diff --git a/server/raft.go b/server/raft.go
index 281b6a60..cbee334c 100644
--- a/server/raft.go
+++ b/server/raft.go
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ type raft struct {
 	qn       int
 	peers    map[string]*lps
 	acks     map[uint64]map[string]struct{}
+	pae      map[uint64]*appendEntry
 	elect    *time.Timer
 	active   time.Time
 	llqrt    time.Time
@@ -332,6 +333,7 @@ func (s *Server) startRaftNode(cfg *RaftConfig) (RaftNode, error) {
 		hash:     hash,
 		peers:    make(map[string]*lps),
 		acks:     make(map[uint64]map[string]struct{}),
+		pae:      make(map[uint64]*appendEntry),
 		s:        s,
 		c:        s.createInternalSystemClient(),
 		sq:       sq,
@@ -1858,22 +1860,13 @@ func (n *raft) applyCommit(index uint64) error {
 		delete(n.acks, index)
 	}
 
-	// FIXME(dlc) - Can keep this in memory if this too slow.
-	ae, err := n.loadEntry(index)
-	if err != nil {
-		state := n.wal.State()
-		if index < state.FirstSeq {
-			return nil
-		}
-		if err != ErrStoreClosed && err != ErrStoreEOF {
-			if err == errBadMsg {
-				n.setWriteErrLocked(err)
-			}
-			n.warn("Got an error loading %d index: %v", index, err)
-		}
+	ae := n.pae[index]
+	if ae == nil {
+		n.warn("Could not load append entry %d", index)
 		n.commit = original
 		return errEntryLoadFailed
 	}
+	delete(n.pae, index)
 	ae.buf = nil
 
 	var committed []*Entry
@@ -2362,6 +2355,12 @@ func (n *raft) processAppendEntry(ae *appendEntry, sub *subscription) {
 				n.Unlock()
 				return
 			}
+			// Save in memory for faster processing during applyCommit.
+			n.pae[n.pindex] = ae
+			if len(n.pae) > paeWarnThreshold {
+				n.warn("%d append entries pending", len(n.pae))
+			}
+
 		} else {
 			// This is a replay on startup so just take the appendEntry version.
 			n.pterm = ae.term
@@ -2506,6 +2505,8 @@ func (n *raft) storeToWAL(ae *appendEntry) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+const paeWarnThreshold = 1024
+
 func (n *raft) sendAppendEntry(entries []*Entry) {
 	n.Lock()
 	defer n.Unlock()
@@ -2520,6 +2521,12 @@ func (n *raft) sendAppendEntry(entries []*Entry) {
 		// We count ourselves.
 		n.acks[n.pindex] = map[string]struct{}{n.id: struct{}{}}
 		n.active = time.Now()
+
+		// Save in memory for faster processing during applyCommit.
+		n.pae[n.pindex] = ae
+		if len(n.pae) > paeWarnThreshold {
+			n.warn("%d append entries pending", len(n.pae))
+		}
 	}
 	n.sendRPC(n.asubj, n.areply, ae.buf)
 }