diff --git a/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/providers/PlacementPolicy.java b/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/providers/PlacementPolicy.java
index 444c041..dc6c910 100644
--- a/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/providers/PlacementPolicy.java
+++ b/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/providers/PlacementPolicy.java
@@ -23,9 +23,29 @@
  */
 public class PlacementPolicy {
 
+  /**
+   * Default values
+   */
   public static final int DEFAULT = 0;
-  public static final int EXCLUDE_FROM_FLEXING = 1;
+
+  /**
+   * Strict placement: when asking for an instance for which there is
+   * history, mandate that it is strict
+   */
+  public static final int STRICT = 1;
+
+  /**
+   * No data locality; do not bother trying to ask for any location
+   */
   public static final int NO_DATA_LOCALITY = 2;
+  /**
+   * Anti-affinity is mandatory. 
+   */
   public static final int ANTI_AFFINITY_REQUIRED = 4;
+  
+  /**
+   * Exclude from flexing; used internally to mark AMs.
+   */
+  public static final int EXCLUDE_FROM_FLEXING = 16;
 
 }
diff --git a/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/AppState.java b/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/AppState.java
index 0848173..9956db2 100644
--- a/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/AppState.java
+++ b/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/AppState.java
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@
 import org.apache.slider.core.exceptions.NoSuchNodeException;
 import org.apache.slider.core.exceptions.SliderInternalStateException;
 import org.apache.slider.core.exceptions.TriggerClusterTeardownException;
+import org.apache.slider.providers.PlacementPolicy;
 import org.apache.slider.providers.ProviderRole;
 import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.operations.AbstractRMOperation;
 import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.operations.CancelRequestOperation;
@@ -582,13 +583,15 @@
     int priority = SliderUtils.parseAndValidate("value of " + name + " " +
         ResourceKeys.COMPONENT_PRIORITY,
         priOpt, 0, 1, -1);
-    log.info("Role {} assigned priority {}", name, priority);
     String placementOpt = component.getOption(
-      ResourceKeys.COMPONENT_PLACEMENT_POLICY, "0");
+      ResourceKeys.COMPONENT_PLACEMENT_POLICY,
+        Integer.toString(PlacementPolicy.DEFAULT));
     int placement = SliderUtils.parseAndValidate("value of " + name + " " +
         ResourceKeys.COMPONENT_PLACEMENT_POLICY,
         placementOpt, 0, 0, -1);
-    return new ProviderRole(name, priority, placement);
+    ProviderRole newRole = new ProviderRole(name, priority, placement);
+    log.info("New {} ", newRole);
+    return newRole;
   }
 
 
@@ -998,17 +1001,17 @@
 
  
   /**
-   * enum nodes by role ID, from either the active or live node list
+   * enum nodes by role ID, from either the owned or live node list
    * @param roleId role the container must be in
-   * @param active flag to indicate "use active list" rather than the smaller
+   * @param owned flag to indicate "use owned list" rather than the smaller
    * "live" list
    * @return a list of nodes, may be empty
    */
   public synchronized List<RoleInstance> enumNodesWithRoleId(int roleId,
-      boolean active) {
+      boolean owned) {
     List<RoleInstance> nodes = new ArrayList<RoleInstance>();
     Collection<RoleInstance> allRoleInstances;
-    allRoleInstances = active ? ownedContainers.values() : liveNodes.values();
+    allRoleInstances = owned ? ownedContainers.values() : liveNodes.values();
     for (RoleInstance node : allRoleInstances) {
       if (node.roleId == roleId) {
         nodes.add(node);
@@ -1746,6 +1749,9 @@
 
         // enum all active nodes that aren't being released
         List<RoleInstance> containersToRelease = enumNodesWithRoleId(roleId, true);
+        if (containersToRelease.isEmpty()) {
+          log.info("No containers for component {}", roleId);
+        }
 
