diff --git a/synda/sdt/sdenqueue.py b/synda/sdt/sdenqueue.py
index 053d994c..cd62c37c 100755
--- a/synda/sdt/sdenqueue.py
+++ b/synda/sdt/sdenqueue.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 import sddatasetdao
 import sdutils
 import sdtimestamp
-from sdtypes import Dataset,File
+from sdtypes import Dataset,File,Selection
 import sdsqlutils
 import sdpostpipelineutils
 import sdtime
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ def add_file(f):
     )
 
     f.dataset_id = add_dataset(f)
+    f.searchapi_host = Selection.searchapi_host
     f.status = TRANSFER["status"]['waiting']
     f.crea_date = sdtime.now()
 
diff --git a/synda/sdt/sdfiledao.py b/synda/sdt/sdfiledao.py
index b3014c28..04b6046b 100755
--- a/synda/sdt/sdfiledao.py
+++ b/synda/sdt/sdfiledao.py
@@ -32,8 +32,10 @@ def update_transfer_last_access_date(i__date,i__transfer_id,conn=sddb.conn):
     c.close()
 
 def add_file(file,commit=True,conn=sddb.conn):
-    keys_to_insert=['status', 'crea_date', 'url', 'local_path', 'filename', 'file_functional_id', 'tracking_id', 'priority', 'checksum', 'checksum_type', 'size', 'variable', 'project', 'model', 'data_node', 'dataset_id', 'insertion_group_id', 'timestamp']
-    # for future:, 'searchapi_host']
+    keys_to_insert = [
+        'status', 'crea_date', 'url', 'local_path', 'filename', 'file_functional_id', 'tracking_id',
+        'priority', 'checksum', 'checksum_type', 'size', 'variable', 'project', 'model',
+        'data_node', 'dataset_id', 'insertion_group_id', 'timestamp', 'searchapi_host']
 
     if not Internal().is_processes_get_files_caching:
         return sdsqlutils.insert(file,keys_to_insert,commit,conn)
@@ -324,7 +326,7 @@ def update_file(_file, commit=True, conn=sddb.conn):
 
     if next_url_on_error:
         keys.append('url')
-        # for future: keys.append('searchapi_host')
+        keys.append('searchapi_host')
 
     rowcount = sdsqlutils.update(
         _file,
diff --git a/synda/sdt/sdnexturl.py b/synda/sdt/sdnexturl.py
index f0233640..e060ab3c 100755
--- a/synda/sdt/sdnexturl.py
+++ b/synda/sdt/sdnexturl.py
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ def run(tr):
 
 def next_url(tr,conn):
     all_urlps=get_urls(tr.file_functional_id) # [[url1,protocol1],[url2,protocol2],...]
+    all_urlps=get_urls(tr.file_functional_id,tr.searchapi_host,tr.url)
+    # ... looks like [[url1,protocol1],[url2,protocol2],...]
     sdlog.info("SDNEXTUR-006","all_urpls= %s"%(all_urlps,))
     c = conn.cursor()
     fus = c.execute("SELECT url FROM failed_url WHERE file_id="+
@@ -94,14 +96,14 @@ def next_url(tr,conn):
         raise sdexception.NextUrlNotFoundException()
 
 
-def get_urls(file_functional_id):
+def get_urls(file_functional_id, searchapi_host, old_url):
     """returns a prioritized list of [url,protocol] where each url can supply the specified file"""
 
     try:
         result=sdquicksearch.run(
             parameter=['limit=4','fields=%s'%url_fields,'type=File','instance_id=%s'%
                        file_functional_id],
-            post_pipeline_mode=None )
+            post_pipeline_mode=None, index_host=searchapi_host )
     except Exception as e:
         sdlog.debug("SDNEXTUR-015", "exception %s.  instance_id=%s"%(e,file_functional_id))
         raise e
@@ -114,7 +116,7 @@ def get_urls(file_functional_id):
         result=sdquicksearch.run(
             parameter=['limit=4','fields=%s'%url_fields,'type=File','instance_id=%s'%
                        file_functional_id+'*'],
-            post_pipeline_mode=None )
+            post_pipeline_mode=None, index_host=searchapi_host )
         li=result.get_files()
         sdlog.info("SDNEXTUR-017","sdquicksearch 2nd call %s sets of file urls: %s"%(len(li),li))
     # result looks like
@@ -133,28 +135,37 @@ def get_urls(file_functional_id):
         # The search for //None bypasses an issue with the SOLR lookup where there is no
         # url_gridftp possibility.
 
