diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 7eb71c9572..ab4a52dbd5 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 v3.3.24 (XXXX-XX-XX)
 --------------------
 
+* Decreased unnecessary wait times for agency callbacks in case they were
+  called earlier than expected by main thread.
+
 * upgraded arangodb starter version to 0.14.12
 
 * upgrade arangosync version to 0.6.5
diff --git a/arangod/Cluster/AgencyCallback.cpp b/arangod/Cluster/AgencyCallback.cpp
index 41d4d677da..a9ac59415d 100644
--- a/arangod/Cluster/AgencyCallback.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Cluster/AgencyCallback.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,11 @@ using namespace arangodb;
 AgencyCallback::AgencyCallback(AgencyComm& agency, std::string const& key,
                                std::function<bool(VPackSlice const&)> const& cb,
                                bool needsValue, bool needsInitialValue)
-    : key(key), _agency(agency), _cb(cb), _needsValue(needsValue) {
+    : key(key), 
+      _agency(agency), 
+      _cb(cb), 
+      _needsValue(needsValue),
+      _wasSignaled(false) {
   if (_needsValue && needsInitialValue) {
     refetchAndUpdate(true, false);
   }
@@ -105,6 +109,7 @@ bool AgencyCallback::executeEmpty() {
   LOG_TOPIC(DEBUG, Logger::CLUSTER) << "Executing (empty)";
   bool result = _cb(VPackSlice::noneSlice());
   if (result) {
+    _wasSignaled = true;
     _cv.signal();
   }
   return result;
@@ -116,6 +121,7 @@ bool AgencyCallback::execute(std::shared_ptr<VPackBuilder> newData) {
   LOG_TOPIC(DEBUG, Logger::CLUSTER) << "Executing";
   bool result = _cb(newData->slice());
   if (result) {
+    _wasSignaled = true;
     _cv.signal();
   }
   return result;
@@ -124,11 +130,18 @@ bool AgencyCallback::execute(std::shared_ptr<VPackBuilder> newData) {
 void AgencyCallback::executeByCallbackOrTimeout(double maxTimeout) {
   // One needs to acquire the mutex of the condition variable
   // before entering this function!
-  if (!_cv.wait(static_cast<uint64_t>(maxTimeout * 1000000.0)) &&
-      application_features::ApplicationServer::isRetryOK()) {
-    LOG_TOPIC(DEBUG, Logger::CLUSTER)
-        << "Waiting done and nothing happended. Refetching to be sure";
-    // mop: watches have not triggered during our sleep...recheck to be sure
-    refetchAndUpdate(false, true);  // Force a check
+  if (!application_features::ApplicationServer::isStopping()) {
+    if (_wasSignaled) {
+      // ok, we have been signaled already, so there is no need to wait at all
+      // directly refetch the values
+      _wasSignaled = false;
+      LOG_TOPIC(DEBUG, Logger::CLUSTER) << "We were signaled already";
+    } else if (!_cv.wait(static_cast<uint64_t>(maxTimeout * 1000000.0)) &&
+               application_features::ApplicationServer::isRetryOK()) {
+      LOG_TOPIC(DEBUG, Logger::CLUSTER)
+          << "Waiting done and nothing happended. Refetching to be sure";
+      // mop: watches have not triggered during our sleep...recheck to be sure
+      refetchAndUpdate(false, true);  // Force a check
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/arangod/Cluster/AgencyCallback.h b/arangod/Cluster/AgencyCallback.h
index e39210f663..4cf5394be5 100644
--- a/arangod/Cluster/AgencyCallback.h
+++ b/arangod/Cluster/AgencyCallback.h
@@ -125,6 +125,16 @@ class AgencyCallback {
   std::function<bool(VPackSlice const&)> const _cb;
   std::shared_ptr<VPackBuilder> _lastData;
   bool const _needsValue;
+  
+  /// @brief this flag is set if there was an attempt to signal the callback's
+  /// condition variable - this is necessary to catch all signals that happen
+  /// before the caller is going into the wait state, i.e. to prevent this
+  ///  1) register callback
+  ///  2a) execute callback
+  ///  2b) execute callback signaling
+  ///  3) caller going into condition.wait() (and not woken up)
+  /// this variable is protected by the condition variable! 
+  bool _wasSignaled;
 
   // execute callback with current value data:
   bool execute(std::shared_ptr<VPackBuilder>);