         // cut all release-in-progress nodes
         ListIterator<RoleInstance> li = containersToRelease.listIterator();
@@ -1759,7 +1765,7 @@
         // warn if the desired state can't be reaced
         int numberAvailableForRelease = containersToRelease.size();
         if (numberAvailableForRelease < excess) {
-          log.warn("Not enough nodes to release, have {} and need {} more",
+          log.warn("Not enough containers to release, have {} and need {} more",
               numberAvailableForRelease,
               excess - numberAvailableForRelease);
         }
diff --git a/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/OutstandingRequest.java b/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/OutstandingRequest.java
index 4a05a1a..d6022e0 100644
--- a/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/OutstandingRequest.java
+++ b/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/OutstandingRequest.java
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@
     if (node != null) {
       hosts = new String[1];
       hosts[0] = node.hostname;
-      relaxLocality = false;
+      relaxLocality = !role.isStrictPlacement();
       // tell the node it is in play
       node.getOrCreate(roleId);
       log.info("Submitting request for container on {}", hosts[0]);
diff --git a/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/RoleHistory.java b/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/RoleHistory.java
index 8de4b92..ce2ab0a 100644
--- a/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/RoleHistory.java
+++ b/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/RoleHistory.java
@@ -750,11 +750,7 @@
       available = false;
     } else {
       available = nodeEntry.containerCompleted(wasReleased);
-      boolean isFailedNode = failedNodes.contains(RoleHistoryUtils
-          .hostnameOf(container));
-      if (!isFailedNode) {
-        maybeQueueNodeForWork(container, nodeEntry, available);
-      }
+      maybeQueueNodeForWork(container, nodeEntry, available);
     }
     touch();
     return available;
diff --git a/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/RoleStatus.java b/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/RoleStatus.java
index 734bbea..3c860d6 100644
--- a/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/RoleStatus.java
+++ b/slider-core/src/main/java/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/state/RoleStatus.java
@@ -100,6 +100,10 @@
   public boolean getNoDataLocality() {
     return 0 != (getPlacementPolicy() & PlacementPolicy.NO_DATA_LOCALITY);
   }
+  
+  public boolean isStrictPlacement() {
+    return 0 != (getPlacementPolicy() & PlacementPolicy.STRICT);
+  }
 
   public synchronized int getDesired() {
     return desired;
diff --git a/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/appstate/TestMockAppStateDynamicHistory.groovy b/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/appstate/TestMockAppStateDynamicHistory.groovy
index e06c2cb..aa7bb11 100644
--- a/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/appstate/TestMockAppStateDynamicHistory.groovy
+++ b/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/appstate/TestMockAppStateDynamicHistory.groovy
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 import org.apache.slider.api.ResourceKeys
 import org.apache.slider.core.conf.ConfTreeOperations
 import org.apache.slider.core.exceptions.BadConfigException
+import org.apache.slider.providers.PlacementPolicy
 import org.apache.slider.providers.ProviderRole
 import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.model.mock.BaseMockAppStateTest
 import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.model.mock.MockAppState
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@
     def dynamic = "dynamicRole"
     int role_priority_8 = 8
     int desired = 1
-    int placementPolicy = 0
+    int placementPolicy = PlacementPolicy.DEFAULT
     // snapshot and patch existing spec
     def resources = ConfTreeOperations.fromInstance(
         appState.resourcesSnapshot.confTree)
diff --git a/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/appstate/TestMockAppStateDynamicRoles.groovy b/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/appstate/TestMockAppStateDynamicRoles.groovy
index 902752c..83fb273 100644
--- a/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/appstate/TestMockAppStateDynamicRoles.groovy
+++ b/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/appstate/TestMockAppStateDynamicRoles.groovy
@@ -21,13 +21,18 @@
 import groovy.transform.CompileStatic
 import groovy.util.logging.Slf4j
 import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configuration
+import org.apache.hadoop.yarn.api.records.ContainerId
 import org.apache.slider.api.ResourceKeys
-import org.apache.slider.common.tools.SliderUtils
-import org.apache.slider.core.conf.ConfTreeOperations
+import org.apache.slider.providers.PlacementPolicy
 import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.model.mock.BaseMockAppStateTest
 import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.model.mock.MockAppState
 import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.model.mock.MockRoles
 import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.model.mock.MockYarnEngine
+import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.operations.AbstractRMOperation
+import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.operations.ContainerRequestOperation
+import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.state.AppState
+import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.state.ContainerPriority
+import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.state.RoleHistoryUtils
 import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.state.RoleInstance
 import org.apache.slider.server.appmaster.state.SimpleReleaseSelector
 import org.junit.Test
@@ -39,6 +44,10 @@
 @Slf4j
 class TestMockAppStateDynamicRoles extends BaseMockAppStateTest
     implements MockRoles {
+  private static final String ROLE4 = "4"
+  private static final String ROLE5 = "5"
+  private static final int ID4 = 4
+  private static final int ID5 = 5
 
   @Override
   String getTestName() {
@@ -52,7 +61,7 @@
    */
   @Override
   MockYarnEngine createYarnEngine() {
-    return new MockYarnEngine(4, 4)
+    return new MockYarnEngine(8, 2)
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -60,17 +69,25 @@
     super.initApp()
     appState = new MockAppState()
     appState.setContainerLimits(RM_MAX_RAM, RM_MAX_CORES)
-
     def instance = factory.newInstanceDefinition(0,0,0)
 
     def opts = [
+        (ResourceKeys.COMPONENT_PRIORITY): ROLE4,
         (ResourceKeys.COMPONENT_INSTANCES): "1",
-        (ResourceKeys.COMPONENT_PRIORITY): "4",
     ]
 
