diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index e20050f33d..a189602a28 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -587,9 +587,8 @@ workflows:
             - dev-build
           filters:
             branches:
-              only:
-                - /^bug\/flaky-test-.*$/ # only run go tests on bug/flaky-test-* for now since we are fixing tests
-                - release/1-6
+              ignore:
+                - /^pull\/.*$/ # only run go tests on non forks
       - go-test-api: *go-test
       - dev-upload-s3:
           requires:
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e63341f2eb..db7ea59339 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ IMPROVEMENTS:
 BUG FIXES:
 
 * autopilot: update to also remove failed nodes from WAN gossip pool [[GH-6028](https://github.com/hashicorp/consul/pull/6028)]
+* agent: avoid reverting any check updates that occur while a service is being added or the config is reloaded [[GH-6144](https://github.com/hashicorp/consul/issues/6144)]
 
 ## 1.5.2 (June 27, 2019)
 
diff --git a/agent/agent.go b/agent/agent.go
index a8885b9e60..f5f20cc8f2 100644
--- a/agent/agent.go
+++ b/agent/agent.go
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ func (a *Agent) Start() error {
 	if err := a.loadProxies(c); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err := a.loadChecks(c); err != nil {
+	if err := a.loadChecks(c, nil); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	if err := a.loadMetadata(c); err != nil {
@@ -2109,10 +2109,10 @@ func (a *Agent) addServiceInternal(service *structs.NodeService, chkTypes []*str
 	a.PauseSync()
 	defer a.ResumeSync()
 
-	// Take a snapshot of the current state of checks (if any), and
-	// restore them before resuming anti-entropy.
+	// Take a snapshot of the current state of checks (if any), and when adding
+	// a check that already existed carry over the state before resuming
+	// anti-entropy.
 	snap := a.snapshotCheckState()
-	defer a.restoreCheckState(snap)
 
 	var checks []*structs.HealthCheck
 
@@ -2143,6 +2143,13 @@ func (a *Agent) addServiceInternal(service *structs.NodeService, chkTypes []*str
 			check.Status = chkType.Status
 		}
 
+		// Restore the fields from the snapshot.
+		prev, ok := snap[check.CheckID]
+		if ok {
+			check.Output = prev.Output
+			check.Status = prev.Status
+		}
+
 		checks = append(checks, check)
 	}
 
@@ -3346,10 +3353,17 @@ func (a *Agent) unloadServices() error {
 
 // loadChecks loads check definitions and/or persisted check definitions from
 // disk and re-registers them with the local agent.
-func (a *Agent) loadChecks(conf *config.RuntimeConfig) error {
+func (a *Agent) loadChecks(conf *config.RuntimeConfig, snap map[types.CheckID]*structs.HealthCheck) error {
 	// Register the checks from config
 	for _, check := range conf.Checks {
 		health := check.HealthCheck(conf.NodeName)
+
+		// Restore the fields from the snapshot.
+		if prev, ok := snap[health.CheckID]; ok {
+			health.Output = prev.Output
+			health.Status = prev.Status
+		}
+
 		chkType := check.CheckType()
 		if err := a.addCheckLocked(health, chkType, false, check.Token, ConfigSourceLocal); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Failed to register check '%s': %v %v", check.Name, err, check)
@@ -3406,6 +3420,12 @@ func (a *Agent) loadChecks(conf *config.RuntimeConfig) error {
 			// services into the active pool
 			p.Check.Status = api.HealthCritical
 
+			// Restore the fields from the snapshot.
+			if prev, ok := snap[p.Check.CheckID]; ok {
+				p.Check.Output = prev.Output
+				p.Check.Status = prev.Status
+			}
+
 			if err := a.addCheckLocked(p.Check, p.ChkType, false, p.Token, ConfigSourceLocal); err != nil {
 				// Purge the check if it is unable to be restored.
 				a.logger.Printf("[WARN] agent: Failed to restore check %q: %s",
@@ -3634,15 +3654,6 @@ func (a *Agent) snapshotCheckState() map[types.CheckID]*structs.HealthCheck {
 	return a.State.Checks()
 }
 
