diff --git a/assignment-client/src/main.cpp b/assignment-client/src/main.cpp
index 75c8a00343..9d50469c6d 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/main.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/main.cpp
@@ -66,11 +66,12 @@ void childClient() {
     // create a request assignment, accept assignments defined by the overidden type
     Assignment requestAssignment(Assignment::RequestCommand, ::overiddenAssignmentType);
     
+    // if we're here we have no assignment, so send a request
+    qDebug() << "Waiting for assignment -" << requestAssignment << "\n";
+    
     while (true) {
         if (usecTimestampNow() - usecTimestamp(&lastRequest) >= ASSIGNMENT_REQUEST_INTERVAL_USECS) {
             gettimeofday(&lastRequest, NULL);
-            // if we're here we have no assignment, so send a request
-            qDebug() << "Sending an assignment request -" << requestAssignment << "\n";
             nodeList->sendAssignment(requestAssignment);
         }