The try-scoring sensation will be satisfied to get through the third round Super 14 rugby clash with the Western Force intact, particularly with a shoulder reconstructed in September.
Masaga has only clocked up an hour of rugby since the procedure -- last weekend when he had a run with the Chiefs development team against their Blues equivalents.
The one-test wing was expecting to return next Friday when the Chiefs host the Reds but Sitiveni Sivivatu's own bung shoulder has fast tracked the process.
Masaga flew to Perth once Sivivatu was ruled out of the final leg of the three-match road trip and although delighted to be back in the squad he was not expecting to run amok automatically against the competition cellar dwellers.
"It's not necessarily about scoring tries and making breaks," Masaga said, when asked of his goals for the weekend.
"I'm looking more on the injury side, trying to get my shoulder through the game."
Masaga felt at ease during the practice match against the Blues where the joint managed to cope with contact.
"It came through 100 per cent so I'm confident, though there are a few areas I have to look at," he said, nominating work under the high ball and at the ruck.
The right wing, who has scored 21 tries in 40 games since debuting against the Force in 2006, felt for Sivivatu's misfortune but was glad to be back in the Chiefs environment.
"It's been quite frustrating just sitting around and not doing much," said Masaga, who has a reputation for extravagant try-scoring celebrations.
"I couldn't run for three months, it's been frustrating watching Counties and the first couple of weeks of the season.
"Now I've done all the hard work with rehab and training I'm pretty desperate to be part of a team that's winning."
With wins over the Sharks and Lions already banked, the Chiefs are targeting a third away victory to set them up for a happy homecoming against the Reds in Hamilton.
One area demanding attention once the team arrived from South Africa was the defensive structures exploited in the second half of a remarkable 72-65 triumph in Johannesburg.
"We have been working on our D," said Chiefs assistant coach Craig Stevenson after reviewing the Lions nine tries.
"We're working hard on our discipline, it can be hard to defend when you're down to 13 and 14 men."
An amendment to new laws at the breakdown -- in wake of the try bonanza with the Lions -- should also make it easier on the defensive team.
The latest edict gives the second defender arriving at the tackle more rights to the ball.
"It's a good directive for the second defender coming in being able to have a crack at the ball," Stevenson said.
"It's going to be more of an even contest. Allowing the attacking team to have all the rights "obviously it was going to be pretty hard to try and get the ball."
To facilitate Masaga's arrival, Dwayne Sweeney moves to the left flank while Brendon Leonard starts at halfback ahead of Junior Poluleuligaga.
In the pack, 2.02-metre lock Romana Graham makes his debut in the second row for the injured Craig Clarke, Tanerau Latimer replaces Luke Braid on the openside flank and Colin Bourke is promoted to No 8 for the suspended Sione Lauaki.
Hika Elliot also starts ahead of Aled de Malmanche.
Meanwhile, the Force were not able to clear the paperwork in time for David Hill to face his former teammates though the five-eighth will be pressed into service in a fortnight when they travel to Brisbane.
James O'Connor has been handed the playmaker role in the interim after playing fullback for the first two rounds. The diminutive Wallaby can expect plenty of traffic heading for his channel.
