diff --git a/control/controlclient/map.go b/control/controlclient/map.go
index e3a6dce7c..787912222 100644
--- a/control/controlclient/map.go
+++ b/control/controlclient/map.go
@@ -92,8 +92,6 @@ type mapSession struct {
 	lastTKAInfo            *tailcfg.TKAInfo
 	lastNetmapSummary      string // from NetworkMap.VeryConcise
 	lastMaxExpiry          time.Duration
-
-	clusterPeers tailcfg.ClusterInfo
 }
 
 // newMapSession returns a mostly unconfigured new mapSession.
@@ -350,8 +348,6 @@ func (ms *mapSession) updateStateFromResponse(resp *tailcfg.MapResponse) {
 	if resp.MaxKeyDuration > 0 {
 		ms.lastMaxExpiry = resp.MaxKeyDuration
 	}
-	//TODO delta stuff
-	ms.clusterPeers = resp.ClusterPeers
 }
 
 var (
@@ -808,7 +804,6 @@ func (ms *mapSession) netmap() *netmap.NetworkMap {
 		ControlHealth:     ms.lastHealth,
 		TKAEnabled:        ms.lastTKAInfo != nil && !ms.lastTKAInfo.Disabled,
 		MaxKeyDuration:    ms.lastMaxExpiry,
-		ClusterPeers:      ms.clusterPeers,
 	}
 
 	if ms.lastTKAInfo != nil && ms.lastTKAInfo.Head != "" {
diff --git a/ipn/ipnlocal/local.go b/ipn/ipnlocal/local.go
index e886189de..f01de6690 100644
--- a/ipn/ipnlocal/local.go
+++ b/ipn/ipnlocal/local.go
@@ -371,8 +371,6 @@ type LocalBackend struct {
 	// backend is healthy and captive portal detection is not required
 	// (sending false).
 	needsCaptiveDetection chan bool
-
-	natcOnce sync.Once
 }
 
 // HealthTracker returns the health tracker for the backend.
@@ -3969,27 +3967,76 @@ func (b *LocalBackend) NatcHandlerForFlow() (func(src, dst netip.AddrPort) (hand
 }
 
 func (b *LocalBackend) natc(nm *netmap.NetworkMap, prefs ipn.PrefsView) {
-	// when we get reconfigured how do we cope with that? like if all nodes get removed and then
-	// fresh nodes added, does that work? or do we have to remove and re-add one by one?
-	// Is there a time when we would need to cancel the goroutine we start here (presumably there is)?
-	if !prefs.NatConnector().Advertise {
+	if nm == nil || !nm.SelfNode.Valid() || b.natConnector == nil {
+		// not got enough info to do anything yet
+		return
+	}
+	if b.natConnector.ConsensusClient != nil {
+		// we're already in the cluster
+		return
+	}
+
+	// TODO these are also in corp
+	type NatConnectorAttr struct {
+		Name       string   `json:"name,omitempty"`
+		Connectors []string `json:"connectors,omitempty"`
+		Domains    []string `json:"domains,omitempty"`
+	}
+	const natConnectorCapName = "tailscale.com/nat-connectors"
+
+	sn := nm.SelfNode.AsStruct()
+	attrs, err := tailcfg.UnmarshalNodeCapJSON[NatConnectorAttr](sn.CapMap, natConnectorCapName)
+	if err != nil {
+		b.logf("[unexpected] error parsing app connector mapcap: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+	if len(attrs) == 0 || len(attrs[0].Connectors) == 0 {
+		// there's no control config (or invalid config, is that possible? TODO)
+		return
+	}
+	if len(attrs) > 1 || len(attrs[0].Connectors) > 1 {
+		// TODO what do we do with multiples?
+		fmt.Println("NAT CONNECTOR NOT PROPERLY HANDLING MULTIPLE STANZAS OR TAGS IN POLICY")
+		fmt.Println("len(attrs)", len(attrs), "attrs[0].Connectors", attrs[0].Connectors)
+	}
+	tagName := attrs[0].Connectors[0]
+	domains := attrs[0].Domains
+	slices.Sort(domains)
+	domains = slices.Compact(domains)
+	// TODO tell nat connector about domains so that it can handle its side properly
+
+	if !views.SliceContains(nm.SelfNode.Tags(), tagName) {
+		// we're not trying to join the cluster
 		if b.natConnector != nil {
 			b.natConnector.Stop()
 			b.natConnector = nil
 		}
 		return
 	}
-	if nm == nil || !nm.ClusterPeers.Addr.IsValid() {
-		return // TODO log?
-	}
 
