diff --git a/server/consumer.go b/server/consumer.go
index 3d9d8a9bc0..3fe0911464 100644
--- a/server/consumer.go
+++ b/server/consumer.go
@@ -2001,8 +2001,12 @@ func (o *consumer) loopAndForwardProposals(qch chan struct{}) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	forwardProposals := func() {
+	forwardProposals := func() error {
 		o.mu.Lock()
+		if o.node != node || node.State() != Leader {
+			o.mu.Unlock()
+			return errors.New("no longer leader")
+		}
 		proposal := o.phead
 		o.phead, o.ptail = nil, nil
 		o.mu.Unlock()
@@ -2024,6 +2028,7 @@ func (o *consumer) loopAndForwardProposals(qch chan struct{}) {
 		if len(entries) > 0 {
 			node.ProposeDirect(entries)
 		}
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	// In case we have anything pending on entry.
@@ -2035,7 +2040,9 @@ func (o *consumer) loopAndForwardProposals(qch chan struct{}) {
 			forwardProposals()
 			return
 		case <-pch:
-			forwardProposals()
+			if err := forwardProposals(); err != nil {
+				return
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/server/jetstream_cluster_3_test.go b/server/jetstream_cluster_3_test.go
index 629f797661..0a8a65bca8 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_cluster_3_test.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_cluster_3_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package server
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
@@ -5682,3 +5683,129 @@ func TestJetStreamClusterDetectOrphanNRGs(t *testing.T) {
 	require_True(t, s.lookupRaftNode(sgn) == nil)
 	require_True(t, s.lookupRaftNode(ogn) == nil)
 }
+
+func TestJetStreamClusterRestartThenScaleStreamReplicas(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Skip("This test takes too long, need to make shorter")
+
+	c := createJetStreamClusterExplicit(t, "R3S", 3)
+	defer c.shutdown()
+
+	s := c.randomNonLeader()
+	nc, js := jsClientConnect(t, s)
+	defer nc.Close()
+
+	nc2, producer := jsClientConnect(t, s)
+	defer nc2.Close()
+
+	_, err := js.AddStream(&nats.StreamConfig{
+		Name:     "TEST",
+		Subjects: []string{"foo"},
+		Replicas: 3,
+	})
+	require_NoError(t, err)
+	c.waitOnStreamLeader(globalAccountName, "TEST")
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+
+	end := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second)
+	for time.Now().Before(end) {
+		producer.Publish("foo", []byte(strings.Repeat("A", 128)))
+		time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
+	}
+
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	for i := 0; i < 5; i++ {
+		sub, err := js.PullSubscribe("foo", fmt.Sprintf("C-%d", i))
+		require_NoError(t, err)
+
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			for range time.NewTicker(10 * time.Millisecond).C {
+				select {
+				case <-ctx.Done():
+					return
+				default:
+				}
+
+				msgs, err := sub.Fetch(1)
+				if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, nats.ErrTimeout) && !errors.Is(err, nats.ErrConnectionClosed) {
+					t.Logf("Pull Error: %v", err)
+				}
+				for _, msg := range msgs {
+					msg.Ack()
+				}
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+	c.lameDuckRestartAll()
+	c.waitOnStreamLeader(globalAccountName, "TEST")
+
+	// Swap the logger to try to detect the condition after the restart.
+	loggers := make([]*captureDebugLogger, 3)
+	for i, srv := range c.servers {
+		l := &captureDebugLogger{dbgCh: make(chan string, 10)}
+		loggers[i] = l
+		srv.SetLogger(l, true, false)
+	}
+	condition := `Direct proposal ignored, not leader (state: CLOSED)`
+	errCh := make(chan error, 10)
+
+	wg.Add(1)
+	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		for {
+			select {
+			case dl := <-loggers[0].dbgCh:
+				if strings.Contains(dl, condition) {
+					errCh <- fmt.Errorf(condition)
+				}
+			case dl := <-loggers[1].dbgCh:
+				if strings.Contains(dl, condition) {
+					errCh <- fmt.Errorf(condition)
+				}
+			case dl := <-loggers[2].dbgCh:
+				if strings.Contains(dl, condition) {
+					errCh <- fmt.Errorf(condition)
+				}
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	// Start publishing again for a while.
+	end = time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second)
+	for time.Now().Before(end) {
+		producer.Publish("foo", []byte(strings.Repeat("A", 128)))
+		time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
+	}
+
+	// Try to do a stream edit back to R=1 after doing all the upgrade.
+	info, _ := js.StreamInfo("TEST")
+	sconfig := info.Config
+	sconfig.Replicas = 1
+	_, err = js.UpdateStream(&sconfig)
+	require_NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Leave running for some time after the update.
+	time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
+
+	info, _ = js.StreamInfo("TEST")
+	sconfig = info.Config
+	sconfig.Replicas = 3
+	_, err = js.UpdateStream(&sconfig)
+	require_NoError(t, err)
+
+	select {
+	case e := <-errCh:
+		t.Fatalf("Bad condition on raft node: %v", e)
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		// Done
+	}
+
+	// Stop goroutines and wait for them to exit.
+	cancel()
+	wg.Wait()
+}
diff --git a/server/jetstream_helpers_test.go b/server/jetstream_helpers_test.go
index d4d31f4802..1d6813dd98 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_helpers_test.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_helpers_test.go
@@ -1541,6 +1541,21 @@ func (c *cluster) restartAll() {
 	c.waitOnClusterReady()
 }
 
+func (c *cluster) lameDuckRestartAll() {
+	c.t.Helper()
+	for i, s := range c.servers {
+		s.lameDuckMode()
+		s.WaitForShutdown()
+		if !s.Running() {
+			opts := c.opts[i]
+			s, o := RunServerWithConfig(opts.ConfigFile)
+			c.servers[i] = s
+			c.opts[i] = o
+		}
+	}
+	c.waitOnClusterReady()
+}
+
 func (c *cluster) restartAllSamePorts() {
 	c.t.Helper()
 	for i, s := range c.servers {