diff --git a/synced-pool.go b/synced-pool.go
index 8277fcb..66e2e78 100644
--- a/synced-pool.go
+++ b/synced-pool.go
@@ -180,6 +180,10 @@ var (
 		Name: "cart_connected_remotes",
 		Help: "The number of connected remotes",
 	})
+	remoteLookupCount = promauto.NewCounter(prometheus.CounterOpts{
+		Name: "cart_remote_lookup_total",
+		Help: "The total number of remote lookups",
+	})
 )
 
 const (
@@ -455,13 +459,15 @@ func (p *SyncedPool) Process(id CartId, messages ...Message) ([]byte, error) {
 		// check if remote grain exists
 		remoteGrain, ok := p.remoteIndex[id]
 		if ok {
+			remoteLookupCount.Inc()
 			return remoteGrain.Process(id, messages...)
 		}
+		err := p.OwnerChanged(id, p.Hostname)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
-	err := p.OwnerChanged(id, p.Hostname)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+
 	return p.local.Process(id, messages...)
 }
 
@@ -472,8 +478,14 @@ func (p *SyncedPool) Get(id CartId) ([]byte, error) {
 		// check if remote grain exists
 		remoteGrain, ok := p.remoteIndex[id]
 		if ok {
+			remoteLookupCount.Inc()
 			return remoteGrain.Get(id)
 		}
+		err := p.OwnerChanged(id, p.Hostname)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
+
 	return p.local.Get(id)
 }