diff --git a/api/weaveapi.go b/api/weaveapi.go
index fd4c0320..8be6b334 100644
--- a/api/weaveapi.go
+++ b/api/weaveapi.go
@@ -18,10 +18,19 @@ const (
 
 type Client struct {
 	baseUrl string
+	resolve func() (string, error)
 }
 
 func (client *Client) httpVerb(verb string, url string, values url.Values) (string, error) {
-	url = client.baseUrl + url
+	baseUrl := client.baseUrl
+	if client.resolve != nil {
+		addr, err := client.resolve()
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		baseUrl = fmt.Sprintf("http://%s:%d", addr, WeaveHttpPort)
+	}
+	url = baseUrl + url
 	Log.Debugf("weave %s to %s with %v", verb, url, values)
 	var body io.Reader
 	if values != nil {
@@ -54,6 +63,10 @@ func NewClient(addr string) *Client {
 	return &Client{baseUrl: fmt.Sprintf("http://%s:%d", addr, WeaveHttpPort)}
 }
 
+func NewClientWithResolver(resolver func() (string, error)) *Client {
+	return &Client{resolve: resolver}
+}
+
 func (client *Client) Connect(remote string) error {
 	_, err := client.httpVerb("POST", "/connect", url.Values{"peer": {remote}})
 	return err
diff --git a/plugin/ipam/driver.go b/plugin/ipam/driver.go
index b94e302b..1fbdf91b 100644
--- a/plugin/ipam/driver.go
+++ b/plugin/ipam/driver.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package ipamplugin
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"net"
 
 	"github.com/docker/libnetwork/ipamapi"
@@ -20,20 +19,8 @@ type ipam struct {
 }
 
 func NewIpam(client *docker.Client, version string) (ipamapi.Ipam, error) {
-	return &ipam{client: client}, nil
-}
-
-func (i *ipam) configureWeaveClient() error {
-	if i.weave != nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-	ip, err := i.client.GetContainerIP(WeaveContainer)
-	if err != nil {
-		Log.Warningf("weave ipam not available: %s", err)
-		return fmt.Errorf("weave ipam not available: %s", err)
-	}
-	i.weave = api.NewClient(ip)
-	return nil
+	resolver := func() (string, error) { return client.GetContainerIP(WeaveContainer) }
+	return &ipam{client: client, weave: api.NewClientWithResolver(resolver)}, nil
 }
 
 func (i *ipam) GetDefaultAddressSpaces() (string, string, error) {
@@ -43,13 +30,9 @@ func (i *ipam) GetDefaultAddressSpaces() (string, string, error) {
 
 func (i *ipam) RequestPool(addressSpace, pool, subPool string, options map[string]string, v6 bool) (string, *net.IPNet, map[string]string, error) {
 	Log.Debugln("RequestPool", addressSpace, pool, subPool, options)
-	if err := i.configureWeaveClient(); err == nil {
-		cidr, err := i.weave.DefaultSubnet()
-		Log.Debugln("RequestPool returning ", cidr, err)
-		return "weavepool", cidr, nil, err
-	} else {
-		return "", nil, nil, err
-	}
+	cidr, err := i.weave.DefaultSubnet()
+	Log.Debugln("RequestPool returning ", cidr, err)
+	return "weavepool", cidr, nil, err
 }
 
 func (i *ipam) ReleasePool(poolID string) error {
@@ -60,20 +43,12 @@ func (i *ipam) ReleasePool(poolID string) error {
 func (i *ipam) RequestAddress(poolID string, address net.IP, options map[string]string) (*net.IPNet, map[string]string, error) {
 	Log.Debugln("RequestAddress", poolID, address, options)
 	// Pass magic string to weave IPAM, which then stores the address under its own string
-	if err := i.configureWeaveClient(); err == nil {
-		ip, err := i.weave.AllocateIP("_")
-		Log.Debugln("allocateIP returned", ip, err)
-		return ip, nil, err
-	} else {
-		return nil, nil, err
-	}
+	ip, err := i.weave.AllocateIP("_")
+	Log.Debugln("allocateIP returned", ip, err)
+	return ip, nil, err
 }
 
 func (i *ipam) ReleaseAddress(poolID string, address net.IP) error {
 	Log.Debugln("ReleaseAddress", poolID, address)
-	if err := i.configureWeaveClient(); err == nil {
-		return i.weave.ReleaseIP(address.String())
-	} else {
-		return err
-	}
+	return i.weave.ReleaseIP(address.String())
 }
diff --git a/plugin/net/watcher.go b/plugin/net/watcher.go
index fbf43014..05241d4f 100644
--- a/plugin/net/watcher.go
+++ b/plugin/net/watcher.go
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@ type Watcher interface {
 }
 
 func NewWatcher(client *docker.Client, driver *driver) (Watcher, error) {
-	w := &watcher{client: client, driver: driver}
+	resolver := func() (string, error) { return client.GetContainerIP(WeaveContainer) }
+	w := &watcher{client: client, driver: driver,
+		weave: weaveapi.NewClientWithResolver(resolver)}
 	err := client.AddObserver(w)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -31,18 +33,6 @@ func NewWatcher(client *docker.Client, driver *driver) (Watcher, error) {
 	return w, nil
 }
 
-func (w *watcher) haveWeaveClient() bool {
-	if w.weave == nil {
-		dnsip, err := w.client.GetContainerIP(WeaveContainer)
-		if err != nil {
-			Log.Warningf("nameserver not available: %s", err)
-			return false
-		}
-		w.weave = weaveapi.NewClient(dnsip)
-	}
-	return true
-}
-
 func (w *watcher) ContainerStarted(id string) {
 	Log.Debugf("Container started %s", id)
 	info, err := w.client.InspectContainer(id)
@@ -50,9 +40,6 @@ func (w *watcher) ContainerStarted(id string) {
 		Log.Warningf("error inspecting container: %s", err)
 		return
 	}
-	if !w.haveWeaveClient() {
-		return
-	}
 	// check that it's on our network, via the endpointID
 	for _, net := range info.NetworkSettings.Networks {
 		if w.driver.HasEndpoint(net.EndpointID) {