-    return prioritize_urlps( urlps )
+    return prioritize_urlps( urlps, old_url )
 
 
 url_fields = ','.join(URL_FIELDS)  # used for the sdquicksearch call above
 
 
-def prioritize_urlps( urlps ):
+def prioritize_urlps( urlps, old_url ):
     """Orders a list urlps so that the highest-priority urls come first.  urlps is a list of
-    lists of the form [url,protocol].  First, GridFTP urls are preferred over everything else.
-    Then, prefer some data nodes over others."""
+    lists of the form [url,protocol].
+    Some data nodes are preferred over others.  Then, GridFTP is preferred over http."""
+    # Formerly, I prioritized the other way; but experience shows that many data nodes which
+    # officially support GridFTP, don't usually have it working.
+    # Note also that within this function a "high priority" url has a low priority number.
+    # That's just for programming convenience.
+
     def priprotocol(protocol):
         if protocol.find('gridftp')>0:  return 0
         if protocol.find('http')>0:     return 1
         return 2
     def priurl(url):
         if url.find('llnl')>0:  return 0
-        if url.find('ceda')>0:  return 1
-        if url.find('dkrz')>0:  return 2
-        if url.find('ipsl')>0:  return 3
-        if url.find('nci')>0:   return 4
-        return 5
-    return sorted( urlps, key=(lambda urlp: (priprotocol(urlp[1]), priurl(urlp[0]))) )
+        if url.find('gridftp.ipsl')>0:  return 1
+        if url.find('vesg.ipsl')>0:  return 2
+        if url.find('ceda')>0:  return 3
+        if url.find('dkrz')>0:  return 4
+        if url.find('nci')>0:   return 5
+        if old_url.find('lasg')<0 and url.find('lasg')>0:
+            return 99  # Never fall back to this very slow data node; but changing protocol is ok.
+        return 6
+    urlps_cleaned = [ urlp for urlp in urlps if priurl(urlp[0])<99 ]
+    return sorted( urlps_cleaned, key=(lambda urlp: ( priurl(urlp[0]), priprotocol(urlp[1]))) )
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/synda/sdt/sdparse.py b/synda/sdt/sdparse.py
index aa84b0c0..0bcdefc9 100755
--- a/synda/sdt/sdparse.py
+++ b/synda/sdt/sdparse.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import sdprint
 import sdi18n
 import sdearlystreamutils
+import sdlog
 
 from synda.source.config.file.selection.models import Config as SelectionConfig
 from synda.source.config.file.selection.constants import PENDING_PARAMETER
@@ -130,6 +131,16 @@ def build(buffer, load_default=None):
     # set default_selection as parent of project_default_selection
     project_default_selection.parent = default_selection
 
+    if selection.filename is not None:
+        #sdlog.info('SDPARSE-0001','selection.filename=%s'%selection.filename)
+        #sdlog.info('SDPARSE-0002','searchapi_host facet=%s'%selection.facets.get('searchapi_host'))
+        if selection.facets.get('searchapi_host') is not None and\
+                len(selection.facets['searchapi_host'])>0 and\
+                selection.facets['searchapi_host'][0] is not None:
+            #sdlog.info('SDPARSE-0003','selection %s has searchapi_host=%s'%
+            #           (selection.filename,selection.facets['searchapi_host']))
+            Selection.searchapi_host = selection.facets['searchapi_host'][0]
+
     return selection
 
 
diff --git a/synda/sdt/sdpipeline.py b/synda/sdt/sdpipeline.py
index 58018cea..c60ed807 100755
--- a/synda/sdt/sdpipeline.py
+++ b/synda/sdt/sdpipeline.py
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ def build_queries(stream=None,selection=None,path=None,parameter=None,index_host
         if selection is None:
             buffer=sdbuffer.get_selection_file_buffer(path=path,parameter=parameter)
             selection=sdparse.build(buffer,load_default=load_default)
+        if index_host is not None:
+            selection.facets['searchapi_host'] = index_host
 
         stream=selection.merge_facets()
 
diff --git a/synda/sdt/sdtypes.py b/synda/sdt/sdtypes.py
index 87542143..c3486680 100755
--- a/synda/sdt/sdtypes.py
+++ b/synda/sdt/sdtypes.py
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ def __str__(self):
 
 
 class Selection():
+    searchapi_host = None    # a recently user-specified searchapi_host
     def __init__(self, **kw):
         # sub-selections list (a selection can contain facets groups, but can also contain other selections)
         self.childs = []