diff -Naur phoenix-1.6.1/Miner.py phoenix-test/Miner.py
--- phoenix-1.6.1/Miner.py	2011-08-15 13:27:10.000000000 -0500
+++ phoenix-test/Miner.py	2011-08-18 10:34:50.000000000 -0500
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
         self.idle = True
         self.cores = []
         self.backup = False
+	self.backupLife = 0
         self.failures = 0
         self.lastMetaRate = 0.0
         self.lastRateUpdate = time()
@@ -65,6 +66,25 @@
     def onWork(self, work):
         self.logger.reportDebug('Server gave new work; passing to WorkQueue')
         self.queue.storeWork(work)
+        if self.backup:
+            #When the backup life reaches 0, switch back to the primary pool
+            if (self.backupLife <= 0):
+                #disconnect and set connection to none
+                self.connection.disconnect()
+                self.connection = None
+                
+                #log
+                self.logger.log("Backup Lifespan finished,")
+                self.logger.log("attempting to return to primary server.")
+                
+                #reset failure count and return to primary server
+                self.failures = 0
+                self.backup = False
+                self.connection = self.options.makeConnection(self)
+                self.connection.connect()
+            else:
+                self.backupLife -= 1
+                
     def onLongpoll(self, lp):
         self.logger.reportType('RPC' + (' (+LP)' if lp else ''))
     def onPush(self, ignored):
@@ -73,9 +93,10 @@
         self.logger.log(message)
     def onDebug(self, message):
         self.logger.reportDebug(message)
-    
+
     def failoverCheck(self):
         if self.backup:
+            #The backup pool must fail 3 times before moving to the backup pool
             if (self.failures >= 1):
                 #disconnect and set connection to none
                 self.connection.disconnect()
@@ -106,6 +127,10 @@
                 #reset failure count and connect to backup server
                 self.failures = 0
                 self.backup = True
+		self.backupLife = 20
+                if self.options.backupLife is not None:
+                    self.backupLife = self.options.backupLife
+
                 self.connection = self.options.makeConnection(self, True)
                 self.connection.connect()
             else:
diff -Naur phoenix-1.6.1/phoenix.py phoenix-test/phoenix.py
--- phoenix-1.6.1/phoenix.py	2011-08-15 13:27:10.000000000 -0500
+++ phoenix-test/phoenix.py	2011-08-18 10:31:29.000000000 -0500
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
         self.parsedSettings = None
         self.url = None
         self.url2 = None
+	self.backupLife = None
         self.logger = None
         self.kernel = None
         self.queue = None
@@ -57,6 +58,9 @@
         parser.add_option("-b", "--backupurl", dest="url2", default=None,
             help="the URL of the backup mining server to work for if the "
             "primary is down [OPTIONAL]")
+        parser.add_option("-f", "--fallback", dest="backupLife", default=None,
+            help="the number of getworks when on the backup mining server "
+            "before retrying the primary server [OPTIONAL]")
         parser.add_option("-q", "--queuesize", dest="queuesize", type="int",
             default=1, help="how many work units to keep queued at all times")
         parser.add_option("-a", "--avgsamples", dest="avgsamples", type="int",