diff --git a/slsDetectorServers/eigerDetectorServer/slsDetectorFunctionList.c b/slsDetectorServers/eigerDetectorServer/slsDetectorFunctionList.c
index 48d15c704..ed1980ee7 100644
--- a/slsDetectorServers/eigerDetectorServer/slsDetectorFunctionList.c
+++ b/slsDetectorServers/eigerDetectorServer/slsDetectorFunctionList.c
@@ -1518,10 +1518,17 @@ int setMaster(enum MASTERINDEX m) {
         sharedMemory_unlockLocalLink();
     }
 
-    // get and update master variable
+    // get and update master variable (cannot get from m, could be hardware)
     if (isMaster(&master) == FAIL) {
         return FAIL;
     }
+    // verify for master and slave (not hardware)
+    if ((m == OW_MASTER && master == 0) || (m == OW_SLAVE && master == 1)) {
+        LOG(logERROR,
+            ("could not set master/slave. Master value retrieved %d\n",
+             master));
+        return FAIL;
+    }
 
     // feb variable and hv comms (9m)
     sharedMemory_lockLocalLink();
@@ -1539,12 +1546,6 @@ int isMaster(int *retval) {
     if (getModuleConfiguration(&m, &t, &n) == FAIL) {
         return FAIL;
     }
-    if (m != master) {
-        LOG(logERROR,
-            ("master value retrieved %d and local value %d do not match\n",
-             master, m));
-        return FAIL;
-    }
     *retval = m;
     return OK;
 }
@@ -1576,10 +1577,16 @@ int setTop(enum TOPINDEX t) {
     }
     sharedMemory_unlockLocalLink();
 
-    // get and update top variable
+    // get and update top variable(cannot get from t, could be hardware)
     if (isTop(&top) == FAIL) {
         return FAIL;
     }
+    // verify for master and slave (not hardware)
+    if ((t == OW_TOP && top == 0) || (t == OW_BOTTOM && top == 1)) {
+        LOG(logERROR,
+            ("could not set top/bottom. Top value retrieved %d\n", top));
+        return FAIL;
+    }
 
     Beb_SetTopVariable(top);
 #endif
@@ -1591,12 +1598,7 @@ int isTop(int *retval) {
     if (getModuleConfiguration(&m, &t, &n) == FAIL) {
         return FAIL;
     }
-    if (t != top) {
-        LOG(logERROR,
-            ("top value retrieved %d and local value %d do not match\n", top,
-             t));
-        return FAIL;
-    }
+
     *retval = t;
     return OK;
 }
diff --git a/slsDetectorServers/eigerDetectorServer/slsDetectorServer_defs.h b/slsDetectorServers/eigerDetectorServer/slsDetectorServer_defs.h
index 95a1590b1..b1f987f98 100644
--- a/slsDetectorServers/eigerDetectorServer/slsDetectorServer_defs.h
+++ b/slsDetectorServers/eigerDetectorServer/slsDetectorServer_defs.h
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ enum NETWORKINDEX { TXN_LEFT, TXN_RIGHT, TXN_FRAME, FLOWCTRL_10G };
 enum ROINDEX { E_PARALLEL, E_NON_PARALLEL };
 enum CLKINDEX { RUN_CLK, NUM_CLOCKS };
 enum TOPINDEX { TOP_HARDWARE, OW_TOP, OW_BOTTOM };
-#define TOP_NAMES "hardware", "top", "bottom"
+#define TOP_NAMES "hardware_master_slave", "top", "bottom"
 enum MASTERINDEX { MASTER_HARDWARE, OW_MASTER, OW_SLAVE };
-#define MASTER_NAMES "hardware", "master", "slave"
+#define MASTER_NAMES "hardware_top_bottom", "master", "slave"
 
 #define CLK_NAMES "run"