-	id := string(nm.SelfNode.StableID())
-	// TODO handle access before StartConsensusMember
-	// start a goroutine for this node to be a member of the consensus protocol for
-	// determining which ip addresses are available for natc.
-	if b.natConnector.ConsensusClient == nil {
-		b.natConnector.StartConsensusMember(id, nm.ClusterPeers, b.varRoot)
+	// TODO this is surely not right
+	ipAddrForNodeView := func(nv tailcfg.NodeView) netip.Addr {
+		return nv.Addresses().AsSlice()[0].Addr()
 	}
+	// we are trying to be in the natc cluster
+	id := string(nm.SelfNode.StableID())
+	// let's look for a peer to join
+	for key, peer := range b.peers {
+		if views.SliceContains(peer.Tags(), tagName) {
+			log.Printf("nat-connector: trying to join cluster peer tag=%s, %s, %v", tagName, key, peer)
+			b.natConnector.JoinConsensus(id, ipAddrForNodeView(nm.SelfNode), ipAddrForNodeView(peer), b.varRoot)
+			// TODO how do we know if we joined ok?
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	// no joinable peer found? I will be the leader
+	log.Printf("nat-connector: leading cluster tag=%s", tagName)
+	b.natConnector.LeadConsensus(id, ipAddrForNodeView(nm.SelfNode), b.varRoot)
+
+	// TODO do i need a whois step? what was that for?
+	// when we get reconfigured how do we cope with that? like if all nodes get removed and then
+	// fresh nodes added, does that work? or do we have to remove and re-add one by one?
+	// Is there a time when we would need to cancel the goroutine we start here (presumably there is)?
 }
 
 // reconfigAppConnectorLocked updates the app connector state based on the
diff --git a/ipn/prefs.go b/ipn/prefs.go
index fa983ce59..6733327cc 100644
--- a/ipn/prefs.go
+++ b/ipn/prefs.go
@@ -329,6 +329,7 @@ type MaskedPrefs struct {
 	ProfileNameSet            bool                `json:",omitempty"`
 	AutoUpdateSet             AutoUpdatePrefsMask `json:",omitempty"`
 	AppConnectorSet           bool                `json:",omitempty"`
+	NatConnectorSet           bool                `json:",omitempty"`
 	PostureCheckingSet        bool                `json:",omitempty"`
 	NetfilterKindSet          bool                `json:",omitempty"`
 	DriveSharesSet            bool                `json:",omitempty"`
diff --git a/natcippool/consensus.go b/natcippool/consensus.go
index e839fb823..770dd1afe 100644
--- a/natcippool/consensus.go
+++ b/natcippool/consensus.go
@@ -9,6 +9,20 @@
 	"tailscale.com/tailcfg"
 )
 
+var specialPort uint16 = 61820
+
+func makeAddrForConsensus(a netip.Addr) string {
+	return netip.AddrPortFrom(a, specialPort).String()
+}
+
+func JoinConsensus(nodeID string, addr, joinAddr netip.Addr, varRoot string) {
+	StartConsensusMember(nodeID, makeAddrForConsensus(addr), makeAddrForConsensus(joinAddr), varRoot)
+}
+
+func LeadConsensus(nodeID string, addr netip.Addr, varRoot string) {
+	StartConsensusMember(nodeID, makeAddrForConsensus(addr), "", varRoot)
+}
+
 // StartConsensusMember has this node join the consensus protocol for handing out ip addresses
 func StartConsensusMember(nodeID, addr, joinAddr, varRoot string) {
 	var conf uhaha.Config
@@ -28,7 +42,7 @@ func StartConsensusMember(nodeID, addr, joinAddr, varRoot string) {
 
 	conf.NodeID = nodeID
 	conf.Addr = addr
-	if joinAddr != "" && joinAddr != addr {
+	if joinAddr != "" {
 		conf.JoinAddr = joinAddr
 	}
 	conf.Flag.Custom = true
diff --git a/natcippool/consensusclient.go b/natcippool/consensusclient.go
index dd00a09c0..4bd315f7f 100644
--- a/natcippool/consensusclient.go
+++ b/natcippool/consensusclient.go
@@ -19,18 +19,12 @@ type ConsensusClient struct {
 	rdb        *redis.Client
 }
 
