diff --git a/core/graphman/src/commands/deployment/reassign.rs b/core/graphman/src/commands/deployment/reassign.rs
index 5d3d633e082..3950c8d192f 100644
--- a/core/graphman/src/commands/deployment/reassign.rs
+++ b/core/graphman/src/commands/deployment/reassign.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,18 @@ impl Deployment {
     pub fn locator(&self) -> &DeploymentLocator {
         &self.locator
     }
+
+    pub fn assigned_node(
+        &self,
+        primary_pool: ConnectionPool,
+    ) -> Result<Option<NodeId>, GraphmanError> {
+        let primary_conn = primary_pool.get().map_err(GraphmanError::from)?;
+        let mut catalog_conn = catalog::Connection::new(primary_conn);
+        let node = catalog_conn
+            .assigned_node(&self.site)
+            .map_err(GraphmanError::from)?;
+        Ok(node)
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
@@ -70,16 +82,13 @@ pub fn reassign_deployment(
     notification_sender: Arc<NotificationSender>,
     deployment: &Deployment,
     node: &NodeId,
+    curr_node: Option<NodeId>,
 ) -> Result<ReassignResult, ReassignDeploymentError> {
     let primary_conn = primary_pool.get().map_err(GraphmanError::from)?;
     let mut catalog_conn = catalog::Connection::new(primary_conn);
-
-    let changes: Vec<AssignmentChange> = match catalog_conn
-        .assigned_node(&deployment.site)
-        .map_err(GraphmanError::from)?
-    {
+    let changes: Vec<AssignmentChange> = match &curr_node {
         Some(curr) => {
-            if &curr == node {
+            if &curr == &node {
                 vec![]
             } else {
                 catalog_conn
diff --git a/node/src/manager/commands/deployment/reassign.rs b/node/src/manager/commands/deployment/reassign.rs
index 60528f16206..bd87ee22f31 100644
--- a/node/src/manager/commands/deployment/reassign.rs
+++ b/node/src/manager/commands/deployment/reassign.rs
@@ -16,11 +16,24 @@ pub fn run(
     node: &NodeId,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     let deployment = load_deployment(primary_pool.clone(), &deployment)?;
+    let curr_node = deployment.assigned_node(primary_pool.clone())?;
+    let reassign_msg = match &curr_node {
+        Some(curr_node) => format!(
+            "Reassigning deployment {} (was {})",
+            deployment.locator(),
+            curr_node
+        ),
+        None => format!("Reassigning deployment {}", deployment.locator()),
+    };
+    println!("{}", reassign_msg);
 
-    println!("Reassigning deployment {}", deployment.locator());
-
-    let reassign_result =
-        reassign_deployment(primary_pool, notification_sender, &deployment, node)?;
+    let reassign_result = reassign_deployment(
+        primary_pool,
+        notification_sender,
+        &deployment,
+        node,
+        curr_node,
+    )?;
 
     match reassign_result {
         ReassignResult::EmptyResponse => {
diff --git a/server/graphman/src/resolvers/deployment_mutation/reassign.rs b/server/graphman/src/resolvers/deployment_mutation/reassign.rs
index 3887d67032a..026ef94ed9f 100644
--- a/server/graphman/src/resolvers/deployment_mutation/reassign.rs
+++ b/server/graphman/src/resolvers/deployment_mutation/reassign.rs
@@ -14,11 +14,14 @@ pub fn run(
     node: &NodeId,
 ) -> Result<ReassignResult, anyhow::Error> {
     let deployment = load_deployment(ctx.primary_pool.clone(), deployment)?;
+    let curr_node = deployment.assigned_node(ctx.primary_pool.clone())?;
+
     let reassign_result = reassign_deployment(
         ctx.primary_pool.clone(),
         ctx.notification_sender.clone(),
         &deployment,
         &node,
+        curr_node,
     )?;
     Ok(reassign_result)
 }