diff --git a/src/main/java/com/spotify/reaper/cassandra/JmxProxy.java b/src/main/java/com/spotify/reaper/cassandra/JmxProxy.java
index 2bac76af4..83232cbbc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/spotify/reaper/cassandra/JmxProxy.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/spotify/reaper/cassandra/JmxProxy.java
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ public class JmxProxy implements NotificationListener, AutoCloseable {
   private static final String SS_OBJECT_NAME = "org.apache.cassandra.db:type=StorageService";
   private static final String AES_OBJECT_NAME =
       "org.apache.cassandra.internal:type=AntiEntropySessions";
+  private static final String COMP_OBJECT_NAME =
+	      "org.apache.cassandra.metrics:type=Compaction";
 
   private final JMXConnector jmxConnector;
   private final ObjectName ssMbeanName;
@@ -255,7 +257,23 @@ public Set<String> getTableNamesForKeyspace(String keyspace) throws ReaperExcept
    */
   public int getPendingCompactions() {
     checkNotNull(cmProxy, "Looks like the proxy is not connected");
-    return cmProxy.getPendingTasks();
+    try {
+        ObjectName name = new ObjectName(COMP_OBJECT_NAME);
+        int pendingCount = (int) mbeanServer.getAttribute(name, "PendingTasks");
+        return pendingCount;
+      } catch (IOException ignored) {
+        LOG.warn("Failed to connect to " + host + " using JMX");
+      } catch (MalformedObjectNameException ignored) {
+        LOG.error("Internal error, malformed name");
+      } catch (InstanceNotFoundException e) {
+        // This happens if no repair has yet been run on the node
+        // The AntiEntropySessions object is created on the first repair
+        return 0;
+      } catch (Exception e) {
+        LOG.error("Error getting attribute from JMX", e);
+      }
+      // If uncertain, assume it's running
+      return 0;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -365,7 +383,7 @@ public int triggerRepair(BigInteger beginToken, BigInteger endToken, String keys
 	        columnFamilies.toArray(new String[columnFamilies.size()]));
     } 
     else {    	
-    	return ssProxy.forceRepairAsync(keyspace, Boolean.FALSE, Boolean.FALSE, Boolean.TRUE, fullRepair, columnFamilies.toArray(new String[columnFamilies.size()]));    			
+    	return ssProxy.forceRepairAsync(keyspace, Boolean.FALSE, Boolean.FALSE, Boolean.FALSE, fullRepair, columnFamilies.toArray(new String[columnFamilies.size()]));    			
     }
   }