diff --git a/weed/pb/server_address.go b/weed/pb/server_address.go
index e1f5da74d..132330568 100644
--- a/weed/pb/server_address.go
+++ b/weed/pb/server_address.go
@@ -62,6 +62,13 @@ func (sa ServerAddress) ToHttpAddress() string {
 	return string(sa)
 }
 
+func (sa ServerAddress) Equals(other ServerAddress) bool {
+	if sa == other {
+		return true
+	}
+	return sa.ToHttpAddress() == other.ToHttpAddress()
+}
+
 func (sa ServerAddress) ToGrpcAddress() string {
 	portsSepIndex := strings.LastIndex(string(sa), ":")
 	if portsSepIndex < 0 {
diff --git a/weed/server/master_grpc_server.go b/weed/server/master_grpc_server.go
index d33782ae1..395eb4ebd 100644
--- a/weed/server/master_grpc_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/master_grpc_server.go
@@ -110,10 +110,10 @@ func (ms *MasterServer) SendHeartbeat(stream master_pb.Seaweed_SendHeartbeatServ
 
 		if !ms.Topo.IsLeader() {
 			// tell the volume servers about the leader
-			newLeader, err := ms.Topo.Leader()
-			if err != nil {
+			newLeader, err := ms.Topo.MaybeLeader()
+			if err != nil || newLeader == "" {
 				glog.Warningf("SendHeartbeat find leader: %v", err)
-				return err
+				return raft.NotLeaderError
 			}
 			if err := stream.Send(&master_pb.HeartbeatResponse{
 				Leader: string(newLeader),
diff --git a/weed/topology/topology.go b/weed/topology/topology.go
index db7cb17d7..d16db06dd 100644
--- a/weed/topology/topology.go
+++ b/weed/topology/topology.go
@@ -117,8 +117,10 @@ func (t *Topology) IsLeader() bool {
 		if t.RaftServer.State() == raft.Leader {
 			return true
 		}
-		if leader, err := t.Leader(); err == nil {
-			if pb.ServerAddress(t.RaftServer.Name()) == leader {
+		// Directly check leader to avoid re-acquiring lock via MaybeLeader()
+		leader := pb.ServerAddress(t.RaftServer.Leader())
+		if leader != "" {
+			if pb.ServerAddress(t.RaftServer.Name()).Equals(leader) {
 				return true
 			}
 		}
@@ -175,6 +177,16 @@ func (t *Topology) Leader() (l pb.ServerAddress, err error) {
 		func() (l pb.ServerAddress, err error) {
 			l, err = t.MaybeLeader()
 			if err == nil && l == "" {
+				// Thread-safe check if we are the leader
+				t.RaftServerAccessLock.RLock()
+				if t.RaftServer != nil && t.RaftServer.State() == raft.Leader {
+					l = pb.ServerAddress(t.RaftServer.Name())
+				}
+				t.RaftServerAccessLock.RUnlock()
+
+				if l != "" {
+					return l, nil
+				}
 				err = leaderNotSelected
 			}
 			return l, err