diff --git a/src/lavinmq/clustering/controller.cr b/src/lavinmq/clustering/controller.cr
index 19f81b7c4..222296e14 100644
--- a/src/lavinmq/clustering/controller.cr
+++ b/src/lavinmq/clustering/controller.cr
@@ -16,8 +16,14 @@ class LavinMQ::Clustering::Controller
 
   def run
     spawn(follow_leader, name: "Follower monitor")
-    wait_to_be_insync
-    lease = @etcd.elect("#{@config.clustering_etcd_prefix}/leader", @advertised_uri) # blocks until becoming leader
+    lease = loop do
+      wait_to_be_insync
+      Log.info { "Campaigning for leader..." }
+      lease2 = @etcd.elect("#{@config.clustering_etcd_prefix}/leader", @advertised_uri) # blocks until becoming leader
+      break lease2 if in_sync_to_be_leader?
+      lease2.close
+      Log.info { "Not in sync to be leader" }
+    end
     replicator = Clustering::Server.new(@config, @etcd)
     @launcher = l = Launcher.new(@config, replicator, lease)
     l.run
@@ -45,18 +51,20 @@ class LavinMQ::Clustering::Controller
   # Listens for leader change events
   private def follow_leader
     repli_client = nil
+    Log.info { "follow_leader Listening for leader changes..." }
     @etcd.elect_listen("#{@config.clustering_etcd_prefix}/leader") do |uri|
+      Log.debug { "follow_leader Leader event: #{uri}" }
       next if repli_client.try &.follows?(uri) # if lost connection to etcd we continue follow the leader as is
       repli_client.try &.close
       if uri == @advertised_uri # if this instance has become leader
-        Log.debug { "Is leader, don't replicate from self" }
-        return
+        Log.debug { "follow_leader Is leader, don't replicate from self" }
+        next
       end
       Log.info { "Leader: #{uri}" }
       key = "#{@config.clustering_etcd_prefix}/clustering_secret"
       secret = @etcd.get(key)
       until secret # the leader might not have had time to set the secret yet
-        Log.debug { "Clustering secret is missing, watching for it" }
+        Log.debug { "follow_leader Clustering secret is missing, watching for it" }
         @etcd.watch(key) do |value|
           secret = value
           break
@@ -66,9 +74,12 @@ class LavinMQ::Clustering::Controller
       spawn r.follow(uri), name: "Clustering client #{uri}"
       SystemD.notify_ready
     end
+  ensure
+    Log.debug { "follow_leader exiting" }
   end
 
   def wait_to_be_insync
+    Log.debug { "Waiting to be in sync..." }
     if isr = @etcd.get("#{@config.clustering_etcd_prefix}/isr")
       unless isr.split(",").map(&.to_i(36)).includes?(@id)
         Log.info { "ISR: #{isr}" }
@@ -80,4 +91,10 @@ class LavinMQ::Clustering::Controller
       end
     end
   end
+
+  def in_sync_to_be_leader?
+    return true unless isr = @etcd.get("#{@config.clustering_etcd_prefix}/isr")
+    Log.debug { "#in_sync_to_be_leader? isr=#{isr} id=#{@id.to_s(36)}" }
+    isr.split(",").map(&.to_i(36)).includes?(@id)
+  end
 end