-func NewConsensusClient(addr, joinAddr string, logf logger.Logf) *ConsensusClient {
+func NewConsensusClient(addr, joinAddr netip.Addr, logf logger.Logf) *ConsensusClient {
 	cc := ConsensusClient{
-		MyAddr: addr,
+		MyAddr: makeAddrForConsensus(addr),
 		logf:   logf,
 	}
-	if joinAddr == "" {
-		// initially i am the leader
-		cc.newRedisClient(addr)
-	} else {
-		// initially i am a follower
-		cc.newRedisClient(joinAddr)
-	}
+	cc.newRedisClient(makeAddrForConsensus(joinAddr))
 	return &cc
 }
 
diff --git a/natconnector/natconnector.go b/natconnector/natconnector.go
index 2cb21aad8..3189d23f2 100644
--- a/natconnector/natconnector.go
+++ b/natconnector/natconnector.go
@@ -190,17 +190,20 @@ func (n *NatConnector) Start() {
 
 }
 
-func (n *NatConnector) StartConsensusMember(id string, clusterPeers tailcfg.ClusterInfo, varRoot string) {
-	var leaderAddress string
-	if clusterPeers.Leader.IsValid() {
-		leaderAddress = clusterPeers.Leader.String()
-	}
-	// TODO something to do with channels to stop this?
+func (n *NatConnector) JoinConsensus(id string, myAddr, joinAddr netip.Addr, varRoot string) {
 	go func() {
 		n.logf("Starting ippool consensus membership for natc")
-		ippool.StartConsensusMember(id, clusterPeers.Addr.String(), leaderAddress, varRoot)
+		ippool.JoinConsensus(id, myAddr, joinAddr, varRoot)
 	}()
-	n.ConsensusClient = ippool.NewConsensusClient(clusterPeers.Addr.String(), leaderAddress, n.logf)
+	n.ConsensusClient = ippool.NewConsensusClient(myAddr, joinAddr, n.logf)
+}
+
+func (n *NatConnector) LeadConsensus(id string, myAddr netip.Addr, varRoot string) {
+	go func() {
+		n.logf("Starting ippool consensus membership for natc")
+		ippool.LeadConsensus(id, myAddr, varRoot)
+	}()
+	n.ConsensusClient = ippool.NewConsensusClient(myAddr, myAddr, n.logf)
 }
 
 func NewNatConnector(l logger.Logf, whoIs func(string, netip.AddrPort) (tailcfg.NodeView, tailcfg.UserProfile, bool)) NatConnector {
diff --git a/tailcfg/tailcfg.go b/tailcfg/tailcfg.go
index cf7f97b00..863a3498d 100644
--- a/tailcfg/tailcfg.go
+++ b/tailcfg/tailcfg.go
@@ -1957,9 +1957,6 @@ type MapResponse struct {
 	// MaxKeyDuration describes the MaxKeyDuration setting for the tailnet.
 	// If zero, the value is unchanged.
 	MaxKeyDuration time.Duration `json:",omitempty"`
-
-	// TODO all the delta stuff
-	ClusterPeers ClusterInfo `json:",omitempty"`
 }
 
 // ClientVersion is information about the latest client version that's available
diff --git a/types/netmap/netmap.go b/types/netmap/netmap.go
index c9c71f27f..5e0622922 100644
--- a/types/netmap/netmap.go
+++ b/types/netmap/netmap.go
@@ -80,8 +80,6 @@ type NetworkMap struct {
 
 	// MaxKeyDuration describes the MaxKeyDuration setting for the tailnet.
 	MaxKeyDuration time.Duration
-
-	ClusterPeers tailcfg.ClusterInfo
 }
 
 // User returns nm.SelfNode.User if nm.SelfNode is non-nil, otherwise it returns