diff --git a/presto-elasticsearch/src/main/java/io/prestosql/elasticsearch/ElasticsearchClient.java b/presto-elasticsearch/src/main/java/io/prestosql/elasticsearch/ElasticsearchClient.java
index 676e1823c828..b1863d059403 100644
--- a/presto-elasticsearch/src/main/java/io/prestosql/elasticsearch/ElasticsearchClient.java
+++ b/presto-elasticsearch/src/main/java/io/prestosql/elasticsearch/ElasticsearchClient.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.client.transport.TransportClient;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.MappingMetaData;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNode;
+import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.ShardRouting;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.collect.ImmutableOpenMap;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.transport.TransportAddress;
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@
 import java.io.UncheckedIOException;
 import java.net.InetAddress;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Iterator;
@@ -58,6 +60,7 @@
 import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.TreeMap;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
 import static com.floragunn.searchguard.ssl.util.SSLConfigConstants.SEARCHGUARD_SSL_TRANSPORT_ENFORCE_HOSTNAME_VERIFICATION;
 import static com.floragunn.searchguard.ssl.util.SSLConfigConstants.SEARCHGUARD_SSL_TRANSPORT_KEYSTORE_FILEPATH;
@@ -193,10 +196,27 @@ public List<Shard> getSearchShards(String index)
                             .actionGet(requestTimeout.toMillis()));
 
             ImmutableList.Builder<Shard> shards = ImmutableList.builder();
+
             DiscoveryNode[] nodes = result.getNodes();
+            Map<String, DiscoveryNode> nodeById = Arrays.stream(nodes)
+                    .collect(Collectors.toMap(DiscoveryNode::getId, node -> node));
+
             for (ClusterSearchShardsGroup group : result.getGroups()) {
-                int nodeIndex = group.getShardId().getId() % nodes.length;
-                shards.add(new Shard(group.getShardId().getId(), nodes[nodeIndex].getHostName(), nodes[nodeIndex].getAddress().getPort()));
+                Optional<ShardRouting> routing = Arrays.stream(group.getShards())
+                        .filter(ShardRouting::assignedToNode)
+                        .sorted(this::shardPreference)
+                        .findFirst();
+
+                DiscoveryNode node;
+                if (!routing.isPresent()) {
+                    // pick an arbitrary node
+                    node = nodes[group.getShardId().getId() % nodes.length];
+                }
+                else {
+                    node = nodeById.get(routing.get().currentNodeId());
+                }
+
+                shards.add(new Shard(group.getShardId().getId(), node.getHostName(), node.getAddress().getPort()));
             }
 
             return shards.build();
@@ -206,6 +226,15 @@ public List<Shard> getSearchShards(String index)
         }
     }
 
+    private int shardPreference(ShardRouting left, ShardRouting right)
+    {
+        // Favor non-primary shards
+        if (left.primary() == right.primary()) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+        return left.primary() ? 1 : -1;
+    }
+
     private List<ColumnMetadata> buildMetadata(List<ElasticsearchColumn> columns)
     {
         List<ColumnMetadata> result = new ArrayList<>();