diff --git a/server/mqtt.go b/server/mqtt.go
index 9353563a..ed1893e3 100644
--- a/server/mqtt.go
+++ b/server/mqtt.go
@@ -3047,6 +3047,13 @@ func (s *Server) mqttProcessPub(c *client, pp *mqttPublish) error {
 	// Unless we have a publish permission error, if the message is QoS1, then we
 	// need to store the message (and deliver it to JS durable consumers).
 	if _, permIssue := c.processInboundClientMsg(msgToSend); !permIssue && mqttGetQoS(pp.flags) > 0 {
+		// We need to call flushClients now since this we may have called c.addToPCD
+		// with destination clients (possibly a route). Without calling flushClients
+		// the following call may then be stuck waiting for a reply that may never
+		// come because the destination is not flushed (due to c.out.fsp > 0,
+		// see addToPCD and writeLoop for details).
+		c.flushClients(0)
+		// Store this QoS1 message.
 		_, err = c.mqtt.sess.jsa.storeMsg(mqttStreamSubjectPrefix+string(c.pa.subject), c.pa.hdr, msgToSend)
 	}
 	c.pa.subject, c.pa.mapped, c.pa.hdr, c.pa.size, c.pa.szb, c.pa.reply = nil, nil, -1, 0, nil, nil
diff --git a/server/mqtt_test.go b/server/mqtt_test.go
index 0c659df0..31bee2cf 100644
--- a/server/mqtt_test.go
+++ b/server/mqtt_test.go
@@ -2791,7 +2791,7 @@ func TestMQTTCluster(t *testing.T) {
 					}
 				})
 			}
-			if topTest.restart {
+			if !t.Failed() && topTest.restart {
 				cl.stopAll()
 				cl.restartAll()