diff --git a/server/jetstream_cluster.go b/server/jetstream_cluster.go
index 92e70501..964476aa 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_cluster.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_cluster.go
@@ -7722,8 +7722,8 @@ func (mset *stream) isCurrent() bool {
 	return mset.node.Current() && !mset.catchup
 }
 
-// Maximum requests for the whole server that can be in flight.
-const maxConcurrentSyncRequests = 8
+// Maximum requests for the whole server that can be in flight at the same time.
+const maxConcurrentSyncRequests = 16
 
 var (
 	errCatchupCorruptSnapshot = errors.New("corrupt stream snapshot detected")
@@ -7900,11 +7900,11 @@ RETRY:
 
 	// Grab sync request again on failures.
 	if sreq == nil {
-		mset.mu.Lock()
+		mset.mu.RLock()
 		var state StreamState
 		mset.store.FastState(&state)
 		sreq = mset.calculateSyncRequest(&state, snap)
-		mset.mu.Unlock()
+		mset.mu.RUnlock()
 		if sreq == nil {
 			return nil
 		}
diff --git a/server/raft.go b/server/raft.go
index 5bcc2a1a..7baa949d 100644
--- a/server/raft.go
+++ b/server/raft.go
@@ -654,9 +654,9 @@ func (s *Server) transferRaftLeaders() bool {
 // This should only be called on the leader.
 func (n *raft) Propose(data []byte) error {
 	n.RLock()
-	if n.state != Leader {
+	if state := n.state; state != Leader {
 		n.RUnlock()
-		n.debug("Proposal ignored, not leader (state: %v)", n.state)
+		n.debug("Proposal ignored, not leader (state: %v)", state)
 		return errNotLeader
 	}
 	// Error if we had a previous write error.