diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 31fbd3d..1168355 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	// how long a droplet can be missing until it's declared dead
 	me.unstableTimeout = 17 * time.Second
+	me.missingDropletTimeout = time.Minute // not sure the difference between these values
 
 	// how long the cluster must be stable before new droplets can be started
 	me.clusterStableDuration = 37 * time.Second
diff --git a/poll.go b/poll.go
index c0ae08f..3e9caa7 100644
--- a/poll.go
+++ b/poll.go
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func clusterHealthy() (bool, string) {
 			missing = append(missing, d)
 		} else {
 			dur := time.Since(d.LastPoll.AsTime()) // Calculate the elapsed time
-			if dur > time.Minute {
+			if dur > me.missingDropletTimeout {
 				log.Info("GOOD STATE MISSING", d.Hostname, hname, shell.FormatDuration(dur))
 				good = false
 				d.CurrentState = pb.DropletState_UNKNOWN
diff --git a/structs.go b/structs.go
index 19b5c86..2671b52 100644
--- a/structs.go
+++ b/structs.go
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ type virtigoT struct {
 	killcount             int
 	unstable              time.Time // the last time the cluster was incorrect
 	changed               bool
-	unstableTimeout       time.Duration // how long a droplet can be missing until it's declared dead
+	unstableTimeout       time.Duration // how long a droplet can be unstable until it's declared dead
 	clusterStableDuration time.Duration // how long the cluster must be stable before new droplets can be started
+	missingDropletTimeout time.Duration // how long a droplet can be missing for
 }
 
 // the stuff that is needed for a hypervisor
diff --git a/validate.go b/validate.go
index 505b022..5270484 100644
--- a/validate.go
+++ b/validate.go
@@ -242,8 +242,14 @@ func setUniqueSpicePort(check *pb.Droplet) error {
 	}
 
 	var start int64
-	start = 6000
+	start = 5900
 	for {
+		if start == 6000 {
+			// x11 might use this on dom0's running a desktop
+			// maybe qemu uses it iternally
+			start += 1
+			continue
+		}
 		if _, ok := ports[start]; ok {
 			d := ports[start]
 			log.Info("already using port", start, "on", d.Hostname)