role = EXPECTED_ROLES.fetch(@role, @role)
+            role = expected_role
           end
 
-          if role != EXPECTED_ROLES.fetch(@role, @role)
+          if role != expected_role && "any" != expected_role
             client.disconnect
             raise ConnectionError, "Instance role mismatch. Expected #{EXPECTED_ROLES.fetch(@role, @role)}, got #{role}."
           end
@@ -566,6 +568,8 @@ def resolve
             resolve_master
           when "slave"
             resolve_slave
+          when "nearest"
+            resolve_nearest
           when "nearest_slave"
             resolve_nearest_slave
           else
@@ -629,30 +633,49 @@ def resolve_slave
           end
         end
 
+        def resolve_nearest
+          resolve_nearest_for [:master, :slaves]
+        end
+
         def resolve_nearest_slave
+          resolve_nearest_for [:slaves]
+        end
+
+        def resolve_nearest_for(types)
           sentinel_detect do |client|
-            if reply = client.call(["sentinel", "slaves", @master])
-              ok_slaves = reply.map {|r| Hash[*r] }.select  {|r| r["master-link-status"] == "ok" }
-
-              ok_slaves.each do |slave|
-                client = Client.new @options.merge(
-                  :host => slave["ip"],
-                  :port => slave["port"],
-                  :reconnect_attempts => 0
-                )
-                begin
-                  client.call [:ping]
-                  start = Time.now
-                  client.call [:ping]
-                  slave["response_time"] = (Time.now - start).to_f
-                ensure
-                  client.disconnect
+            ok_nodes = []
+            types.each do |type|
+              if reply = client.call(["sentinel", type, @master])
+                reply = [reply] if type == :master
+                ok_nodes += reply.map {|r| Hash[*r] }.select do |r|
+                  case type
+                  when :master
+                    r["role-reported"] == "master"
+                  when :slaves
+                    r["master-link-status"] == "ok" && !r.fetch("flags", "").match(/s_down|disconnected/)
+                  end
                 end
               end
+            end
 
-              slave = ok_slaves.sort_by {|slave| slave["response_time"] }.first
-              {:host => slave.fetch("ip"), :port => slave.fetch("port")} if slave
+            ok_nodes.each do |node|
+              client = Client.new @options.merge(
+                :host => node["ip"],
+                :port => node["port"],
+                :reconnect_attempts => 0
+              )
+              begin
+                client.call [:ping]
+                start = Time.now
+                client.call [:ping]
+                node["response_time"] = (Time.now - start).to_f
+              ensure
+                client.disconnect
+              end
             end
+
+            node = ok_nodes.sort_by {|node| node["response_time"] }.first
+            {:host => node.fetch("ip"), :port => node.fetch("port")} if node
           end
         end
 
diff --git a/test/sentinel_test.rb b/test/sentinel_test.rb
index cce153e5e..8cf51bbb5 100755
--- a/test/sentinel_test.rb
+++ b/test/sentinel_test.rb
@@ -378,13 +378,13 @@ def test_sentinel_with_string_option_keys
     assert_equal [%w[get-master-addr-by-name master1]], commands
   end
 
-  def test_sentinel_nearest_slave
+  def test_sentinel_nearest
     sentinels = [{:host => "127.0.0.1", :port => 26381}]
 
-    master = { :role => lambda { ["master"] } }
-    s1 = { :role => lambda { ["slave"] }, :slave_id => lambda { ["1"] }, :ping => lambda { ["OK"] } }
-    s2 = { :role => lambda { ["slave"] }, :slave_id => lambda { ["2"] }, :ping => lambda { sleep 0.1; ["OK"] } }
-    s3 = { :role => lambda { ["slave"] }, :slave_id => lambda { ["3"] }, :ping => lambda { sleep 0.2; ["OK"] } }
+    master = { :role => lambda { ["master"] }, :node_id => lambda { ["master"] }, :ping => lambda { ["OK"] } }
+    s1     = { :role => lambda { ["slave"] }, :node_id => lambda { ["1"] }, :ping => lambda { sleep 0.1; ["OK"] } }
+    s2     = { :role => lambda { ["slave"] }, :node_id => lambda { ["2"] }, :ping => lambda { sleep 0.2; ["OK"] } }
+    s3     = { :role => lambda { ["slave"] }, :node_id => lambda { ["3"] }, :ping => lambda { sleep 0.3; ["OK"] } }
 
     5.times do
       RedisMock.start(master) do |master_port|
@@ -396,6 +396,8 @@ def test_sentinel_nearest_slave
                 {
                   :sentinel => lambda do |command, *args|
                     case command
+                    when "master"
+                      %W[role-reported master ip 127.0.0.1 port #{master_port}]
                     when "slaves"
                       [
                         %W[master-link-status down ip 127.0.0.1 port #{s1_port}],
@@ -411,14 +413,13 @@ def test_sentinel_nearest_slave
 
               RedisMock.start(sentinel.call(master_port)) do |sen_port|
                 sentinels[0][:port] = sen_port
-                redis = Redis.new(:url => "redis://master1", :sentinels => sentinels, :role => :nearest_slave)
-                assert_equal redis.slave_id, ["2"]
+                redis = Redis.new(:url => "redis://master1", :sentinels => sentinels, :role => :nearest)
+                assert_equal ["master"], redis.node_id
               end
             end
           end
         end
       end
     end
-
   end
 end