diff --git a/server/jetstream.go b/server/jetstream.go
index 1f663708a5e..50cc8a7ddc0 100644
--- a/server/jetstream.go
+++ b/server/jetstream.go
@@ -1714,14 +1714,13 @@ func (a *Account) JetStreamEnabled() bool {
 }
 
 func (jsa *jsAccount) remoteUpdateUsage(sub *subscription, c *client, _ *Account, subject, _ string, msg []byte) {
-	const usageSize = 32
-
 	// jsa.js.srv is immutable and guaranteed to no be nil, so no lock needed.
 	s := jsa.js.srv
 
 	jsa.usageMu.Lock()
-	if len(msg) < usageSize {
-		jsa.usageMu.Unlock()
+	defer jsa.usageMu.Unlock()
+
+	if len(msg) < minUsageUpdateLen {
 		s.Warnf("Ignoring remote usage update with size too short")
 		return
 	}
@@ -1730,7 +1729,6 @@ func (jsa *jsAccount) remoteUpdateUsage(sub *subscription, c *client, _ *Account
 		rnode = subject[li+1:]
 	}
 	if rnode == _EMPTY_ {
-		jsa.usageMu.Unlock()
 		s.Warnf("Received remote usage update with no remote node")
 		return
 	}
@@ -1765,21 +1763,31 @@ func (jsa *jsAccount) remoteUpdateUsage(sub *subscription, c *client, _ *Account
 	apiTotal, apiErrors := le.Uint64(msg[16:]), le.Uint64(msg[24:])
 	memUsed, storeUsed := int64(le.Uint64(msg[0:])), int64(le.Uint64(msg[8:]))
 
-	// we later extended the data structure to support multiple tiers
-	excessRecordCnt := uint32(0)
-	tierName := _EMPTY_
-	if len(msg) >= 44 {
-		excessRecordCnt = le.Uint32(msg[32:])
-		length := le.Uint64(msg[36:])
-		tierName = string(msg[44 : 44+length])
-		msg = msg[44+length:]
+	// We later extended the data structure to support multiple tiers
+	var excessRecordCnt uint32
+	var tierName string
+
+	if len(msg) >= usageMultiTiersLen {
+		excessRecordCnt = le.Uint32(msg[minUsageUpdateLen:])
+		length := le.Uint64(msg[minUsageUpdateLen+4:])
+		// Need to protect past this point in case this is wrong.
+		if uint64(len(msg)) < usageMultiTiersLen+length {
+			s.Warnf("Received corrupt remote usage update")
+			return
+		}
+		tierName = string(msg[usageMultiTiersLen : usageMultiTiersLen+length])
+		msg = msg[usageMultiTiersLen+length:]
 	}
 	updateTotal(tierName, memUsed, storeUsed)
-	for ; excessRecordCnt > 0 && len(msg) >= 24; excessRecordCnt-- {
+	for ; excessRecordCnt > 0 && len(msg) >= usageRecordLen; excessRecordCnt-- {
 		memUsed, storeUsed := int64(le.Uint64(msg[0:])), int64(le.Uint64(msg[8:]))
 		length := le.Uint64(msg[16:])
-		tierName = string(msg[24 : 24+length])
-		msg = msg[24+length:]
+		if uint64(len(msg)) < usageRecordLen+length {
+			s.Warnf("Received corrupt remote usage update on excess record")
+			return
+		}
+		tierName = string(msg[usageRecordLen : usageRecordLen+length])
+		msg = msg[usageRecordLen+length:]
 		updateTotal(tierName, memUsed, storeUsed)
 	}
 	jsa.apiTotal -= rUsage.api
@@ -1788,7 +1796,6 @@ func (jsa *jsAccount) remoteUpdateUsage(sub *subscription, c *client, _ *Account
 	rUsage.err = apiErrors
 	jsa.apiTotal += apiTotal
 	jsa.apiErrors += apiErrors
-	jsa.usageMu.Unlock()
 }
 
 // When we detect a skew of some sort this will verify the usage reporting is correct.
@@ -1906,12 +1913,22 @@ func (jsa *jsAccount) sendClusterUsageUpdateTimer() {
 	}
 }
 
+// For usage fields.
+const (
+	minUsageUpdateLen    = 32
+	stackUsageUpdate     = 72
+	usageRecordLen       = 24
+	usageMultiTiersLen   = 44
+	apiStatsAndNumTiers  = 20
+	minUsageUpdateWindow = 250 * time.Millisecond
+)
+
 // Send updates to our account usage for this server.
 // jsa.usageMu lock should be held.
 func (jsa *jsAccount) sendClusterUsageUpdate() {
 	// These values are absolute so we can limit send rates.
 	now := time.Now()
-	if now.Sub(jsa.lupdate) < 250*time.Millisecond {
+	if now.Sub(jsa.lupdate) < minUsageUpdateWindow {
 		return
 	}
 	jsa.lupdate = now
@@ -1921,32 +1938,37 @@ func (jsa *jsAccount) sendClusterUsageUpdate() {
 		return
 	}
 	// every base record contains mem/store/len(tier) as well as the tier name
-	l := 24 * lenUsage
+	l := usageRecordLen * lenUsage
 	for tier := range jsa.usage {
 		l += len(tier)
 	}
-	if lenUsage > 0 {
-		// first record contains api/usage errors as well as count for extra base records
-		l += 20
+	// first record contains api/usage errors as well as count for extra base records
+	l += apiStatsAndNumTiers
+
+	var raw [stackUsageUpdate]byte
+	var b []byte
+	if l > stackUsageUpdate {
+		b = make([]byte, l)
+	} else {
+		b = raw[:l]
 	}
-	var le = binary.LittleEndian
-	b := make([]byte, l)
-	i := 0
 
+	var i int
+	var le = binary.LittleEndian
 	for tier, usage := range jsa.usage {
 		le.PutUint64(b[i+0:], uint64(usage.local.mem))
 		le.PutUint64(b[i+8:], uint64(usage.local.store))
 		if i == 0 {
-			le.PutUint64(b[i+16:], jsa.usageApi)
-			le.PutUint64(b[i+24:], jsa.usageErr)
-			le.PutUint32(b[i+32:], uint32(len(jsa.usage)-1))
-			le.PutUint64(b[i+36:], uint64(len(tier)))
-			copy(b[i+44:], tier)
-			i += 44 + len(tier)
+			le.PutUint64(b[16:], jsa.usageApi)
+			le.PutUint64(b[24:], jsa.usageErr)
+			le.PutUint32(b[32:], uint32(len(jsa.usage)-1))
+			le.PutUint64(b[36:], uint64(len(tier)))
+			copy(b[usageMultiTiersLen:], tier)
+			i = usageMultiTiersLen + len(tier)
 		} else {
 			le.PutUint64(b[i+16:], uint64(len(tier)))
-			copy(b[i+24:], tier)
-			i += 24 + len(tier)
+			copy(b[i+usageRecordLen:], tier)
+			i += usageRecordLen + len(tier)
 		}
 	}
 	jsa.sendq.push(newPubMsg(nil, jsa.updatesPub, _EMPTY_, nil, nil, b, noCompression, false, false))