diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
index afe9b7ca50..65f85215cb 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ DomainServer::DomainServer(int argc, char* argv[]) :
 
     setupNodeListAndAssignments();
 
+    updateReplicatedNodes();
+
     if (_type != NonMetaverse) {
         // if we have a metaverse domain, we'll use an access token for API calls
         resetAccountManagerAccessToken();
@@ -960,6 +962,11 @@ void DomainServer::handleConnectedNode(SharedNodePointer newNode) {
         emit userConnected();
     }
 
+    if (shouldReplicateNode(*newNode)) {
+        qDebug() << "Setting node to replicated: " << newNode->getUUID();
+        newNode->setIsReplicated(true);
+    }
+
     // send out this node to our other connected nodes
     broadcastNewNode(newNode);
 }
@@ -2217,16 +2224,19 @@ void DomainServer::updateReplicatedNodes() {
     _replicatedUsernames.clear();
     auto settings = _settingsManager.getSettingsMap();
     if (settings.contains(REPLICATION_SETTINGS_KEY)) {
-        auto replicationSettings = settings.value(REPLICATION_SETTINGS_KEY).toJsonObject();
-        auto usersSettings = replicationSettings.value("users").toArray();
-        for (auto& username : usersSettings) {
-            _replicatedUsernames.push_back(username.toString());
+        auto replicationSettings = settings.value(REPLICATION_SETTINGS_KEY).toMap();
+        if (replicationSettings.contains("users")) {
+            auto usersSettings = replicationSettings.value("users").toList();
+            for (auto& username : usersSettings) {
+                _replicatedUsernames.push_back(username.toString());
+            }
         }
     }
 
     auto nodeList = DependencyManager::get<LimitedNodeList>();
     nodeList->eachNode([&](const SharedNodePointer& otherNode) {
         if (shouldReplicateNode(*otherNode)) {
+            qDebug() << "Setting node to replicated: " << otherNode->getUUID();
             otherNode->setIsReplicated(true);
         }
     });
@@ -2234,15 +2244,12 @@ void DomainServer::updateReplicatedNodes() {
 
 bool DomainServer::shouldReplicateNode(const Node& node) {
     QString verifiedUsername = node.getPermissions().getVerifiedUserName();
+    qDebug() << "Verified username: " << verifiedUsername;
     auto it = find(_replicatedUsernames.cbegin(), _replicatedUsernames.cend(), verifiedUsername);
     return it != _replicatedUsernames.end() && node.getType() == NodeType::Agent;
 };
 
 void DomainServer::nodeAdded(SharedNodePointer node) {
-    if (shouldReplicateNode(*node)) {
-        node->setIsReplicated(true);
-    }
-
     // we don't use updateNodeWithData, so add the DomainServerNodeData to the node here
     node->setLinkedData(std::unique_ptr<DomainServerNodeData> { new DomainServerNodeData() });
 }