-    instance.resourceOperations.components["dynamic"]= opts
-    
-    
+
+    instance.resourceOperations.components[ROLE4]= opts
+
+    def opts5 = [
+        (ResourceKeys.COMPONENT_PRIORITY) : ROLE5,
+        (ResourceKeys.COMPONENT_INSTANCES): "1",
+        (ResourceKeys.COMPONENT_PLACEMENT_POLICY):
+            Integer.toString(PlacementPolicy.STRICT),
+    ]
+
+    instance.resourceOperations.components[ROLE5]= opts5
+
     appState.buildInstance(
         instance,
         new Configuration(),
@@ -88,7 +105,146 @@
     createAndStartNodes()
     appState.reviewRequestAndReleaseNodes()
     appState.getRoleHistory().dump();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Find all allocations for a specific role
+   * @param role role Id/priority
+   * @param actions source list
+   * @return found list
+   */
+  List<ContainerRequestOperation> findAllocationsForRole(int role, 
+      List<AbstractRMOperation> actions) {
+    List <ContainerRequestOperation > results = []
+    actions.each { AbstractRMOperation  operation ->
+      if (operation instanceof ContainerRequestOperation) {
+        def req = (ContainerRequestOperation) operation;
+        def reqrole = ContainerPriority.extractRole(req.request.priority)
+        if (role == reqrole) {
+          results << req
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    return results
+  } 
+  
+  @Test
+  public void testStrictPlacementInitialRequest() throws Throwable {
+    log.info("Initial engine state = $engine")
+    List<AbstractRMOperation> actions = appState.reviewRequestAndReleaseNodes()
+    assert actions.size() == 2
+
+    // neither have locality at this point
+    assertRelaxLocalityFlag(ID4, null, true, actions)
+    assertRelaxLocalityFlag(ID5, null, true, actions)
+  }
+
+
+  @Test
+  public void testPolicyPropagation() throws Throwable {
+    assert !(appState.lookupRoleStatus(ROLE4).placementPolicy & PlacementPolicy.STRICT)
+    assert (appState.lookupRoleStatus(ROLE5).placementPolicy & PlacementPolicy.STRICT)
+
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testLaxPlacementSecondRequestRole4() throws Throwable {
+    log.info("Initial engine state = $engine")
+    def role4 = appState.lookupRoleStatus(ROLE4)
+    def role5 = appState.lookupRoleStatus(ROLE5)
+    role4.desired = 1
+    role5.desired = 0
+
+    def instances = createStartAndStopNodes([])
+    assert instances.size() == 1
+
+    def instanceA = instances.find { RoleInstance instance ->
+      instance.roleId = ID4
+    }
+    assert instanceA
+    def hostname = RoleHistoryUtils.hostnameOf(instanceA.container)
+
+
+    log.info("Allocated engine state = $engine")
+    assert engine.containerCount() == 1
+
+    assert role4.actual == 1
+    // shrinking cluster
+
+    role4.desired = 0
+    appState.lookupRoleStatus(ROLE4).desired = 0
+    def completionResults = []
+    def containersToRelease = []
+    instances = createStartAndStopNodes(completionResults)
+    assert engine.containerCount() == 0
+    assert completionResults.size() == 1
+
+    // expanding: expect hostnames  now
+    role4.desired = 1
+    def actions = appState.reviewRequestAndReleaseNodes()
+    assert actions.size() == 1
+
+    assertRelaxLocalityFlag(ID4, "", true, actions)
+    ContainerRequestOperation cro = (ContainerRequestOperation) actions[0]
+    def nodes = cro.request.nodes
+    assert nodes.size() == 1
+    assert hostname == nodes[0]
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testStrictPlacementSecondRequestRole5() throws Throwable {
+    log.info("Initial engine state = $engine")
+    def role4 = appState.lookupRoleStatus(ROLE4)
+    def role5 = appState.lookupRoleStatus(ROLE5)
+    role4.desired = 0
+    role5.desired = 1
+
+    def instances = createStartAndStopNodes([])
+    assert instances.size() == 1
+
+    def instanceA = instances.find { RoleInstance instance ->
+      instance.roleId = ID5
+    }
+    assert instanceA
+    def hostname = RoleHistoryUtils.hostnameOf(instanceA.container)
     
