diff --git a/peer.go b/peer.go
index 3de4659..9eedf46 100644
--- a/peer.go
+++ b/peer.go
@@ -146,14 +146,12 @@ func (p *Peer) heartbeat(c chan bool) {
 func (p *Peer) flush() {
 	debugln("peer.heartbeat.flush: ", p.Name)
 	prevLogIndex := p.getPrevLogIndex()
-	entries, prevLogTerm := p.server.log.getEntriesAfter(prevLogIndex, p.server.maxLogEntriesPerRequest)
+	term := p.server.currentTerm
 
-	if p.server.State() != Leader {
-		return
-	}
+	entries, prevLogTerm := p.server.log.getEntriesAfter(prevLogIndex, p.server.maxLogEntriesPerRequest)
 
 	if entries != nil {
-		p.sendAppendEntriesRequest(newAppendEntriesRequest(p.server.currentTerm, prevLogIndex, prevLogTerm, p.server.log.CommitIndex(), p.server.name, entries))
+		p.sendAppendEntriesRequest(newAppendEntriesRequest(term, prevLogIndex, prevLogTerm, p.server.log.CommitIndex(), p.server.name, entries))
 	} else {
 		p.sendSnapshotRequest(newSnapshotRequest(p.server.name, p.server.lastSnapshot))
 	}
@@ -192,13 +190,13 @@ func (p *Peer) sendAppendEntriesRequest(req *AppendEntriesRequest) {
 		// If it was unsuccessful then decrement the previous log index and
 		// we'll try again next time.
 	} else {
-		if resp.Term() > p.server.Term() || resp.CommitIndex() > p.server.CommitIndex() {
+		if resp.Term() > p.server.Term() {
 			// this happens when there is a new leader comes up that this *leader* has not
 			// known yet.
 			// this server can know until the new leader send a ae with higher term
 			// or this server finish processing this response.
 			debugln("peer.append.resp.not.update: new.leader.found")
-		} else if resp.CommitIndex() >= p.prevLogIndex {
+		} else if resp.Term() == req.Term && resp.CommitIndex() >= p.prevLogIndex {
 			// we may miss a response from peer
 			// so maybe the peer has committed the logs we just sent
 			// but we did not receive the successful reply and did not increase
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 9f32740..40db607 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -495,6 +495,12 @@ func (s *server) setCurrentTerm(term uint64, leaderName string, append bool) {
 	prevLeader := s.leader
 
 	if term > s.currentTerm {
+		// stop heartbeats before step-down
+		if s.state == Leader {
+			for _, peer := range s.peers {
+				peer.stopHeartbeat(false)
+			}
+		}
 		// update the term and clear vote for
 		s.state = Follower
 		s.currentTerm = term
@@ -775,6 +781,10 @@ func (s *server) leaderLoop() {
 		select {
 		case e := <-s.c:
 			if e.target == &stopValue {
+				// Stop all peers before stop
+				for _, peer := range s.peers {
+					peer.stopHeartbeat(false)
+				}
 				s.setState(Stopped)
 			} else {
 				switch req := e.target.(type) {
@@ -800,11 +810,6 @@ func (s *server) leaderLoop() {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Stop all peers.
-	for _, peer := range s.peers {
-		peer.stopHeartbeat(false)
-	}
-
 	s.syncedPeer = nil
 }