diff --git a/server/jetstream_cluster.go b/server/jetstream_cluster.go
index 6ccd1700..fc4dc8fe 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_cluster.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_cluster.go
@@ -1442,10 +1442,9 @@ func (js *jetStream) createRaftGroup(accName string, rg *raftGroup, storage Stor
 	rg.node = n
 
 	// See if we are preferred and should start campaign immediately.
-	if n.ID() == rg.Preferred {
+	if n.ID() == rg.Preferred && n.Term() == 0 {
 		n.Campaign()
 	}
-
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -1602,6 +1601,7 @@ func (js *jetStream) monitorStream(mset *stream, sa *streamAssignment) {
 			} else if n.GroupLeader() != noLeader {
 				js.setStreamAssignmentRecovering(sa)
 			}
+
 			js.processStreamLeaderChange(mset, isLeader)
 		case <-t.C:
 			doSnapshot()
@@ -1807,7 +1807,8 @@ func (js *jetStream) applyStreamEntries(mset *stream, ce *CommittedEntry, isReco
 
 				// We can skip if we know this is less than what we already have.
 				if lseq < last {
-					s.Debugf("Apply stream entries skipping message with sequence %d with last of %d", lseq, last)
+					s.Debugf("Apply stream entries for '%s > %s' skipping message with sequence %d with last of %d",
+						mset.account(), mset.name(), lseq, last)
 					continue
 				}
 
@@ -1831,7 +1832,8 @@ func (js *jetStream) applyStreamEntries(mset *stream, ce *CommittedEntry, isReco
 					if isClusterResetErr(err) || isOutOfSpaceErr(err) {
 						return err
 					}
-					s.Debugf("Apply stream entries error processing message: %v", err)
+					s.Debugf("Apply stream entries for '%s > %s' got error processing message: %v",
+						mset.account(), mset.name(), err)
 				}
 			case deleteMsgOp:
 				md, err := decodeMsgDelete(buf[1:])
@@ -1858,7 +1860,7 @@ func (js *jetStream) applyStreamEntries(mset *stream, ce *CommittedEntry, isReco
 				}
 
 				if err != nil && !isRecovering {
-					s.Debugf("JetStream cluster failed to delete msg %d from stream %q for account %q: %v",
+					s.Debugf("JetStream cluster failed to delete stream msg %d from '%s > %s': %v",
 						md.Seq, md.Stream, md.Client.serviceAccount(), err)
 				}
 
@@ -5220,6 +5222,7 @@ func (mset *stream) processSnapshot(snap *streamSnapshot) error {
 	mset.clfs = snap.Failed
 	mset.store.FastState(&state)
 	sreq := mset.calculateSyncRequest(&state, snap)
+
 	s, js, subject, n := mset.srv, mset.js, mset.sa.Sync, mset.node
 	qname := fmt.Sprintf("[ACC:%s] stream '%s' snapshot", mset.acc.Name, mset.cfg.Name)
 	mset.mu.Unlock()
@@ -5240,7 +5243,9 @@ func (mset *stream) processSnapshot(snap *streamSnapshot) error {
 	}
 
 	// Pause the apply channel for our raft group while we catch up.
-	n.PauseApply()
+	if err := n.PauseApply(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	defer n.ResumeApply()
 
 	// Set our catchup state.
@@ -5308,7 +5313,8 @@ RETRY:
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		s.Errorf("Could not subscribe to stream catchup: %v", err)
-		return err
+		err = nil
+		goto RETRY
 	}
 
 	b, _ := json.Marshal(sreq)
@@ -5368,8 +5374,11 @@ RETRY:
 		case <-qch:
 			return nil
 		case isLeader := <-lch:
-			js.processStreamLeaderChange(mset, isLeader)
-			return nil
+			if isLeader {
+				n.StepDown()
+				notActive.Reset(activityInterval)
+				goto RETRY
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -5534,7 +5543,7 @@ func (mset *stream) runCatchup(sendSubject string, sreq *streamSyncRequest) {
 	s := mset.srv
 	defer s.grWG.Done()
 
-	const maxOutBytes = int64(1 * 1024 * 1024) // 1MB for now.
+	const maxOutBytes = int64(4 * 1024 * 1024) // 4MB for now.
 	const maxOutMsgs = int32(16384)
 	outb := int64(0)
 	outm := int32(0)
diff --git a/server/raft.go b/server/raft.go
index 104d21e3..5ddcc335 100644
--- a/server/raft.go
+++ b/server/raft.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright 2020-2021 The NATS Authors
+// Copyright 2020-2022 The NATS Authors
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 // You may obtain a copy of the License at
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ type RaftNode interface {
 	Leader() bool
 	Quorum() bool
 	Current() bool
+	Term() uint64
 	GroupLeader() string
 	HadPreviousLeader() bool
 	StepDown(preferred ...string) error
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ type RaftNode interface {
 	AdjustBootClusterSize(csz int) error
 	ClusterSize() int
 	ApplyQ() *ipQueue // of *CommittedEntry
-	PauseApply()
+	PauseApply() error
 	ResumeApply()
 	LeadChangeC() <-chan bool
 	QuitC() <-chan struct{}
@@ -183,8 +184,9 @@ type raft struct {
 	progress map[string]*ipQueue // of uint64
 
