diff --git a/src/server/distrend.c b/src/server/distrend.c
--- a/src/server/distrend.c
+++ b/src/server/distrend.c
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ struct general_info {
   unsigned int highest_jobnum;
   short int hibernate;
   unsigned int timestamp;
+  unsigned long int total_render_power;
 } general_info;
 
 
@@ -418,6 +419,95 @@ int find_jobframe(struct distrenjob *hea
   return 0;
 }
 
+int find_jobframe_from_job(struct distrenjob *head, struct distrenjob *distrenjob_ptr, struct distrenjob **job, struct frameset **frame)
+{
+  unsigned int frame_counter;
+  unsigned short int found;
+
+  found = 0;
+  for(frame_counter = (distrenjob_ptr->prev_frame_index + 1); frame_counter < distrenjob_ptr->total_frames; frame_counter ++)
+  {
+    if(distrenjob_ptr->frameset[frame_counter].status == FRAMESETSTATUS_UNASSIGNED) // jobframe found
+      {
+    	found = 1;
+		distrenjob_ptr->frameset[frame_counter].status = FRAMESETSTATUS_ASSIGNED;
+		distrenjob_ptr->frameset[frame_counter].start_time = clock();
+		distrenjob_ptr->assigned_frames++;
+		distrenjob_ptr->prev_frame_index = frame_counter;
+		updateJobStatsXML(distrenjob_ptr);
+      }
+
+    if(found)
+      break;
+  }
+
+
+  if(!found)
+    {
+      fprintf(stderr, "No more frames in this job number %d", distrenjob_ptr->jobnum);
+      sleep(1); /*< @todo eliminate the need for this line*/
+      return 1;
+    }
+
+  *job = distrenjob_ptr;
+  *frame = &distrenjob_ptr->frameset[frame_counter];
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+// find a frame to render when the job that the last frame was for no longer exists
+int find_jobframe_new(struct distrenjob *head, int rend_pwr, struct distrenjob **job, struct frameset **frame)
+{
+  if(general_info.hibernate)
+    return 1;
+
+  unsigned short int found;
+  struct distrenjob *job_to_render;
+
+  struct distrenjob *distrenjob_ptr;
+
+  found = 0;
+  /* iterate through jobs from first to last */
+  for(distrenjob_ptr = head->next; distrenjob_ptr && !distrenjob_ptr->hibernate; distrenjob_ptr = distrenjob_ptr->next)
+  {
+
+	  job_to_render = distrenjob_ptr;
+  }
+
+  find_jobframe_from_job(head, job_to_render, job, frame);
+
+  if(!found)
+    {
+      fprintf(stderr, "No more jobs to render\n");
+      sleep(1); /*< @todo eliminate the need for this line*/
+      return 1;
+    }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+// gets a frame to render from the same job that the previously rendered frame was from
+int find_jobframe_again(struct distrenjob *head, int jobnum, int rend_pwr, struct distrenjob **job, struct frameset **frame)
+{
+  if(general_info.hibernate)
+    return 1;
+
+  struct distrenjob *distrenjob_ptr;
+
+  distrenjob_ptr = distrenjob_get(head, jobnum);
+
+  if(!distrenjob_ptr)
+    {
+      fprintf(stderr, "Job number %d has been finished, finding new job\n", jobnum);
+      sleep(1); /*< @todo eliminate the need for this line*/
+      return 1;
+    }
+
+  find_jobframe_new(head, rend_pwr, job, frame);
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
 /** Checks for dead, latent, or stale slaves */
 void frame_watchdog(struct distrenjob *distrenjob_head)
 {