diff --git a/exec/totemsrp.c b/exec/totemsrp.c
index fc7b5ac4..75cad6cb 100644
--- a/exec/totemsrp.c
+++ b/exec/totemsrp.c
@@ -143,8 +143,9 @@ int fcc_remcast_current = 0;
 enum message_type {
 	MESSAGE_TYPE_ORF_TOKEN = 0,			/* Ordering, Reliability, Flow (ORF) control Token */
 	MESSAGE_TYPE_MCAST = 1,				/* ring ordered multicast message */
-	MESSAGE_TYPE_MEMB_JOIN = 2, 		/* membership join message */
-	MESSAGE_TYPE_MEMB_COMMIT_TOKEN = 3,	/* membership commit token */
+	MESSAGE_TYPE_MEMB_MERGE_DETECT = 2,	/* merge rings if there are available rings */
+	MESSAGE_TYPE_MEMB_JOIN = 3, 		/* membership join message */
+	MESSAGE_TYPE_MEMB_COMMIT_TOKEN = 4,	/* membership commit token */
 };
 
 /* 
@@ -345,6 +346,10 @@ struct memb_join {
 	unsigned long long ring_seq;
 } __attribute__((packed));
 
+struct memb_merge_detect {
+	struct message_header header;
+} __attribute__((packed));
+
 struct memb_commit_token_memb_entry {
 	struct memb_ring_id ring_id;
 	int aru;
@@ -405,7 +410,7 @@ static struct iovec iov_encrypted = {
 
 struct message_handlers {
 	int count;
-	int (*handler_functions[4]) (struct sockaddr_in *, struct iovec *, int, int, int);
+	int (*handler_functions[5]) (struct sockaddr_in *, struct iovec *, int, int, int);
 };
 
 poll_handle *totemsrp_poll_handle;
@@ -430,8 +435,11 @@ void (*totemsrp_confchg_fn) (
  * forward decls
  */
 static int message_handler_orf_token (struct sockaddr_in *, struct iovec *, int, int, int);
+
 static int message_handler_mcast (struct sockaddr_in *, struct iovec *, int, int, int);
 
+static int message_handler_memb_merge_detect (struct sockaddr_in *, struct iovec *, int, int, int);
+
 static int message_handler_memb_join (struct sockaddr_in *, struct iovec *, int, int, int);
 
 static int message_handler_memb_commit_token (struct sockaddr_in *, struct iovec *, int, int, int);
@@ -466,6 +474,7 @@ struct message_handlers totemsrp_message_handlers = {
 	{
 		message_handler_orf_token,
 		message_handler_mcast,
+		message_handler_memb_merge_detect,
 		message_handler_memb_join,
 		message_handler_memb_commit_token
 	}
@@ -899,6 +908,8 @@ static void memb_state_consensus_timeout_expired (void)
 
 static int memb_join_message_send (void);
 
+static int memb_merge_detect_send (void);
+
 /*
  * Timers used for various states of the membership algorithm
  */
@@ -2388,6 +2399,35 @@ int memb_join_message_send (void)
 	return (res);
 }
 
+static int memb_merge_detect_send (void) 
+{
+	struct msghdr msghdr;
+	struct iovec iovec;
+	struct memb_merge_detect memb_merge_detect;
+	int res;
+
+	memb_merge_detect.header.type = MESSAGE_TYPE_MEMB_MERGE_DETECT;
+	memb_merge_detect.header.endian_detector = ENDIAN_LOCAL;
+	memb_merge_detect.header.encapsulated = 0;
+
+	iovec.iov_base = &memb_merge_detect;
+	iovec.iov_len = sizeof (struct memb_merge_detect);
+
+	encrypt_and_sign (&iovec, 1);
+
+	msghdr.msg_name = &sockaddr_in_mcast;
+	msghdr.msg_namelen = sizeof (struct sockaddr_in);
+	msghdr.msg_iov = &iov_encrypted;
+	msghdr.msg_iovlen = 1;
+	msghdr.msg_control = 0;
+	msghdr.msg_controllen = 0;
+	msghdr.msg_flags = 0;
+
+	res = sendmsg (totemsrp_sockets[0].mcast, &msghdr, MSG_NOSIGNAL | MSG_DONTWAIT);
+
+	return (res);
+}
+
 static void memb_ring_id_create_or_load (
 	struct memb_ring_id *memb_ring_id)
 {
@@ -2818,6 +2858,9 @@ printf ("I held %0.4f ms\n", ((float)tv_diff.tv_usec) / 100.0);
 			reset_token_timeout (); // REVIEWED
 			if (forward_token == 0) {
 				reset_token_retransmit_timeout (); // REVIEWED
+				if (memb_state == MEMB_STATE_OPERATIONAL) {
+					memb_merge_detect_send ();
+				}
 			}
 
 			token_callbacks_execute (TOTEM_CALLBACK_TOKEN_SENT);
@@ -3013,6 +3056,61 @@ printf ("got foreign message\n");
 	return (0);
 }
 
+static int message_handler_memb_merge_detect (
+	struct sockaddr_in *system_from,
+	struct iovec *iovec,
+	int iov_len,
+	int bytes_received,
+	int endian_conversion_needed)
+{
+
+printf ("merge detect\n");
+	/*
+	 * Return if we are already aware of this configuration
+	 */
+	if (memb_set_subset (&system_from->sin_addr,
+		1,
+		my_new_memb_list,
+		my_new_memb_entries)) {
+
+		return (0);
+	}
+
+	printf ("Merging configuration with rep %s\n", inet_ntoa (system_from->sin_addr));
+	/*
+	 * Execute merge operation
+	 */
+	switch (memb_state) {
+	case MEMB_STATE_OPERATIONAL:
+		memb_set_merge (&system_from->sin_addr, 1,
+			my_proc_list, &my_proc_list_entries);
+		memb_state_gather_enter ();
+		break;
+
+	case MEMB_STATE_GATHER:
+		if (!memb_set_subset (&system_from->sin_addr,
+			1,
+			my_proc_list,
+			my_proc_list_entries)) {
+
+			memb_set_merge (&system_from->sin_addr, 1,
+				my_proc_list, &my_proc_list_entries);
+			memb_state_gather_enter ();
+			return (0);
+		}
+		break;
+
+	case MEMB_STATE_COMMIT:
+		/* discard message */
+		break;
+
+	case MEMB_STATE_RECOVERY:
+		/* discard message */
+		break;
+	}
+	return (0);
+}
+
 int memb_join_process (struct memb_join *memb_join, struct sockaddr_in *system_from)
 {
 	struct memb_commit_token my_commit_token;