 	// For when we have paused our applyC.
-	paused  bool
-	hcommit uint64
+	paused    bool
+	hcommit   uint64
+	pobserver bool
 
 	// Queues and Channels
 	prop     *ipQueue // of *Entry
@@ -225,7 +227,7 @@ const (
 	minElectionTimeoutDefault = 2 * time.Second
 	maxElectionTimeoutDefault = 5 * time.Second
 	minCampaignTimeoutDefault = 100 * time.Millisecond
-	maxCampaignTimeoutDefault = 4 * minCampaignTimeoutDefault
+	maxCampaignTimeoutDefault = 8 * minCampaignTimeoutDefault
 	hbIntervalDefault         = 500 * time.Millisecond
 	lostQuorumIntervalDefault = hbIntervalDefault * 5
 )
@@ -758,20 +760,38 @@ func (n *raft) AdjustClusterSize(csz int) error {
 
 // PauseApply will allow us to pause processing of append entries onto our
 // external apply chan.
-func (n *raft) PauseApply() {
+func (n *raft) PauseApply() error {
 	n.Lock()
 	defer n.Unlock()
 
-	n.debug("Pausing apply channel")
+	if n.state == Leader {
+		return errAlreadyLeader
+	}
+	// If we are currently a candidate make sure we step down.
+	if n.state == Candidate {
+		n.stepdown.push(noLeader)
+	}
+
+	n.debug("Pausing our apply channel")
 	n.paused = true
 	n.hcommit = n.commit
+	// Also prevent us from trying to become a leader while paused and catching up.
+	n.pobserver, n.observer = n.observer, true
+	n.resetElect(48 * time.Hour)
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (n *raft) ResumeApply() {
 	n.Lock()
 	defer n.Unlock()
 
-	n.debug("Resuming apply channel")
+	if !n.paused {
+		return
+	}
+
+	n.debug("Resuming our apply channel")
+	n.observer, n.pobserver = n.pobserver, false
 	n.paused = false
 	// Run catchup..
 	if n.hcommit > n.commit {
@@ -783,6 +803,7 @@ func (n *raft) ResumeApply() {
 		}
 	}
 	n.hcommit = 0
+	n.resetElectionTimeout()
 }
 
 // Compact will compact our WAL.
@@ -1233,6 +1254,7 @@ func (n *raft) campaign() error {
 	}
 	n.lxfer = true
 	n.resetElect(randCampaignTimeout())
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -1534,6 +1556,7 @@ func convertVoteResponse(i interface{}) *voteResponse {
 func (n *raft) runAsFollower() {
 	for {
 		elect := n.electTimer()
+
 		select {
 		case <-n.entry.ch:
 			n.processAppendEntries()
@@ -1839,6 +1862,9 @@ func (n *raft) runAsLeader() {
 	hb := time.NewTicker(hbInterval)
 	defer hb.Stop()
 
+	lq := time.NewTicker(hbInterval * 2)
+	defer lq.Stop()
+
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-n.s.quitCh:
@@ -1876,6 +1902,7 @@ func (n *raft) runAsLeader() {
 			if n.notActive() {
 				n.sendHeartbeat()
 			}
+		case <-lq.C:
 			if n.lostQuorum() {
 				n.switchToFollower(noLeader)
 				return
@@ -1886,7 +1913,7 @@ func (n *raft) runAsLeader() {
 			if vresp == nil {
 				continue
 			}
-			if vresp.term > n.currentTerm() {
+			if vresp.term > n.Term() {
 				n.switchToFollower(noLeader)
 				return
 			}
@@ -1949,7 +1976,7 @@ func (n *raft) notActive() bool {
 }
 
 // Return our current term.
-func (n *raft) currentTerm() uint64 {
+func (n *raft) Term() uint64 {
 	n.RLock()
 	defer n.RUnlock()
 	return n.term
@@ -2744,7 +2771,7 @@ func (n *raft) processAppendEntry(ae *appendEntry, sub *subscription) {
 			case EntryLeaderTransfer:
 				if isNew {
 					maybeLeader := string(e.Data)
-					if maybeLeader == n.id {
+					if maybeLeader == n.id && !n.observer && !n.paused {
 						n.campaign()
 					}
 				}
@@ -3369,6 +3396,7 @@ func (n *raft) switchToFollower(leader string) {
 		return
 	}
 	n.debug("Switching to follower")
+
 	n.lxfer = false
 	n.updateLeader(leader)
 	n.switchState(Follower)
@@ -3380,6 +3408,11 @@ func (n *raft) switchToCandidate() {
 	if n.state == Closed {
 		return
 	}
+	// If we are catching up or are in observer mode we can not switch.
+	if n.observer || n.paused {
+		return
+	}
+
 	if n.state != Candidate {
 		n.debug("Switching to candidate")
 	} else {