diff --git a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/blockchain.rs b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/blockchain.rs
index 956aec15..5cf85efe 100644
--- a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/blockchain.rs
+++ b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/blockchain.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ impl Serialize for Web3ProxyBlock {
         // TODO: i'm not sure about this name
         let mut state = serializer.serialize_struct("saved_block", 2)?;
 
-        state.serialize_field("age", &self.age())?;
+        state.serialize_field("age", &self.age().as_secs_f32())?;
 
         let block = json!({
             "hash": self.0.hash,
diff --git a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/consensus.rs b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/consensus.rs
index 878c77c2..3b666228 100644
--- a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/consensus.rs
+++ b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/consensus.rs
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ pub struct RankedRpcs {
 // TODO: could these be refs? The owning RankedRpcs lifetime might work. `stream!` might make it complicated
 pub struct RpcsForRequest {
     inner: Vec<Arc<Web3Rpc>>,
+    outer: Vec<Arc<Web3Rpc>>,
     request: Arc<Web3Request>,
 }
 
@@ -276,10 +277,9 @@ impl RankedRpcs {
             }
         }
 
-        inner.extend(outer);
-
         Some(RpcsForRequest {
             inner,
+            outer,
             request: web3_request.clone(),
         })
     }
@@ -972,6 +972,18 @@ impl ConsensusFinder {
     }
 }
 
+fn best_rpc<'a>(rpc_a: &'a Arc<Web3Rpc>, rpc_b: &'a Arc<Web3Rpc>) -> &'a Arc<Web3Rpc> {
+    let now = Instant::now();
+
+    let faster = min_by_key(rpc_a, rpc_b, |x| {
+        (x.next_available(now), x.backup, x.weighted_peak_latency())
+    });
+
+    trace!("{} vs {} = {}", rpc_a, rpc_b, faster);
+
+    faster
+}
+
 impl RpcsForRequest {
     pub fn to_stream(self) -> impl Stream<Item = OpenRequestHandle> {
         // TODO: get error_handler out of the web3_request, probably the authorization
@@ -982,30 +994,29 @@ impl RpcsForRequest {
             loop {
                 let mut earliest_retry_at = None;
 
-                let now = Instant::now();
-
-                // TODO: need an iter of self.inner, then self.outer
-
-                // we have to collect cuz apparently a Chain isn't sized
+                // first check the inners
+                // TODO: DRY
                 for (rpc_a, rpc_b) in self.inner.iter().circular_tuple_windows() {
-                    trace!("{} vs {}", rpc_a, rpc_b);
                     // TODO: ties within X% to the server with the smallest block_data_limit?
                     // find rpc with the lowest weighted peak latency. backups always lose. rate limits always lose
-                    let faster_rpc = min_by_key(rpc_a, rpc_b, |x| (Reverse(x.next_available(now)), x.backup, x.weighted_peak_latency()));
-                    trace!("winner: {}", faster_rpc);
+                    // TODO: should next_available be reversed?
+                    // TODO: this is similar to sort_for_load_balancing_on, but at this point we don't want to prefer tiers
+                    // TODO: move ethis to a helper function just so we can test it
+                    // TODO: should x.next_available should be Reverse<_>?
+                    let best_rpc = best_rpc(rpc_a, rpc_b);
 
-                    match faster_rpc
+                    match best_rpc
                         .try_request_handle(&self.request, error_handler)
                         .await
                     {
                         Ok(OpenRequestResult::Handle(handle)) => {
-                            trace!("opened handle: {}", faster_rpc);
+                            trace!("opened handle: {}", best_rpc);
                             yield handle;
                         }
                         Ok(OpenRequestResult::RetryAt(retry_at)) => {
                             trace!(
                                 "retry on {} @ {}",
-                                faster_rpc,
+                                best_rpc,
                                 retry_at.duration_since(Instant::now()).as_secs_f32()
                             );
 
@@ -1014,17 +1025,40 @@ impl RpcsForRequest {
                         }
                         Ok(OpenRequestResult::NotReady) => {
                             // TODO: log a warning? emit a stat?
-                            trace!("best_rpc not ready: {}", faster_rpc);
+                            trace!("best_rpc not ready: {}", best_rpc);
                             continue;
                         }
                         Err(err) => {
-                            trace!("No request handle for {}. err={:?}", faster_rpc, err);
+                            trace!("No request handle for {}. err={:?}", best_rpc, err);
                             continue;
                         }
                     }
                 }
 
-                // TODO: check self.outer
+                // check self.outer only after self.inner. thats because the outer rpcs weren't ready to serve the request
+                for (rpc_a, rpc_b) in self.outer.iter().circular_tuple_windows() {
+                    // TODO: ties within X% to the server with the smallest block_data_limit?
+                    // find rpc with the lowest weighted peak latency. backups always lose. rate limits always lose
+                    // TODO: should next_available be reversed?
+                    // TODO: this is similar to sort_for_load_balancing_on, but at this point we don't want to prefer tiers
+                    // TODO: move ethis to a helper function just so we can test it
+                    // TODO: should x.next_available should be Reverse<_>?
+                    let best_rpc = best_rpc(rpc_a, rpc_b);
+
+                    match best_rpc
+                        .wait_for_request_handle(&self.request, error_handler)
+                        .await
+                    {
+                        Ok(handle) => {
+                            trace!("opened handle: {}", best_rpc);
+                            yield handle;
+                        }
+                        Err(err) => {
+                            trace!("No request handle for {}. err={:?}", best_rpc, err);
+                            continue;
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
 
                 if let Some(retry_at) = earliest_retry_at {
                     if self.request.expire_instant <= retry_at {