diff --git a/faucet/gauge.py b/faucet/gauge.py
index cbce73bc42..1a10b170e5 100644
--- a/faucet/gauge.py
+++ b/faucet/gauge.py
@@ -137,12 +137,12 @@ def _start_watchers(self, ryu_dp, watchers, timestamp):
             for i, watcher in enumerate(watchers_by_name):
                 is_active = i == 0
                 watcher.report_dp_status(1)
+                watcher.start(ryu_dp, is_active)
                 if isinstance(watcher, GaugePortStatePoller):
                     for port in ryu_dp.ports.values():
                         msg = parser.OFPPortStatus(
                             ryu_dp, desc=port, reason=ofp.OFPPR_ADD)
                         watcher.update(timestamp, msg)
-                watcher.start(ryu_dp, is_active)
 
     @kill_on_exception(exc_logname)
     def _datapath_connect(self, ryu_event):
diff --git a/faucet/gauge_pollers.py b/faucet/gauge_pollers.py
index 509172c57a..0e70e95a12 100644
--- a/faucet/gauge_pollers.py
+++ b/faucet/gauge_pollers.py
@@ -76,7 +76,12 @@ def send_req(self):
 
     def no_response(self):
         """Called when a polling cycle passes without receiving a response."""
-        self.logger.info('no response to %s' % self.req)
+
+        dpid_str = ''
+        if self.req and 'datapath' in self.req:
+            dpid_str = 'DPID %s (%s)' % (self.req.datapath.id, hex(self.req.datapath.id))
+
+        self.logger.info('%s no response to %s', dpid_str, self.req)
 
     def update(self, rcv_time, msg):
         """Handle the responses to requests.
diff --git a/faucet/gauge_prom.py b/faucet/gauge_prom.py
index 8ac62c53fe..c0ce6194a2 100644
--- a/faucet/gauge_prom.py
+++ b/faucet/gauge_prom.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ def _format_stat_pairs(self, delim, stat):
             for prom_var in PROM_PORT_VARS)
         return self._format_stats(delim, stat_pairs)
 
-    def update(self, rcv_time, msg):
+    def _update(self, rcv_time, msg):
         for stat in msg.body:
             port_labels = self.dp.port_labels(stat.port_no)
             for stat_name, stat_val in self._format_stat_pairs(
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ def _format_stat_pairs(self, delim, stat):
         )
         return self._format_stats(delim, stat_pairs)
 
-    def update(self, rcv_time, msg):
+    def _update(self, rcv_time, msg):
         for stat in msg.body:
             meter_labels = self.dp.base_prom_labels()
             meter_labels.update({'meter_id': stat.meter_id})
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ def update(self, rcv_time, msg):
 class GaugePortStatePrometheusPoller(GaugePortStatePoller):
     """Export port state changes to Prometheus."""
 
-    def update(self, rcv_time, msg):
+    def _update(self, rcv_time, msg):
         port_no = msg.desc.port_no
         port = self.dp.ports.get(port_no, None)
         if port is None:
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ def update(self, rcv_time, msg):
 class GaugeFlowTablePrometheusPoller(GaugeFlowTablePoller):
     """Export flow table entries to Prometheus."""
 
-    def update(self, rcv_time, msg):
+    def _update(self, rcv_time, msg):
         jsondict = msg.to_jsondict()
         for stats_reply in jsondict['OFPFlowStatsReply']['body']:
             stats = stats_reply['OFPFlowStats']
diff --git a/tests/unit/gauge/test_gauge.py b/tests/unit/gauge/test_gauge.py
index de45346f0f..52a2fef61b 100755
--- a/tests/unit/gauge/test_gauge.py
+++ b/tests/unit/gauge/test_gauge.py
@@ -285,6 +285,7 @@ def test_poller(self):
                         )
 
         prom_poller = gauge_prom.GaugePortStatsPrometheusPoller(conf, '__name__', self.prom_client)
+        prom_poller._running = True
         msg = port_stats_msg(datapath)
         prom_poller.update(time.time(), msg)
 
@@ -316,6 +317,7 @@ def test_port_state(self):
                         )
 
         prom_poller = gauge_prom.GaugePortStatePrometheusPoller(conf, '__name__', self.prom_client)
+        prom_poller._running = True
         reasons = [ofproto.OFPPR_ADD, ofproto.OFPPR_DELETE, ofproto.OFPPR_MODIFY]
         for i in range(1, len(conf.dp.ports) + 1):