diff --git a/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd.go b/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd.go
index 1f54041c8c2..477c850b20a 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd.go
@@ -99,19 +99,15 @@ func makeContainerKey(machine string) string {
 	return "/registry/hosts/" + machine + "/kubelet"
 }
 
-// CreatePod creates a pod based on a specification, schedule it onto a specific machine.
-func (r *Registry) CreatePod(machine string, pod api.Pod) error {
+// CreatePod creates a pod based on a specification.
+func (r *Registry) CreatePod(pod api.Pod) error {
 	// Set current status to "Waiting".
 	pod.CurrentState.Status = api.PodWaiting
 	pod.CurrentState.Host = ""
 	// DesiredState.Host == "" is a signal to the scheduler that this pod needs scheduling.
 	pod.DesiredState.Status = api.PodRunning
 	pod.DesiredState.Host = ""
-	if err := r.CreateObj(makePodKey(pod.ID), &pod); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	// TODO: Until scheduler separation is completed, just assign here.
-	return r.assignPod(pod.ID, machine)
+	return r.CreateObj(makePodKey(pod.ID), &pod)
 }
 
 // ApplyBinding implements binding's registry
@@ -119,23 +115,29 @@ func (r *Registry) ApplyBinding(binding *api.Binding) error {
 	return r.assignPod(binding.PodID, binding.Host)
 }
 
-// assignPod assigns the given pod to the given machine.
-// TODO: hook this up via apiserver, not by calling it from CreatePod().
-func (r *Registry) assignPod(podID string, machine string) error {
+// setPodHostTo sets the given pod's host to 'machine' iff it was previously 'oldMachine'.
+// Returns the current state of the pod, or an error.
+func (r *Registry) setPodHostTo(podID, oldMachine, machine string) (finalPod *api.Pod, err error) {
 	podKey := makePodKey(podID)
-	var finalPod *api.Pod
-	err := r.AtomicUpdate(podKey, &api.Pod{}, func(obj interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
+	err = r.AtomicUpdate(podKey, &api.Pod{}, func(obj interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
 		pod, ok := obj.(*api.Pod)
 		if !ok {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected object: %#v", obj)
 		}
-		if pod.DesiredState.Host != "" {
+		if pod.DesiredState.Host != oldMachine {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("pod %v is already assigned to host %v", pod.ID, pod.DesiredState.Host)
 		}
 		pod.DesiredState.Host = machine
 		finalPod = pod
 		return pod, nil
 	})
+	return finalPod, err
+}
+
+// assignPod assigns the given pod to the given machine.
+// TODO: hook this up via apiserver, not by calling it from CreatePod().
+func (r *Registry) assignPod(podID string, machine string) error {
+	finalPod, err := r.setPodHostTo(podID, "", machine)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -151,11 +153,10 @@ func (r *Registry) assignPod(podID string, machine string) error {
 		return manifests, nil
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		// Don't strand stuff. This is a terrible hack that won't be needed
-		// when the above TODO is fixed.
-		err2 := r.Delete(podKey, false)
-		if err2 != nil {
-			glog.Errorf("Probably stranding a pod, couldn't delete %v: %#v", podKey, err2)
+		// Put the pod's host back the way it was. This is a terrible hack that
+		// won't be needed if we convert this to a rectification loop.
+		if _, err2 := r.setPodHostTo(podID, machine, ""); err2 != nil {
+			glog.Errorf("Stranding pod %v; couldn't clear host after previous error: %v", podID, err2)
 		}
 	}
 	return err
diff --git a/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd_test.go b/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd_test.go
index 0e10c226315..1bf44bd501e 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/etcd/etcd_test.go
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePod(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	fakeClient.Set("/registry/hosts/machine/kubelet", api.EncodeOrDie(&api.ContainerManifestList{}), 0)
 	registry := NewTestEtcdRegistry(fakeClient, []string{"machine"})
-	err := registry.CreatePod("machine", api.Pod{
+	err := registry.CreatePod(api.Pod{
 		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{
 			ID: "foo",
 		},
@@ -93,7 +93,13 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePod(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Suddenly, a wild scheduler appears:
+	err = registry.ApplyBinding(&api.Binding{PodID: "foo", Host: "machine"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	resp, err := fakeClient.Get("/registry/pods/foo", false, false)
@@ -132,7 +138,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePodAlreadyExisting(t *testing.T) {
 		E: nil,
 	}
 	registry := NewTestEtcdRegistry(fakeClient, []string{"machine"})
-	err := registry.CreatePod("machine", api.Pod{
+	err := registry.CreatePod(api.Pod{
 		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{
 			ID: "foo",
 		},
@@ -158,20 +164,27 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePodWithContainersError(t *testing.T) {
 		E: tools.EtcdErrorValueRequired,
 	}
 	registry := NewTestEtcdRegistry(fakeClient, []string{"machine"})
-	err := registry.CreatePod("machine", api.Pod{
+	err := registry.CreatePod(api.Pod{
 		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{
 			ID: "foo",
 		},
 	})
-	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Unexpected non-error")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
-	_, err = fakeClient.Get("/registry/pods/foo", false, false)
+
+	// Suddenly, a wild scheduler appears:
+	err = registry.ApplyBinding(&api.Binding{PodID: "foo", Host: "machine"})
 	if err == nil {
-		t.Error("Unexpected non-error")
+		t.Fatalf("Unexpected non error.")
 	}
-	if !tools.IsEtcdNotFound(err) {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected error: %#v", err)
+
+	existingPod, err := registry.GetPod("foo")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if existingPod.DesiredState.Host == "machine" {
+		t.Fatal("Pod's host changed in response to an unappliable binding.")
 	}
 }
 
