diff --git a/agent/consul/leader.go b/agent/consul/leader.go
index e4e84b4a4..a96195016 100644
--- a/agent/consul/leader.go
+++ b/agent/consul/leader.go
@@ -33,25 +33,39 @@ func (s *Server) monitorLeadership() {
 	// cleanup and to ensure we never run multiple leader loops.
 	raftNotifyCh := s.raftNotifyCh
 
-	var wg sync.WaitGroup
-	var stopCh chan struct{}
+	var weAreLeaderCh chan struct{}
+	var leaderLoop sync.WaitGroup
 	for {
 		select {
 		case isLeader := <-raftNotifyCh:
-			if isLeader {
-				stopCh = make(chan struct{})
-				wg.Add(1)
-				go func() {
-					s.leaderLoop(stopCh)
-					wg.Done()
-				}()
+			switch {
+			case isLeader:
+				if weAreLeaderCh != nil {
+					s.logger.Printf("[ERR] consul: attempted to start the leader loop while running")
+					continue
+				}
+
+				weAreLeaderCh = make(chan struct{})
+				leaderLoop.Add(1)
+				go func(ch chan struct{}) {
+					defer leaderLoop.Done()
+					s.leaderLoop(ch)
+				}(weAreLeaderCh)
 				s.logger.Printf("[INFO] consul: cluster leadership acquired")
-			} else if stopCh != nil {
-				close(stopCh)
-				stopCh = nil
-				wg.Wait()
+
+			default:
+				if weAreLeaderCh == nil {
+					s.logger.Printf("[ERR] consul: attempted to stop the leader loop while not running")
+					continue
+				}
+
+				s.logger.Printf("[DEBUG] consul: shutting down leader loop")
+				close(weAreLeaderCh)
+				leaderLoop.Wait()
+				weAreLeaderCh = nil
 				s.logger.Printf("[INFO] consul: cluster leadership lost")
 			}
+
 		case <-s.shutdownCh:
 			return
 		}
@@ -97,7 +111,7 @@ RECONCILE:
 	barrier := s.raft.Barrier(barrierWriteTimeout)
 	if err := barrier.Error(); err != nil {
 		s.logger.Printf("[ERR] consul: failed to wait for barrier: %v", err)
-		return
+		goto WAIT
 	}
 	metrics.MeasureSince([]string{"consul", "leader", "barrier"}, start)
 	metrics.MeasureSince([]string{"leader", "barrier"}, start)
@@ -127,6 +141,15 @@ RECONCILE:
 	reconcileCh = s.reconcileCh
 
 WAIT:
+	// Poll the stop channel to give it priority so we don't waste time
+	// trying to perform the other operations if we have been asked to shut
+	// down.
+	select {
+	case <-stopCh:
+		return
+	default:
+	}
+
 	// Periodically reconcile as long as we are the leader,
 	// or when Serf events arrive
 	for {