diff --git a/etcdserver/raft.go b/etcdserver/raft.go
index fe485331486f..02b782960d7f 100644
--- a/etcdserver/raft.go
+++ b/etcdserver/raft.go
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ type raftNode struct {
 	term         uint64
 	lead         uint64
 
+	tickMu sync.Mutex
 	raftNodeConfig
 
 	// a chan to send/receive snapshot
@@ -151,6 +152,13 @@ func newRaftNode(cfg raftNodeConfig) *raftNode {
 	return r
 }
 
+// raft.Node does not have locks in Raft package
+func (r *raftNode) tick() {
+	r.tickMu.Lock()
+	r.Tick()
+	r.tickMu.Unlock()
+}
+
 // start prepares and starts raftNode in a new goroutine. It is no longer safe
 // to modify the fields after it has been started.
 func (r *raftNode) start(rh *raftReadyHandler) {
@@ -163,7 +171,7 @@ func (r *raftNode) start(rh *raftReadyHandler) {
 		for {
 			select {
 			case <-r.ticker.C:
-				r.Tick()
+				r.tick()
 			case rd := <-r.Ready():
 				if rd.SoftState != nil {
 					newLeader := rd.SoftState.Lead != raft.None && atomic.LoadUint64(&r.lead) != rd.SoftState.Lead
@@ -376,7 +384,7 @@ func (r *raftNode) resumeSending() {
 // speeding up election process.
 func (r *raftNode) advanceTicks(ticks int) {
 	for i := 0; i < ticks; i++ {
-		r.Tick()
+		r.tick()
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/etcdserver/server.go b/etcdserver/server.go
index aa2321752de8..2ebef8373759 100644
--- a/etcdserver/server.go
+++ b/etcdserver/server.go
@@ -527,6 +527,41 @@ func NewServer(cfg ServerConfig) (srv *EtcdServer, err error) {
 	}
 	srv.r.transport = tr
 
+	srv.goAttach(func() {
+		clusterN := len(cl.Members())
+
+		// single-node fresh start, or single-node recovers from snapshot
+		if clusterN == 1 {
+			ticks := cfg.ElectionTicks - 1
+			plog.Infof("%s as single-node; fast-forwarding %d ticks (election ticks %d)", srv.ID(), ticks, cfg.ElectionTicks)
+			srv.r.advanceTicks(ticks)
+			return
+		}
+
+		// retry up to "rafthttp.ConnReadTimeout", which is 5-sec
+		for i := 0; i < 5; i++ {
+			select {
+			case <-time.After(time.Second):
+			case <-srv.stopping:
+				return
+			}
+
+			peerN := tr.ActivePeers()
+			if peerN > 1 {
+				// multi-node received peer connection reports
+				// adjust ticks, in case slow leader message receive
+				ticks := cfg.ElectionTicks - 2
+				plog.Infof("%s initialzed peer connection; fast-forwarding %d ticks (election ticks %d) with %d active peer(s)", srv.ID(), ticks, cfg.ElectionTicks, peerN)
+				srv.r.advanceTicks(ticks)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+
+		// 1. all connections failed, or
+		// 2. no active peers, or
+		// 3. restarted single-node with no snapshot
+		// do nothing, because advancing ticks would have no effect
+	})
 	return srv, nil
 }