@@ -191,7 +204,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePodWithContainersNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 		E: tools.EtcdErrorNotFound,
 	}
 	registry := NewTestEtcdRegistry(fakeClient, []string{"machine"})
-	err := registry.CreatePod("machine", api.Pod{
+	err := registry.CreatePod(api.Pod{
 		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{
 			ID: "foo",
 		},
@@ -210,6 +223,12 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePodWithContainersNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	// Suddenly, a wild scheduler appears:
+	err = registry.ApplyBinding(&api.Binding{PodID: "foo", Host: "machine"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+
 	resp, err := fakeClient.Get("/registry/pods/foo", false, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
@@ -250,7 +269,7 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePodWithExistingContainers(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}), 0)
 	registry := NewTestEtcdRegistry(fakeClient, []string{"machine"})
-	err := registry.CreatePod("machine", api.Pod{
+	err := registry.CreatePod(api.Pod{
 		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{
 			ID: "foo",
 		},
@@ -266,7 +285,13 @@ func TestEtcdCreatePodWithExistingContainers(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Suddenly, a wild scheduler appears:
+	err = registry.ApplyBinding(&api.Binding{PodID: "foo", Host: "machine"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	resp, err := fakeClient.Get("/registry/pods/foo", false, false)
diff --git a/pkg/registry/pod/registry.go b/pkg/registry/pod/registry.go
index 0a2f0822be7..d65f82a080b 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/pod/registry.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/pod/registry.go
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ type Registry interface {
 	WatchPods(resourceVersion uint64) (watch.Interface, error)
 	// Get a specific pod
 	GetPod(podID string) (*api.Pod, error)
-	// Create a pod based on a specification, schedule it onto a specific machine.
-	CreatePod(machine string, pod api.Pod) error
+	// Create a pod based on a specification.
+	CreatePod(pod api.Pod) error
 	// Update an existing pod
 	UpdatePod(pod api.Pod) error
 	// Delete an existing pod
diff --git a/pkg/registry/pod/storage.go b/pkg/registry/pod/storage.go
index 0168ae42e32..47ac6fd0361 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/pod/storage.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/pod/storage.go
@@ -243,12 +243,7 @@ func getPodStatus(pod *api.Pod) api.PodStatus {
 func (rs *RegistryStorage) scheduleAndCreatePod(pod api.Pod) error {
 	rs.mu.Lock()
 	defer rs.mu.Unlock()
-	// TODO(lavalamp): Separate scheduler more cleanly.
-	machine, err := rs.scheduler.Schedule(pod, rs.minionLister)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return rs.registry.CreatePod(machine, pod)
+	return rs.registry.CreatePod(pod)
 }
 
 func (rs *RegistryStorage) waitForPodRunning(pod api.Pod) (interface{}, error) {
diff --git a/pkg/registry/pod/storage_test.go b/pkg/registry/pod/storage_test.go
index 8c4e81f72de..7134cec716f 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/pod/storage_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/pod/storage_test.go
@@ -74,26 +74,6 @@ func TestCreatePodRegistryError(t *testing.T) {
 	expectApiStatusError(t, ch, podRegistry.Err.Error())
 }
 
-func TestCreatePodSchedulerError(t *testing.T) {
-	mockScheduler := registrytest.Scheduler{
-		Err: fmt.Errorf("test error"),
-	}
-	storage := RegistryStorage{
-		scheduler: &mockScheduler,
-	}
-	desiredState := api.PodState{
-		Manifest: api.ContainerManifest{
-			Version: "v1beta1",
-		},
-	}
-	pod := &api.Pod{DesiredState: desiredState}
-	ch, err := storage.Create(pod)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("Expected %#v, Got %#v", nil, err)
-	}
-	expectApiStatusError(t, ch, mockScheduler.Err.Error())
-}
-
 func TestCreatePodSetsIds(t *testing.T) {
 	podRegistry := registrytest.NewPodRegistry(nil)
 	podRegistry.Err = fmt.Errorf("test error")
diff --git a/pkg/registry/registrytest/pod.go b/pkg/registry/registrytest/pod.go
index f702e8743a8..6efaaf7fa87 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/registrytest/pod.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/registrytest/pod.go
@@ -25,10 +25,9 @@ import (
 )
 
 type PodRegistry struct {
-	Err     error
-	Machine string
-	Pod     *api.Pod
-	Pods    []api.Pod
+	Err  error
+	Pod  *api.Pod
+	Pods []api.Pod
 	sync.Mutex
 
 	mux *watch.Mux
@@ -66,10 +65,9 @@ func (r *PodRegistry) GetPod(podId string) (*api.Pod, error) {
 	return r.Pod, r.Err
 }
 
-func (r *PodRegistry) CreatePod(machine string, pod api.Pod) error {
+func (r *PodRegistry) CreatePod(pod api.Pod) error {
 	r.Lock()
 	defer r.Unlock()
-	r.Machine = machine
 	r.Pod = &pod
 	r.mux.Action(watch.Added, &pod)
 	return r.Err