diff --git a/prog/kube-utils/main.go b/prog/kube-utils/main.go
index 691d4c88..82b93844 100644
--- a/prog/kube-utils/main.go
+++ b/prog/kube-utils/main.go
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ func reclaimRemovedPeers(kube kubernetes.Interface, cml *configMapAnnotations, m
 				common.Log.Warnln("[kube-peers] not removing myself", peer)
 				continue
 			}
-			changed, err := reclaimPeer(weave, cml, storedPeerList, peer.PeerName, myPeerName)
+			changed, err := reclaimPeer(weave, cml, peer.PeerName, myPeerName)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ func reclaimRemovedPeers(kube kubernetes.Interface, cml *configMapAnnotations, m
 // actions the reclaim.
 // Return a bool to show whether we attempted to change anything,
 // and an error if something went wrong.
-func reclaimPeer(weave weaveClient, cml *configMapAnnotations, storedPeerList *peerList, peerName string, myPeerName string) (changed bool, err error) {
+func reclaimPeer(weave weaveClient, cml *configMapAnnotations, peerName string, myPeerName string) (changed bool, err error) {
 	common.Log.Debugln("[kube-peers] Preparing to remove disappeared peer", peerName)
 	okToRemove := false
 	nonExistentPeer := false
@@ -153,6 +153,10 @@ func reclaimPeer(weave weaveClient, cml *configMapAnnotations, storedPeerList *p
 		if existingAnnotation == myPeerName {
 			okToRemove = true
 		} else {
+			storedPeerList, err := cml.GetPeerList()
+			if err != nil {
+				return false, err
+			}
 			// handle an edge case where peer claimed to own the action to reclaim but no longer
 			// exists hence lock persists foever
 			if !storedPeerList.contains(existingAnnotation) {
diff --git a/prog/kube-utils/peerlist_test.go b/prog/kube-utils/peerlist_test.go
index 77866f69..0a523494 100644
--- a/prog/kube-utils/peerlist_test.go
+++ b/prog/kube-utils/peerlist_test.go
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ func TestPeerListFuzz(t *testing.T) {
 		found := storedPeerList.contains(peerName(i))
 		require.True(t, found, "peer %d not found in stored list", i)
 
-		_, err = reclaimPeer(mockWeave{}, cml, storedPeerList, peerName(i), fmt.Sprintf("deleter-%d", i))
+		_, err = reclaimPeer(mockWeave{}, cml, peerName(i), fmt.Sprintf("deleter-%d", i))
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
 		storedPeerList, err = cml.GetPeerList()