diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 46b6878b4f..63421379d2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -166,6 +166,14 @@ v2.4.0 (XXXX-XX-XX)
   * HTTP GET `/_api/replication/logger-config` 
   * HTTP PUT `/_api/replication/logger-config` 
 
+* fixed issue #1174, which was due to locking problems in distributed
+  AQL execution
+
+* improved cluster locking for AQL avoiding deadlocks
+
+* use DistributeNode for modifying queries with REPLACE and UPDATE, if
+  possible
+
 
 v2.3.3 (2014-12-17)
 -------------------
diff --git a/arangod/Aql/ExecutionBlock.cpp b/arangod/Aql/ExecutionBlock.cpp
index ba54b4f7d7..c4091071a1 100644
--- a/arangod/Aql/ExecutionBlock.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Aql/ExecutionBlock.cpp
@@ -4987,17 +4987,29 @@ size_t DistributeBlock::sendToClient (AqlValue val) {
         "DistributeBlock: can only send JSON or SHAPED");
   }
   
+  bool mustFreeJson = false;
+  TRI_json_t* obj = nullptr;
+  if (TRI_IsStringJson(json)) {
+    obj = TRI_CreateObject2Json(TRI_UNKNOWN_MEM_ZONE, 1);
+    TRI_InsertObjectJson(TRI_UNKNOWN_MEM_ZONE, obj, "_key", json);
+    mustFreeJson = true;
+  }
+
   std::string shardId;
   bool usesDefaultShardingAttributes;  
   auto clusterInfo = triagens::arango::ClusterInfo::instance();
   auto const planId = triagens::basics::StringUtils::itoa(_collection->getPlanId());
 
   int res = clusterInfo->getResponsibleShard(planId,
-                                             json,
+                                             mustFreeJson ? obj : json,
                                              true,
                                              shardId,
                                              usesDefaultShardingAttributes);
   
+  if (mustFreeJson) {
+    TRI_FreeJson(TRI_UNKNOWN_MEM_ZONE, obj);
+  }
+
   if (res != TRI_ERROR_NO_ERROR) {
     THROW_ARANGO_EXCEPTION(res);
   }
diff --git a/js/common/tests/shell-explain-cluster.js b/js/common/tests/shell-explain-cluster.js
index 718ce6169e..a53bfa17be 100644
--- a/js/common/tests/shell-explain-cluster.js
+++ b/js/common/tests/shell-explain-cluster.js
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ function ExplainSuite () {
       assertEqual("GatherNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[5];
-      assertEqual("ScatterNode", node.type);
+      assertEqual("DistributeNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[6];
       assertEqual("RemoteNode", node.type);
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ function ExplainSuite () {
       assertEqual("GatherNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[5];
-      assertEqual("ScatterNode", node.type);
+      assertEqual("DistributeNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[6];
       assertEqual("RemoteNode", node.type);
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ function ExplainSuite () {
       assertEqual("GatherNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[4];
-      assertEqual("ScatterNode", node.type);
+      assertEqual("DistributeNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[5];
       assertEqual("RemoteNode", node.type);
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ function ExplainSuite () {
       assertEqual("GatherNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[4];
-      assertEqual("ScatterNode", node.type);
+      assertEqual("DistributeNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[5];
       assertEqual("RemoteNode", node.type);
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ function ExplainSuite () {
       assertEqual("GatherNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[5];
-      assertEqual("ScatterNode", node.type);
+      assertEqual("DistributeNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[6];
       assertEqual("RemoteNode", node.type);
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ function ExplainSuite () {
       assertEqual("GatherNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[5];
-      assertEqual("ScatterNode", node.type);
+      assertEqual("DistributeNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[6];
       assertEqual("RemoteNode", node.type);
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ function ExplainSuite () {
       assertEqual("GatherNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[4];
-      assertEqual("ScatterNode", node.type);
+      assertEqual("DistributeNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[5];
       assertEqual("RemoteNode", node.type);
@@ -703,7 +703,7 @@ function ExplainSuite () {
       assertEqual("GatherNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[4];
-      assertEqual("ScatterNode", node.type);
+      assertEqual("DistributeNode", node.type);
 
       node = nodes[5];
       assertEqual("RemoteNode", node.type);
diff --git a/m4/external.openssl b/m4/external.openssl
index 5591415087..0d98a20df5 100644
--- a/m4/external.openssl
+++ b/m4/external.openssl
@@ -131,8 +131,6 @@ LDFLAGS="$SAVE_LDFLAGS"
 CPPFLAGS="$SAVE_CPPFLAGS"
 LIBS="$SAVE_LIBS"
 
-OPENSSL_CPPFLAGS="${OPENSSL_CPPFLAGS} -DTRI_OPENSSL_VERSION='${TRI_OPENSSL_VERSION}'"
-
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