-// restoreCheckState is used to reset the health state based on a snapshot.
-// This is done after we finish the reload to avoid any unnecessary flaps
-// in health state and potential session invalidations.
-func (a *Agent) restoreCheckState(snap map[types.CheckID]*structs.HealthCheck) {
-	for id, check := range snap {
-		a.State.UpdateCheck(id, check.Status, check.Output)
-	}
-}
-
 // loadMetadata loads node metadata fields from the agent config and
 // updates them on the local agent.
 func (a *Agent) loadMetadata(conf *config.RuntimeConfig) error {
@@ -3765,9 +3776,9 @@ func (a *Agent) ReloadConfig(newCfg *config.RuntimeConfig) error {
 	a.stateLock.Lock()
 	defer a.stateLock.Unlock()
 
-	// Snapshot the current state, and restore it afterwards
+	// Snapshot the current state, and use that to initialize the checks when
+	// they are recreated.
 	snap := a.snapshotCheckState()
-	defer a.restoreCheckState(snap)
 
 	// First unload all checks, services, and metadata. This lets us begin the reload
 	// with a clean slate.
@@ -3798,7 +3809,7 @@ func (a *Agent) ReloadConfig(newCfg *config.RuntimeConfig) error {
 	if err := a.loadProxies(newCfg); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Failed reloading proxies: %s", err)
 	}
-	if err := a.loadChecks(newCfg); err != nil {
+	if err := a.loadChecks(newCfg, snap); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Failed reloading checks: %s", err)
 	}
 	if err := a.loadMetadata(newCfg); err != nil {
diff --git a/agent/agent_test.go b/agent/agent_test.go
index dda56335de..9265c52ae1 100644
--- a/agent/agent_test.go
+++ b/agent/agent_test.go
@@ -500,6 +500,62 @@ func TestAgent_AddService(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestAgent_AddServices_AliasUpdateCheckNotReverted(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	a := NewTestAgent(t, t.Name(), `
+		node_name = "node1"
+	`)
+	defer a.Shutdown()
+
+	// It's tricky to get an UpdateCheck call to be timed properly so it lands
+	// right in the middle of an addServiceInternal call so we cheat a bit and
+	// rely upon alias checks to do that work for us.  We add enough services
+	// that probabilistically one of them is going to end up properly in the
+	// critical section.
+	//
+	// The first number I picked here (10) surprisingly failed every time prior
+	// to PR #6144 solving the underlying problem.
+	const numServices = 10
+
+	services := make([]*structs.ServiceDefinition, numServices)
+	checkIDs := make([]types.CheckID, numServices)
+	for i := 0; i < numServices; i++ {
+		name := fmt.Sprintf("web-%d", i)
+
+		services[i] = &structs.ServiceDefinition{
+			ID:   name,
+			Name: name,
+			Port: 8080 + i,
+			Checks: []*structs.CheckType{
+				&structs.CheckType{
+					Name:         "alias-for-fake-service",
+					AliasService: "fake",
+				},
+			},
+		}
+
+		checkIDs[i] = types.CheckID("service:" + name)
+	}
+
+	// Add all of the services quickly as you might do from config file snippets.
+	for _, service := range services {
+		ns := service.NodeService()
+
+		chkTypes, err := service.CheckTypes()
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		require.NoError(t, a.AddService(ns, chkTypes, false, service.Token, ConfigSourceLocal))
+	}
+
+	retry.Run(t, func(r *retry.R) {
+		gotChecks := a.State.Checks()
+		for id, check := range gotChecks {
+			require.Equal(r, "passing", check.Status, "check %q is wrong", id)
+			require.Equal(r, "No checks found.", check.Output, "check %q is wrong", id)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
 func TestAgent_AddServiceNoExec(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	a := NewTestAgent(t, t.Name(), `
@@ -2965,14 +3021,11 @@ func TestAgent_checkStateSnapshot(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	// Reload the checks
-	if err := a.loadChecks(a.Config); err != nil {
+	// Reload the checks and restore the snapshot.
+	if err := a.loadChecks(a.Config, snap); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	// Restore the state
-	a.restoreCheckState(snap)
-
 	// Search for the check
 	out, ok := a.State.Checks()[check1.CheckID]
 	if !ok {
@@ -3010,7 +3063,7 @@ func TestAgent_loadChecks_checkFails(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Try loading the checks from the persisted files
-	if err := a.loadChecks(a.Config); err != nil {
+	if err := a.loadChecks(a.Config, nil); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/agent/consul/leader_test.go b/agent/consul/leader_test.go
index 7372bef730..e394722885 100644
--- a/agent/consul/leader_test.go
+++ b/agent/consul/leader_test.go
@@ -68,13 +68,15 @@ func TestLeader_RegisterMember(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Server should be registered
-	_, node, err := state.GetNode(s1.config.NodeName)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
-	}
-	if node == nil {
-		t.Fatalf("server not registered")
-	}
+	retry.Run(t, func(r *retry.R) {
+		_, node, err := state.GetNode(s1.config.NodeName)
+		if err != nil {
+			r.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+		}
+		if node == nil {
+			r.Fatalf("server not registered")
+		}
+	})
 
