diff --git a/server/consumer.go b/server/consumer.go
index 5dc19aa6..111c3dc4 100644
--- a/server/consumer.go
+++ b/server/consumer.go
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ var (
 	AckTerm = []byte("+TERM")
 )
 
+// Calculate accurate replicas for the consumer config with the parent stream config.
 func (consCfg ConsumerConfig) replicas(strCfg *StreamConfig) int {
 	if consCfg.Replicas == 0 {
 		if !isDurableConsumer(&consCfg) && strCfg.Retention == LimitsPolicy {
@@ -827,9 +828,9 @@ func (mset *stream) addConsumerWithAssignment(config *ConsumerConfig, oname stri
 	o.updateInactiveThreshold(&o.cfg)
 
 	if o.isPushMode() {
-		if !o.isDurable() {
-			// Check if we are not durable that the delivery subject has interest.
-			// Check in place here for interest. Will setup properly in setLeader.
+		// Check if we are running only 1 replica and that the delivery subject has interest.
+		// Check in place here for interest. Will setup properly in setLeader.
+		if config.replicas(&mset.cfg) == 1 {
 			r := o.acc.sl.Match(o.cfg.DeliverSubject)
 			if !o.hasDeliveryInterest(len(r.psubs)+len(r.qsubs) > 0) {
 				// Let the interest come to us eventually, but setup delete timer.
@@ -856,10 +857,7 @@ func (mset *stream) addConsumerWithAssignment(config *ConsumerConfig, oname stri
 	}
 
 	// This is always true in single server mode.
-	o.mu.RLock()
-	isLdr := o.isLeader()
-	o.mu.RUnlock()
-	if isLdr {
+	if o.IsLeader() {
 		// Send advisory.
 		var suppress bool
 		if !s.standAloneMode() && ca == nil {
@@ -1053,6 +1051,7 @@ func (o *consumer) setLeader(isLeader bool) {
 			if o.active = <-o.inch; o.active {
 				o.checkQueueInterest()
 			}
+
 			// Check gateways in case they are enabled.
 			if s.gateway.enabled {
 				if !o.active {
diff --git a/server/jetstream_cluster_3_test.go b/server/jetstream_cluster_3_test.go
index 31f06f08..26f55be9 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_cluster_3_test.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_cluster_3_test.go
@@ -2682,3 +2682,91 @@ func TestJetStreamClusterUpdateConsumerShouldNotForceDeleteOnRestart(t *testing.
 	_, err = js.ConsumerInfo("TEST", "D")
 	require_NoError(t, err)
 }
+
+func TestJetStreamClusterInterestPolicyEphemeral(t *testing.T) {
+	c := createJetStreamClusterExplicit(t, "R3S", 3)
+	defer c.shutdown()
+
+	for _, test := range []struct {
+		testName string
+		stream   string
+		subject  string
+		durable  string
+		name     string
+		policy   nats.RetentionPolicy
+	}{
+		{testName: "LimitsWithName", name: "eph", subject: "limeph", stream: "LIMIT_EPH", policy: nats.LimitsPolicy},
+		{testName: "InterestWithDurable", durable: "eph", subject: "intdur", stream: "INT_DUR", policy: nats.InterestPolicy},
+		{testName: "InterestWithName", name: "eph", subject: "inteph", stream: "INT_EPH", policy: nats.InterestPolicy},
+	} {
+		t.Run(test.testName, func(t *testing.T) {
+			var err error
+
+			nc, js := jsClientConnect(t, c.randomServer())
+			defer nc.Close()
+
+			_, err = js.AddStream(&nats.StreamConfig{
+				Name:      test.stream,
+				Subjects:  []string{test.subject},
+				Retention: test.policy,
+				Replicas:  3,
+			})
+			require_NoError(t, err)
+
+			const inactiveThreshold = time.Second
+
+			_, err = js.AddConsumer(test.stream, &nats.ConsumerConfig{
+				DeliverSubject:    nats.NewInbox(),
+				AckPolicy:         nats.AckExplicitPolicy,
+				InactiveThreshold: inactiveThreshold,
+				Durable:           test.durable,
+				Name:              test.name,
+			})
+			require_NoError(t, err)
+
+			name := test.durable
+			if test.durable == _EMPTY_ {
+				name = test.name
+			}
+
+			const msgs = 10_000
+			done, count := make(chan bool), 0
+
+			_, err = js.Subscribe(_EMPTY_, func(msg *nats.Msg) {
+				require_NoError(t, msg.Ack())
+				count++
+				if count >= msgs {
+					done <- true
+				}
+			}, nats.Bind(test.stream, name), nats.ManualAck())
+			require_NoError(t, err)
+
+			// This happens only if we start publishing messages after consumer was created.
+			go func() {
+				for i := 0; i < msgs; i++ {
+					js.PublishAsync(test.subject, []byte("DATA"))
+				}
+				select {
+				case <-js.PublishAsyncComplete():
+				case <-time.After(5 * inactiveThreshold):
+				}
+			}()
+
+			// Wait for inactive threshold to expire and all messages to be published and received
+			// Bug is we clean up active consumers when we should not.
+			time.Sleep(3 * inactiveThreshold / 2)
+
+			select {
+			case <-done:
+			case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+				t.Fatalf("Did not receive done signal")
+			}
+
+			info, err := js.ConsumerInfo(test.stream, name)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("Expected to be able to retrieve consumer: %v", err)
+			}
+			require_True(t, info.Delivered.Stream == msgs)
+		})
+	}
+}