diff --git a/server/consumer.go b/server/consumer.go
index 05cd6991..3866166f 100644
--- a/server/consumer.go
+++ b/server/consumer.go
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ type ConsumerConfig struct {
 	MaxAckPending   int           `json:"max_ack_pending,omitempty"`
 	Heartbeat       time.Duration `json:"idle_heartbeat,omitempty"`
 	FlowControl     bool          `json:"flow_control,omitempty"`
+
+	// Don't add to general clients.
+	Direct bool `json:"direct,omitempty"`
 }
 
 type CreateConsumerRequest struct {
@@ -302,6 +305,19 @@ func (mset *stream) addConsumerWithAssignment(config *ConsumerConfig, oname stri
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Direct need to be non-mapped ephemerals.
+	if config.Direct {
+		if config.DeliverSubject == _EMPTY_ {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("consumer direct requires a push based consumer")
+		}
+		if isDurableConsumer(config) {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("consumer direct requires an ephemeral consumer")
+		}
+		if ca != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("consumer direct on a mapped consumer")
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Setup proper default for ack wait if we are in explicit ack mode.
 	if config.AckWait == 0 && (config.AckPolicy == AckExplicit || config.AckPolicy == AckAll) {
 		config.AckWait = JsAckWaitDefault
@@ -585,7 +601,7 @@ func (mset *stream) addConsumerWithAssignment(config *ConsumerConfig, oname stri
 	mset.setConsumer(o)
 	mset.mu.Unlock()
 
-	if !s.JetStreamIsClustered() && s.standAloneMode() {
+	if config.Direct || (!s.JetStreamIsClustered() && s.standAloneMode()) {
 		o.setLeader(true)
 	}
 
diff --git a/server/jetstream_api.go b/server/jetstream_api.go
index b9ae1899..4ebf3489 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_api.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_api.go
@@ -2842,23 +2842,6 @@ func (s *Server) jsConsumerCreate(sub *subscription, c *client, subject, reply s
 
 	var resp = JSApiConsumerCreateResponse{ApiResponse: ApiResponse{Type: JSApiConsumerCreateResponseType}}
 
-	// Determine if we should proceed here when we are in clustered mode.
-	if s.JetStreamIsClustered() {
-		js, cc := s.getJetStreamCluster()
-		if js == nil || cc == nil {
-			return
-		}
-		if cc.meta != nil && cc.meta.GroupLeader() == _EMPTY_ {
-			resp.Error = jsClusterNotAvailErr
-			s.sendAPIErrResponse(ci, acc, subject, reply, string(msg), s.jsonResponse(&resp))
-			return
-		}
-		// Make sure we are meta leader.
-		if !s.JetStreamIsLeader() {
-			return
-		}
-	}
-
 	var streamName string
 	if expectDurable {
 		streamName = tokenAt(subject, 6)
@@ -2866,17 +2849,42 @@ func (s *Server) jsConsumerCreate(sub *subscription, c *client, subject, reply s
 		streamName = tokenAt(subject, 5)
 	}
 
-	if !acc.JetStreamEnabled() {
-		resp.Error = jsNotEnabledErr
-		s.sendAPIErrResponse(ci, acc, subject, reply, string(msg), s.jsonResponse(&resp))
-		return
-	}
 	var req CreateConsumerRequest
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(msg, &req); err != nil {
 		resp.Error = jsInvalidJSONErr
 		s.sendAPIErrResponse(ci, acc, subject, reply, string(msg), s.jsonResponse(&resp))
 		return
 	}
+
+	// Determine if we should proceed here when we are in clustered mode.
+	if s.JetStreamIsClustered() {
+		if req.Config.Direct {
+			// Check to see if we have this stream and are the stream leader.
+			if !acc.JetStreamIsStreamLeader(streamName) {
+				return
+			}
+		} else {
+			js, cc := s.getJetStreamCluster()
+			if js == nil || cc == nil {
+				return
+			}
+			if cc.meta != nil && cc.meta.GroupLeader() == _EMPTY_ {
+				resp.Error = jsClusterNotAvailErr
+				s.sendAPIErrResponse(ci, acc, subject, reply, string(msg), s.jsonResponse(&resp))
+				return
+			}
+			// Make sure we are meta leader.
+			if !s.JetStreamIsLeader() {
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	if !acc.JetStreamEnabled() {
+		resp.Error = jsNotEnabledErr
+		s.sendAPIErrResponse(ci, acc, subject, reply, string(msg), s.jsonResponse(&resp))
+		return
+	}
 	if streamName != req.Stream {
 		resp.Error = jsStreamMismatchErr
 		s.sendAPIErrResponse(ci, acc, subject, reply, string(msg), s.jsonResponse(&resp))
@@ -2914,7 +2922,7 @@ func (s *Server) jsConsumerCreate(sub *subscription, c *client, subject, reply s
 		}
 	}
 
-	if s.JetStreamIsClustered() {
+	if s.JetStreamIsClustered() && !req.Config.Direct {
 		s.jsClusteredConsumerRequest(ci, acc, subject, reply, rmsg, req.Stream, &req.Config)
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/server/stream.go b/server/stream.go
index 3618b0f4..178bb41e 100644
--- a/server/stream.go
+++ b/server/stream.go
@@ -992,7 +992,7 @@ func (mset *stream) mirrorInfo() *StreamSourceInfo {
 	return mset.sourceInfo(mset.mirror)
 }
 
-const sourceHealthCheckInterval = 10 * time.Second
+const sourceHealthCheckInterval = 2 * time.Second
 
 // Will run as a Go routine to process mirror consumer messages.
 func (mset *stream) processMirrorMsgs() {
@@ -1196,6 +1196,7 @@ func (mset *stream) setupMirrorConsumer() error {
 	}
 
 	mset.mirror.sub = sub
+	mset.mirror.last = time.Now()
 
 	if !mset.mirror.grr {
 		mset.mirror.grr = true
@@ -1216,8 +1217,9 @@ func (mset *stream) setupMirrorConsumer() error {
 			AckPolicy:      AckNone,
 			AckWait:        48 * time.Hour,
 			MaxDeliver:     1,
-			Heartbeat:      10 * time.Second,
+			Heartbeat:      sourceHealthCheckInterval,
 			FlowControl:    true,
+			Direct:         true,
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -1275,7 +1277,7 @@ func (mset *stream) setupMirrorConsumer() error {
 				mset.mu.Unlock()
 			}
 			mset.setMirrorErr(ccr.Error)
-		case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+		case <-time.After(10 * time.Second):
 			mset.resetMirrorConsumer()
 		}
 	}()
@@ -1332,6 +1334,7 @@ func (mset *stream) setSourceConsumer(sname string, seq uint64) {
 	mset.removeInternalConsumer(si)
 
 	si.sseq, si.dseq = 0, 0
+	si.last = time.Now()
 	ssi := mset.streamSource(sname)
 
 	// Determine subjects etc.
@@ -1367,8 +1370,9 @@ func (mset *stream) setSourceConsumer(sname string, seq uint64) {
 			AckPolicy:      AckNone,
 			AckWait:        48 * time.Hour,
 			MaxDeliver:     1,
-			Heartbeat:      10 * time.Second,
+			Heartbeat:      sourceHealthCheckInterval,
 			FlowControl:    true,
+			Direct:         true,
 		},
 	}
 	// If starting, check any configs.