 	// Service should be registered
 	_, services, err := state.NodeServices(nil, s1.config.NodeName)
diff --git a/agent/consul/server_test.go b/agent/consul/server_test.go
index c3c719481d..32eadb232c 100644
--- a/agent/consul/server_test.go
+++ b/agent/consul/server_test.go
@@ -742,53 +742,41 @@ func TestServer_AvoidReBootstrap(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestServer_Expect_NonVoters(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	dir1, s1 := testServerDCExpectNonVoter(t, "dc1", 3)
+	dir1, s1 := testServerDCExpectNonVoter(t, "dc1", 2)
 	defer os.RemoveAll(dir1)
 	defer s1.Shutdown()
 
-	dir2, s2 := testServerDCExpectNonVoter(t, "dc1", 3)
+	dir2, s2 := testServerDCExpect(t, "dc1", 2)
 	defer os.RemoveAll(dir2)
 	defer s2.Shutdown()
 
-	dir3, s3 := testServerDCExpect(t, "dc1", 3)
+	dir3, s3 := testServerDCExpect(t, "dc1", 2)
 	defer os.RemoveAll(dir3)
 	defer s3.Shutdown()
 
-	dir4, s4 := testServerDCExpect(t, "dc1", 3)
-	defer os.RemoveAll(dir4)
-	defer s4.Shutdown()
-
-	dir5, s5 := testServerDCExpect(t, "dc1", 3)
-	defer os.RemoveAll(dir5)
-	defer s5.Shutdown()
-
-	// Join the first three servers.
+	// Join the first two servers.
 	joinLAN(t, s2, s1)
-	joinLAN(t, s3, s1)
 
 	// Should have no peers yet since the bootstrap didn't occur.
 	retry.Run(t, func(r *retry.R) {
 		r.Check(wantPeers(s1, 0))
 		r.Check(wantPeers(s2, 0))
-		r.Check(wantPeers(s3, 0))
 	})
 
-	// Join the fourth node.
-	joinLAN(t, s4, s1)
-	joinLAN(t, s5, s1)
+	// Join the third node.
+	joinLAN(t, s3, s1)
 
 	// Now we have three servers so we should bootstrap.
 	retry.Run(t, func(r *retry.R) {
-		r.Check(wantPeers(s1, 3))
-		r.Check(wantPeers(s2, 3))
-		r.Check(wantPeers(s3, 3))
-		r.Check(wantPeers(s4, 3))
+		r.Check(wantPeers(s1, 2))
+		r.Check(wantPeers(s2, 2))
+		r.Check(wantPeers(s3, 2))
 	})
 
 	// Make sure a leader is elected
 	testrpc.WaitForLeader(t, s1.RPC, "dc1")
 	retry.Run(t, func(r *retry.R) {
-		r.Check(wantRaft([]*Server{s1, s2, s3, s4, s5}))
+		r.Check(wantRaft([]*Server{s1, s2, s3}))
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/api/txn_test.go b/api/txn_test.go
index e2106d7475..b940546d19 100644
--- a/api/txn_test.go
+++ b/api/txn_test.go
@@ -1,19 +1,18 @@
 package api
 
 import (
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/sdk/testutil/retry"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/go-uuid"
 
