diff --git a/plugin/traffic/xds/client.go b/plugin/traffic/xds/client.go
index 1baeba408..aacbf61be 100644
--- a/plugin/traffic/xds/client.go
+++ b/plugin/traffic/xds/client.go
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func (c *Client) Run() {
 
 		done := make(chan struct{})
 		go func() {
-			tick := time.NewTicker(10 * time.Second)
+			tick := time.NewTicker(1 * time.Second)
 			for {
 				select {
 				case <-tick.C:
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ func (c *Client) Receive(stream adsStream) error {
 
 		switch resp.GetTypeUrl() {
 		case cdsURL:
+			a := &assignment{cla: make(map[string]*xdspb.ClusterLoadAssignment)}
 			for _, r := range resp.GetResources() {
 				var any ptypes.DynamicAny
 				if err := ptypes.UnmarshalAny(r, &any); err != nil {
@@ -174,24 +175,25 @@ func (c *Client) Receive(stream adsStream) error {
 				if !ok {
 					continue
 				}
-				c.assignments.setClusterLoadAssignment(cluster.GetName(), nil)
+				a.setClusterLoadAssignment(cluster.GetName(), nil)
 			}
 			log.Debugf("Cluster discovery processed with %d resources", len(resp.GetResources()))
 
 			// ack the CDS proto, with we we've got. (empty version would be NACK)
-			if err := c.clusterDiscovery(stream, resp.GetVersionInfo(), resp.GetNonce(), c.assignments.clusters()); err != nil {
+			if err := c.clusterDiscovery(stream, resp.GetVersionInfo(), resp.GetNonce(), a.clusters()); err != nil {
 				log.Debug(err)
 				continue
 			}
 			// need to figure out how to handle the versions and nounces exactly.
 
+			c.SetNonce(resp.GetNonce())
+			c.SetAssignments(a)
+
 			// now kick off discovery for endpoints
-			if err := c.endpointDiscovery(stream, "", resp.GetNonce(), c.assignments.clusters()); err != nil {
+			if err := c.endpointDiscovery(stream, "", resp.GetNonce(), a.clusters()); err != nil {
 				log.Debug(err)
 				continue
 			}
-			c.SetNonce(resp.GetNonce())
-
 		case edsURL:
 			for _, r := range resp.GetResources() {
 				var any ptypes.DynamicAny
diff --git a/plugin/traffic/xds/fields.go b/plugin/traffic/xds/fields.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3169254c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugin/traffic/xds/fields.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package xds
+
+func (c *Client) Nonce() string {
+	c.mu.RLock()
+	defer c.mu.RUnlock()
+	return c.nonce
+}
+
+func (c *Client) SetNonce(n string) {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+	c.nonce = n
+}
+
+func (c *Client) Assignments() *assignment {
+	c.mu.RLock()
+	defer c.mu.RUnlock()
+	return c.assignments
+}
+
+func (c *Client) SetAssignments(a *assignment) {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+	c.assignments = a
+}
diff --git a/plugin/traffic/xds/nonce.go b/plugin/traffic/xds/nonce.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 1d2d18f4d..000000000
--- a/plugin/traffic/xds/nonce.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-package xds
-
-func (c *Client) Nonce() string {
-	c.mu.RLock()
-	defer c.mu.RUnlock()
-	return c.nonce
-}
-
-func (c *Client) SetNonce(n string) {
-	c.mu.Lock()
-	defer c.mu.Unlock()
-	c.nonce = n
-}