diff --git a/ipam/allocate.go b/ipam/allocate.go
index f85c6579..d4a07964 100644
--- a/ipam/allocate.go
+++ b/ipam/allocate.go
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ func (g *allocate) Try(alloc *Allocator) bool {
 		return true
 	}
 
+	alloc.establishRing()
+
 	if ok, addr := alloc.space.Allocate(g.r); ok {
 		alloc.debugln("Allocated", addr, "for", g.ident, "in", g.r)
 		alloc.addOwned(g.ident, addr)
diff --git a/ipam/allocator.go b/ipam/allocator.go
index 36e1a1d8..7900bbcb 100644
--- a/ipam/allocator.go
+++ b/ipam/allocator.go
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ func (alloc *Allocator) doOperation(op operation, ops *[]operation) {
 			op.Cancel()
 			return
 		}
-		alloc.establishRing()
 		if !op.Try(alloc) {
 			*ops = append(*ops, op)
 		}
diff --git a/ipam/claim.go b/ipam/claim.go
index aa4ee17b..64b22a02 100644
--- a/ipam/claim.go
+++ b/ipam/claim.go
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ func (c *claim) Try(alloc *Allocator) bool {
 		return true
 	}
 
+	alloc.establishRing()
+
 	switch owner := alloc.ring.Owner(c.addr); owner {
 	case alloc.ourName:
 		// success