diff --git a/server/jetstream_cluster.go b/server/jetstream_cluster.go
index 3c51546b..c3e9b9d5 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_cluster.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_cluster.go
@@ -3841,30 +3841,36 @@ func (s *Server) jsClusteredStreamPurgeRequest(
 	}
 
 	js.mu.Lock()
-	defer js.mu.Unlock()
-
 	sa := js.streamAssignment(acc.Name, stream)
 	if sa == nil {
 		resp := JSApiStreamPurgeResponse{ApiResponse: ApiResponse{Type: JSApiStreamPurgeResponseType}}
 		resp.Error = NewJSStreamNotFoundError()
 		s.sendAPIErrResponse(ci, acc, subject, reply, string(rmsg), s.jsonResponse(&resp))
+		js.mu.Unlock()
 		return
 	}
 
 	if n := sa.Group.node; n != nil {
 		sp := &streamPurge{Stream: stream, LastSeq: mset.state().LastSeq, Subject: subject, Reply: reply, Client: ci, Request: preq}
 		n.Propose(encodeStreamPurge(sp))
-	} else if mset != nil {
-		var resp = JSApiStreamPurgeResponse{ApiResponse: ApiResponse{Type: JSApiStreamPurgeResponseType}}
-		purged, err := mset.purge(preq)
-		if err != nil {
-			resp.Error = NewJSStreamGeneralError(err, Unless(err))
-		} else {
-			resp.Purged = purged
-			resp.Success = true
-		}
-		s.sendAPIResponse(ci, acc, subject, reply, string(rmsg), s.jsonResponse(resp))
+		js.mu.Unlock()
+		return
 	}
+	js.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if mset == nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	var resp = JSApiStreamPurgeResponse{ApiResponse: ApiResponse{Type: JSApiStreamPurgeResponseType}}
+	purged, err := mset.purge(preq)
+	if err != nil {
+		resp.Error = NewJSStreamGeneralError(err, Unless(err))
+	} else {
+		resp.Purged = purged
+		resp.Success = true
+	}
+	s.sendAPIResponse(ci, acc, subject, reply, string(rmsg), s.jsonResponse(resp))
 }
 
 func (s *Server) jsClusteredStreamRestoreRequest(ci *ClientInfo, acc *Account, req *JSApiStreamRestoreRequest, stream, subject, reply string, rmsg []byte) {
@@ -4273,35 +4279,42 @@ func (s *Server) jsClusteredMsgDeleteRequest(ci *ClientInfo, acc *Account, mset
 	}
 
 	js.mu.Lock()
-	defer js.mu.Unlock()
-
 	sa := js.streamAssignment(acc.Name, stream)
 	if sa == nil {
 		s.Debugf("Message delete failed, could not locate stream '%s > %s'", acc.Name, stream)
+		js.mu.Unlock()
 		return
 	}
+
 	// Check for single replica items.
 	if n := sa.Group.node; n != nil {
 		md := streamMsgDelete{Seq: req.Seq, NoErase: req.NoErase, Stream: stream, Subject: subject, Reply: reply, Client: ci}
 		n.Propose(encodeMsgDelete(&md))
-	} else if mset != nil {
-		var err error
-		var removed bool
-		if req.NoErase {
-			removed, err = mset.removeMsg(req.Seq)
-		} else {
-			removed, err = mset.eraseMsg(req.Seq)
-		}
-		var resp = JSApiMsgDeleteResponse{ApiResponse: ApiResponse{Type: JSApiMsgDeleteResponseType}}
-		if err != nil {
-			resp.Error = NewJSStreamMsgDeleteFailedError(err, Unless(err))
-		} else if !removed {
-			resp.Error = NewJSSequenceNotFoundError(req.Seq)
-		} else {
-			resp.Success = true
-		}
-		s.sendAPIResponse(ci, acc, subject, reply, string(rmsg), s.jsonResponse(resp))
+		js.mu.Unlock()
+		return
 	}
+	js.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if mset == nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	var err error
+	var removed bool
+	if req.NoErase {
+		removed, err = mset.removeMsg(req.Seq)
+	} else {
+		removed, err = mset.eraseMsg(req.Seq)
+	}
+	var resp = JSApiMsgDeleteResponse{ApiResponse: ApiResponse{Type: JSApiMsgDeleteResponseType}}
+	if err != nil {
+		resp.Error = NewJSStreamMsgDeleteFailedError(err, Unless(err))
+	} else if !removed {
+		resp.Error = NewJSSequenceNotFoundError(req.Seq)
+	} else {
+		resp.Success = true
+	}
+	s.sendAPIResponse(ci, acc, subject, reply, string(rmsg), s.jsonResponse(resp))
 }
 
 func encodeAddStreamAssignment(sa *streamAssignment) []byte {