diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index a7a3bcff..65089e85 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -22,10 +22,12 @@ before_script:
 script:
   - ./consul agent -server -bootstrap -advertise=127.0.0.1 -data-dir /tmp/consul -config-file=./config.json 1>/dev/null &
   - ./etcd/etcd --listen-client-urls 'http://0.0.0.0:4001' --advertise-client-urls 'http://127.0.0.1:4001' >/dev/null 2>&1 &
-  - ./zk/bin/zkServer.sh start ./zk/conf/zoo.cfg 1> /dev/null
+  - ./script/travis_start_zk.sh
   - script/validate-gofmt
   - go vet ./...
   - fgt golint ./...
   - go test -v -race ./...
   - script/coverage
   - goveralls -service=travis-ci -coverprofile=goverage.report
+
+dist: trusty
diff --git a/script/travis_start_zk.sh b/script/travis_start_zk.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..8892c4e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/script/travis_start_zk.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#! /bin/bash
+
+while true; do
+  ./zk/bin/zkServer.sh start ./zk/conf/zoo.cfg
+  sleep 3
+  if echo stat |nc localhost 2181 |grep -q Mode; then
+    break
+  fi
+  echo zk did not start properly, retrying...
+  ./zk/bin/zkServer.sh stop
+done