diff --git a/priam/src/main/java/com/netflix/priam/backup/MetaData.java b/priam/src/main/java/com/netflix/priam/backup/MetaData.java
index b870bfb2d..a67d5fb20 100644
--- a/priam/src/main/java/com/netflix/priam/backup/MetaData.java
+++ b/priam/src/main/java/com/netflix/priam/backup/MetaData.java
@@ -93,6 +93,13 @@ public void set(List<AbstractBackupPath> bps, String snapshotName) throws Except
         }
     }
 
+    /*
+     * A list of data files within a meta backup file.  The meta backup file can be
+     * daily snapshot (meta.json) or incrementals (meta_keyspace_cf_date.json)
+     * 
+     * @param meta data file to derive the list of data files.  The meta data file can be meta.json or meta_keyspace_cf_date.json
+     * @return a list of data files (*.db)
+     */
     public List<AbstractBackupPath> get(final AbstractBackupPath meta)
     {
         List<AbstractBackupPath> files = Lists.newArrayList();
@@ -124,6 +131,35 @@ public Void retriableCall() throws Exception
         return files;
     }
 
+    /*
+     * Determines the existence of the backup meta file.  This meta file could be snapshot (meta.json) or 
+     * incrementals (meta_keyspace_cf..json).
+     * 
+     * @param backup meta file to search
+     * @return true if backup meta file exist, false otherwise.
+     */
+    public Boolean doesExist(final AbstractBackupPath meta) {
+    	try {
+        	new RetryableCallable<Void>() {
+                @Override
+                public Void retriableCall() throws Exception {
+                    fs.download(meta, new FileOutputStream(meta.newRestoreFile())); //download actual file to disk
+                    return null;
+                }
+        	}.call();
+        	
+    	} catch (Exception e) {
+    		logger.error("Error downloading the Meta data try with a diffrent date...", e);
+    	}
+
+    	if (meta.newRestoreFile().exists()) {
+    		return true;
+    	} else {
+        	return false;    		
+    	}
+
+    }
+    
     private void upload(final AbstractBackupPath bp) throws Exception
     {
         new RetryableCallable<Void>()
diff --git a/priam/src/main/java/com/netflix/priam/resources/BackupServlet.java b/priam/src/main/java/com/netflix/priam/resources/BackupServlet.java
index e22e3e6df..b884605aa 100644
--- a/priam/src/main/java/com/netflix/priam/resources/BackupServlet.java
+++ b/priam/src/main/java/com/netflix/priam/resources/BackupServlet.java
@@ -142,6 +142,13 @@ public Response backupIncrementals() throws Exception
    
     @GET
     @Path("/list")
+    /*
+     * Fetch the list of files for the requested date range.
+     * 
+     * @param date range
+     * @param filter.  The type of data files fetched.  E.g. META will only fetch the dailsy snapshot meta data file (meta.json).
+     * @return the list of files in json format as part of the Http response body.
+     */
     public Response list(@QueryParam(REST_HEADER_RANGE) String daterange, @QueryParam(REST_HEADER_FILTER) @DefaultValue("") String filter) throws Exception
     {
         Date startTime;
@@ -355,6 +362,16 @@ private void setRestoreKeyspaces(String keyspaces)
         }
     }
     
+    /*
+     * A list of files for requested filter.  Currently, the only supported filter is META, all others will be ignore.  
+     * For filter of META, ONLY the daily snapshot meta file (meta.json)  are accounted for, not the incremental meta file.
+     * In addition, we do ONLY list the name of the meta data file, not the list of data files within it.
+     * 
+     * @param handle to the json response
+     * @param a list of all files (data (*.db), and meta data file (*.json)) from S3 for requested dates.
+     * @param backup meta data file filter.  Currently, the only supported filter is META, all others will be ignore.
+     * @return a list of files in Json format.
+     */
     private JSONObject constructJsonResponse(JSONObject object, Iterator<AbstractBackupPath> it,String filter) throws Exception
     {
 		int fileCnt = 0;
@@ -377,17 +394,19 @@ private JSONObject constructJsonResponse(JSONObject object, Iterator<AbstractBac
 						.getInstance().getInstanceId());
 				backupJSON.put("uploaded_ts",
 						new DateTime(p.getUploadedTs()).toString(FMT));
-				if ("meta".equalsIgnoreCase(filter)) {
-					List<AbstractBackupPath> allFiles = metaData.get(p);
-					long totalSize = 0;
-					for (AbstractBackupPath abp : allFiles)
-						totalSize = totalSize + abp.getSize();
-					backupJSON.put("num_files", Long.toString(allFiles.size()));
-					// keyValues.put("TOTAL-SIZE", Long.toString(totalSize)); //
-					// Add Later
+				if ("meta".equalsIgnoreCase(filter)) { //only check for existence of meta file
+					p.setFileName("meta.json"); //ignore incremental meta files, we are only interested in daily snapshot
+					if (metaData.doesExist(p)) {
+						//if here, snapshot completed.
+						fileCnt++;
+						jArray.put(backupJSON);
+						backupJSON.put("num_files", "1");						
+					}
+				} else { //account for every file (data, and meta) .
+					fileCnt++;
+					jArray.put(backupJSON);					
 				}
-				fileCnt++;
-				jArray.put(backupJSON);
+
 			}
 			object.put("files", jArray);
 			object.put("num_files", fileCnt);