diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Scene.cs b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Scene.cs
index b950dbdb04..a9e66471ff 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Scene.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Scene.cs
@@ -1160,6 +1160,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
             //m_heartbeatTimer.Elapsed += new ElapsedEventHandler(Heartbeat);
             if (HeartbeatThread != null)
             {
+                m_log.ErrorFormat("[SCENE]: Restarting heartbeat thread because it hasn't reported in in region {0}", RegionInfo.RegionName);
                 HeartbeatThread.Abort();
                 HeartbeatThread = null;
             }
@@ -4555,7 +4556,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
             //
             int health=1; // Start at 1, means we're up
 
-            if ((Util.EnvironmentTickCountSubtract(m_lastUpdate)) < 1000)
+            if (m_firstHeartbeat || ((Util.EnvironmentTickCountSubtract(m_lastUpdate)) < 1000))
                 health+=1;
             else
                 return health;