diff --git a/server/clustering.go b/server/clustering.go
index 6373f8f8..9ae5c449 100644
--- a/server/clustering.go
+++ b/server/clustering.go
@@ -101,23 +101,18 @@ func (r *raftNode) shutdown() error {
 	}
 	r.closed = true
 	r.Unlock()
-	if r.Raft != nil {
-		if err := r.Raft.Shutdown().Error(); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
 	if r.transport != nil {
 		if err := r.transport.Close(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
-	if r.store != nil {
-		if err := r.store.Close(); err != nil {
+	if r.Raft != nil {
+		if err := r.Raft.Shutdown().Error(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
-	if r.joinSub != nil {
-		if err := r.joinSub.Unsubscribe(); err != nil {
+	if r.store != nil {
+		if err := r.store.Close(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/server/raft_transport.go b/server/raft_transport.go
index 31942fe2..64dda97e 100644
--- a/server/raft_transport.go
+++ b/server/raft_transport.go
@@ -330,6 +330,9 @@ func (n *natsStreamLayer) Accept() (net.Conn, error) {
 
 func (n *natsStreamLayer) Close() error {
 	n.mu.Lock()
+	nc := n.conn
+	// Do not set nc.conn to nil since it is accessed in some functions
+	// without the stream layer lock
 	conns := make(map[*natsConn]struct{}, len(n.conns))
 	for conn, s := range n.conns {
 		conns[conn] = s
@@ -338,7 +341,10 @@ func (n *natsStreamLayer) Close() error {
 	for c := range conns {
 		c.Close()
 	}
-	return n.sub.Unsubscribe()
+	if nc != nil {
+		nc.Close()
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (n *natsStreamLayer) Addr() net.Addr {
diff --git a/server/raft_transport_test.go b/server/raft_transport_test.go
index 640aca8f..350940ea 100644
--- a/server/raft_transport_test.go
+++ b/server/raft_transport_test.go
@@ -124,7 +124,9 @@ func TestRAFTTransportHeartbeatFastPath(t *testing.T) {
 	trans1.SetHeartbeatHandler(fastpath)
 
 	// Transport 2 makes outbound request
-	trans2, err := newNATSTransportWithLogger("b", nc, time.Second, newTestLogger(t))
+	nc2 := newNatsConnection(t)
+	defer nc2.Close()
+	trans2, err := newNATSTransportWithLogger("b", nc2, time.Second, newTestLogger(t))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -204,7 +206,9 @@ func TestRAFTTransportAppendEntries(t *testing.T) {
 	}()
 
 	// Transport 2 makes outbound request
-	trans2, err := newNATSTransportWithLogger("b", nc, time.Second, newTestLogger(t))
+	nc2 := newNatsConnection(t)
+	defer nc2.Close()
+	trans2, err := newNATSTransportWithLogger("b", nc2, time.Second, newTestLogger(t))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -285,7 +289,9 @@ func TestRAFTTransportAppendEntriesPipeline(t *testing.T) {
 	}()
 
 	// Transport 2 makes outbound request
-	trans2, err := newNATSTransportWithLogger("b", nc, time.Second, newTestLogger(t))
+	nc2 := newNatsConnection(t)
+	defer nc2.Close()
+	trans2, err := newNATSTransportWithLogger("b", nc2, time.Second, newTestLogger(t))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -372,7 +378,9 @@ func TestRAFTTransportRequestVote(t *testing.T) {
 	}()
 
 	// Transport 2 makes outbound request
-	trans2, err := newNATSTransportWithLogger("b", nc, time.Second, newTestLogger(t))
+	nc2 := newNatsConnection(t)
+	defer nc2.Close()
+	trans2, err := newNATSTransportWithLogger("b", nc2, time.Second, newTestLogger(t))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -455,7 +463,9 @@ func TestRAFTTransportInstallSnapshot(t *testing.T) {
 	}()
 
 	// Transport 2 makes outbound request
-	trans2, err := newNATSTransportWithLogger("b", nc, time.Second, newTestLogger(t))
+	nc2 := newNatsConnection(t)
+	defer nc2.Close()
+	trans2, err := newNATSTransportWithLogger("b", nc2, time.Second, newTestLogger(t))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -583,7 +593,9 @@ func TestRAFTTransportPooledConn(t *testing.T) {
 	}()
 
 	// Transport 2 makes outbound request, 3 conn pool
-	trans2, err := newNATSTransportWithLogger("b", nc, time.Second, newTestLogger(t))
+	nc2 := newNatsConnection(t)
+	defer nc2.Close()
+	trans2, err := newNATSTransportWithLogger("b", nc2, time.Second, newTestLogger(t))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}