+
+
+    log.info("Allocated engine state = $engine")
+    assert engine.containerCount() == 1
+
+    assert role5.actual == 1
+    // shrinking cluster
+
+    role5.desired = 0
+    def completionResults = []
+    def containersToRelease = []
+    instances = createStartAndStopNodes(completionResults)
+    assert engine.containerCount() == 0
+    assert completionResults.size() == 1
+    assert role5.actual == 0
+
+    role5.desired = 1
+    def actions = appState.reviewRequestAndReleaseNodes()
+    assert actions.size() == 1
+    assertRelaxLocalityFlag(ID5, "", false, actions)
+    ContainerRequestOperation cro = (ContainerRequestOperation) actions[0]
+    def nodes = cro.request.nodes
+    assert nodes.size() == 1
+    assert hostname == nodes[0]
+    
+  }
+
+  public void assertRelaxLocalityFlag(
+      int id,
+      String expectedHost,
+      boolean expectedRelaxFlag,
+      List<AbstractRMOperation> actions) {
+    def requests
+    requests = findAllocationsForRole(id, actions)
+    assert requests.size() == 1
+    def req = requests[0]
+    assert expectedRelaxFlag == req.request.relaxLocality
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/appstate/TestMockAppStateRolePlacement.groovy b/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/appstate/TestMockAppStateRolePlacement.groovy
index 6df8910..e9de390 100644
--- a/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/appstate/TestMockAppStateRolePlacement.groovy
+++ b/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/appstate/TestMockAppStateRolePlacement.groovy
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@
     List<AbstractRMOperation> ops = appState.reviewRequestAndReleaseNodes()
     ContainerRequestOperation operation = (ContainerRequestOperation) ops[0]
     AMRMClient.ContainerRequest request = operation.request
+    assert request.relaxLocality
+    assert request.nodes == null
+    assert request.racks == null
+
     Container allocated = engine.allocateContainer(request)
     List<ContainerAssignment> assignments = [];
     List<AbstractRMOperation> operations = []
@@ -97,6 +101,7 @@
     AMRMClient.ContainerRequest request2 = operation.request
     assert request2 != null
     assert request2.nodes[0] == containerHostname
+    assert request2.relaxLocality
     engine.execute(ops)
 
   }
diff --git a/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/mock/BaseMockAppStateTest.groovy b/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/mock/BaseMockAppStateTest.groovy
index 50d7e06..6c83c55 100644
--- a/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/mock/BaseMockAppStateTest.groovy
+++ b/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/mock/BaseMockAppStateTest.groovy
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@
       List<AppState.NodeCompletionResult> completionResults,
       List<ContainerId> released) {
     for (RoleInstance instance : instances) {
+      log.debug("Started ${instance.role} on ${instance.id} ")
       assert appState.onNodeManagerContainerStarted(instance.containerId)
     }
     releaseContainers(completionResults,
@@ -297,6 +298,7 @@
       RoleInstance ri = roleInstance(assigned)
       instances << ri
       //tell the app it arrived
+      log.debug("Start submitted ${ri.role} on ${container.id} ")
       appState.containerStartSubmitted(container, ri);
     }
     return instances
diff --git a/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/mock/MockYarnCluster.groovy b/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/mock/MockYarnCluster.groovy
index fe06d7c..6056e3a 100644
--- a/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/mock/MockYarnCluster.groovy
+++ b/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/mock/MockYarnCluster.groovy
@@ -56,6 +56,12 @@
     build();
   }
 
+  @Override
+  String toString() {
+    return "MockYarnCluster size=$clusterSize, capacity=${totalClusterCapacity()},"+
+        " in use=${containersInUse()}"
+  }
+
   /**
    * Build the cluster.
    */
@@ -90,7 +96,9 @@
    */
   MockYarnClusterContainer release(ContainerId cid) {
     int host = extractHost(cid.id)
-    return nodeAt(host).release(cid.id)
+    def inUse = nodeAt(host).release(cid.id)
+    log.debug("Released $cid inuse=$inUse")
+    return inUse
   }
 
   int containersInUse() {
diff --git a/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/mock/MockYarnEngine.groovy b/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/mock/MockYarnEngine.groovy
index f405188..04466c6 100644
--- a/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/mock/MockYarnEngine.groovy
+++ b/slider-core/src/test/groovy/org/apache/slider/server/appmaster/model/mock/MockYarnEngine.groovy
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@
       attemptId: 1,
       )
 
+  @Override
+  String toString() {
+    return "MockYarnEngine $cluster + pending=${pending.size()}" 
+  }
+
   int containerCount() {
     return cluster.containersInUse();
   }
@@ -109,6 +114,7 @@
       } else {
         ContainerRequestOperation req = (ContainerRequestOperation) op
         Container container = allocateContainer(req.request)
+        log.info("allocated container $container for $req")
         if (container != null) {
           allocation.add(container)
         } else {