diff --git a/client/dbclient.cpp b/client/dbclient.cpp
index f2ea3ac4213..fdd1737c675 100644
--- a/client/dbclient.cpp
+++ b/client/dbclient.cpp
@@ -305,8 +305,6 @@ namespace mongo {
             b.append( "fsync", 1 );
         if ( j )
             b.append( "j", 1 );
-        if ( wtimeout > 0 )
-            b.append( "wtimeout", wtimeout );
 
         // only affects request when greater than one node
         if ( w >= 1 )
@@ -314,6 +312,9 @@ namespace mongo {
         else if ( w == -1 )
             b.append( "w", "majority" );
 
+        if ( wtimeout > 0 )
+            b.append( "wtimeout", wtimeout );
+
         runCommand("admin", b.obj(), info);
 
         return info;
diff --git a/client/dbclient.h b/client/dbclient.h
index a183f35708f..744de2a1dde 100644
--- a/client/dbclient.h
+++ b/client/dbclient.h
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         /** Get error result from the last write operation (insert/update/delete) on this connection.
             @return error message text, or empty string if no error.
         */
-        string getLastError(bool fsync = false, bool j = false, int w = 1, int wtimeout = 0);
+        string getLastError(bool fsync = false, bool j = false, int w = 0, int wtimeout = 0);
 
         /** Get error result from the last write operation (insert/update/delete) on this connection.
             @return full error object.
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             If "w" is -1, wait for propagation to majority of nodes.
             If "wtimeout" is 0, the operation will block indefinitely if needed.
         */
-        virtual BSONObj getLastErrorDetailed(bool fsync = false, bool j = false, int w = 1, int wtimeout = 0);
+        virtual BSONObj getLastErrorDetailed(bool fsync = false, bool j = false, int w = 0, int wtimeout = 0);
 
         /** Can be called with the returned value from getLastErrorDetailed to extract an error string. 
             If all you need is the string, just call getLastError() instead.
diff --git a/client/syncclusterconnection.cpp b/client/syncclusterconnection.cpp
index fbcdd139dc8..601cdcbd758 100644
--- a/client/syncclusterconnection.cpp
+++ b/client/syncclusterconnection.cpp
@@ -135,10 +135,10 @@ namespace mongo {
         throw UserException( 8001 , (string)"SyncClusterConnection write op failed: " + err.str() );
     }
 
-    BSONObj SyncClusterConnection::getLastErrorDetailed() {
+    BSONObj SyncClusterConnection::getLastErrorDetailed(bool fsync, bool j, int w, int wtimeout) {
         if ( _lastErrors.size() )
             return _lastErrors[0];
-        return DBClientBase::getLastErrorDetailed();
+        return DBClientBase::getLastErrorDetailed(fsync,j,w,wtimeout);
     }
 
     void SyncClusterConnection::_connect( string host ) {
diff --git a/client/syncclusterconnection.h b/client/syncclusterconnection.h
index 68dd338a408..d2374ddaa45 100644
--- a/client/syncclusterconnection.h
+++ b/client/syncclusterconnection.h
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         virtual bool isFailed() const { return false; }
         virtual string toString() { return _toString(); }
 
-        virtual BSONObj getLastErrorDetailed();
+        virtual BSONObj getLastErrorDetailed(bool fsync=false, bool j=false, int w=0, int wtimeout=0);
 
         virtual bool callRead( Message& toSend , Message& response );