diff --git a/arangod/Aql/Optimizer.cpp b/arangod/Aql/Optimizer.cpp
index 8b2eba5ce0..3e5addfa03 100644
--- a/arangod/Aql/Optimizer.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Aql/Optimizer.cpp
@@ -463,6 +463,11 @@ void Optimizer::setupRules () {
     registerRule("distribute-sort-to-cluster",
                  distributeSortToCluster,
                  distributeSortToCluster_pass10,
+                 false);*/
+    
+    registerRule("remove-unnecessary-remote-scatter",
+                 removeUnnecessaryRemoteScatter,
+                 removeUnnecessaryRemoteScatter_pass10,
                  false);
 
   }
diff --git a/arangod/Aql/Optimizer.h b/arangod/Aql/Optimizer.h
index b668149aa4..114e6cf5c4 100644
--- a/arangod/Aql/Optimizer.h
+++ b/arangod/Aql/Optimizer.h
@@ -145,7 +145,12 @@ namespace triagens {
 
         // move SortNodes into the distribution.
         // adjust gathernode to also contain the sort criterions.
-        distributeSortToCluster_pass10          = 1020
+        distributeSortToCluster_pass10          = 1020,
+        
+        // try to get rid of a RemoteNode->ScatterNode combination which has
+        // only a SingletonNode and possibly some CalculationNodes as dependencies
+
+        removeUnnecessaryRemoteScatter_pass10   = 1030
       };
     
       public:
diff --git a/arangod/Aql/OptimizerRules.cpp b/arangod/Aql/OptimizerRules.cpp
index d593d7d47f..ccd83c1cf1 100644
--- a/arangod/Aql/OptimizerRules.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Aql/OptimizerRules.cpp
@@ -1905,6 +1905,7 @@ class ScatterToSingletonViaCalcOnlyFinder: public WalkerWorker<ExecutionNode> {
         case EN::SCATTER:{
           if (_scatter != nullptr) {
             return true; // somehow found 2 scatter nodes . . .
+                         // FIXME is this even possible? 
           }
           _scatter = en;
           return false; // continue . . .
@@ -1915,7 +1916,7 @@ class ScatterToSingletonViaCalcOnlyFinder: public WalkerWorker<ExecutionNode> {
         }
         case EN::SINGLETON: {
           if (_scatter == nullptr) {
-            return true; // found no scatter nodes
+            return true; // found no scatter nodes, abort
           }
           auto newPlan = _plan->clone();
           if (newPlan == nullptr) {
diff --git a/arangod/Aql/OptimizerRules.h b/arangod/Aql/OptimizerRules.h
index 71665095f3..14a9abaa58 100644
--- a/arangod/Aql/OptimizerRules.h
+++ b/arangod/Aql/OptimizerRules.h
@@ -116,8 +116,6 @@ namespace triagens {
 
     int distributeSortToCluster (Optimizer*, ExecutionPlan*, Optimizer::Rule const*);
 
-    int distributeSortToCluster (Optimizer*, ExecutionPlan*, Optimizer::Rule const*);
-
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /// @brief try to get rid of a RemoteNode->ScatterNode combination which has
 /// only a SingletonNode and possibly some CalculationNodes as dependencies