-	"github.com/pascaldekloe/goe/verify"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
 func TestAPI_ClientTxn(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	require := require.New(t)
 	c, s := makeClient(t)
 	defer s.Stop()
 
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@ func TestAPI_ClientTxn(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Set up a test service and health check.
 	nodeID, err := uuid.GenerateUUID()
-	require.NoError(err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	catalog := c.Catalog()
 	reg := &CatalogRegistration{
@@ -59,11 +58,11 @@ func TestAPI_ClientTxn(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 	_, err = catalog.Register(reg, nil)
-	require.NoError(err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	node, _, err := catalog.Node("foo", nil)
-	require.NoError(err)
-	require.Equal(nodeID, node.Node.ID)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, nodeID, node.Node.ID)
 
 	// Make a session.
 	id, _, err := session.CreateNoChecks(nil, nil)
@@ -218,58 +217,60 @@ func TestAPI_ClientTxn(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 	}
-	verify.Values(t, "", ret.Results, expected)
+	require.Equal(t, ret.Results, expected)
 
-	// Run a read-only transaction.
-	ops = TxnOps{
-		&TxnOp{
-			KV: &KVTxnOp{
-				Verb: KVGet,
-				Key:  key,
-			},
-		},
-		&TxnOp{
-			Node: &NodeTxnOp{
-				Verb: NodeGet,
-				Node: Node{ID: s.Config.NodeID, Node: s.Config.NodeName},
-			},
-		},
-	}
-	ok, ret, _, err = txn.Txn(ops, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
-	} else if !ok {
-		t.Fatalf("transaction failure")
-	}
-
-	expected = TxnResults{
-		&TxnResult{
-			KV: &KVPair{
-				Key:         key,
-				Session:     id,
-				Value:       []byte("test"),
-				LockIndex:   1,
-				CreateIndex: ret.Results[0].KV.CreateIndex,
-				ModifyIndex: ret.Results[0].KV.ModifyIndex,
-			},
-		},
-		&TxnResult{
-			Node: &Node{
-				ID:         s.Config.NodeID,
-				Node:       s.Config.NodeName,
-				Address:    "127.0.0.1",
-				Datacenter: "dc1",
-				TaggedAddresses: map[string]string{
-					"lan": s.Config.Bind,
-					"wan": s.Config.Bind,
+	retry.Run(t, func(r *retry.R) {
+		// Run a read-only transaction.
+		ops = TxnOps{
+			&TxnOp{
+				KV: &KVTxnOp{
+					Verb: KVGet,
+					Key:  key,
 				},
-				Meta:        map[string]string{"consul-network-segment": ""},
-				CreateIndex: ret.Results[1].Node.CreateIndex,
-				ModifyIndex: ret.Results[1].Node.ModifyIndex,
 			},
-		},
-	}
-	verify.Values(t, "", ret.Results, expected)
+			&TxnOp{
+				Node: &NodeTxnOp{
+					Verb: NodeGet,
+					Node: Node{ID: s.Config.NodeID, Node: s.Config.NodeName},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+		ok, ret, _, err = txn.Txn(ops, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			r.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+		} else if !ok {
+			r.Fatalf("transaction failure")
+		}
+
+		expected = TxnResults{
+			&TxnResult{
+				KV: &KVPair{
+					Key:         key,
+					Session:     id,
+					Value:       []byte("test"),
+					LockIndex:   1,
+					CreateIndex: ret.Results[0].KV.CreateIndex,
+					ModifyIndex: ret.Results[0].KV.ModifyIndex,
+				},
+			},
+			&TxnResult{
+				Node: &Node{
+					ID:         s.Config.NodeID,
+					Node:       s.Config.NodeName,
+					Address:    "127.0.0.1",
+					Datacenter: "dc1",
+					TaggedAddresses: map[string]string{
+						"lan": s.Config.Bind,
+						"wan": s.Config.Bind,
+					},
+					Meta:        map[string]string{"consul-network-segment": ""},
+					CreateIndex: ret.Results[1].Node.CreateIndex,
+					ModifyIndex: ret.Results[1].Node.ModifyIndex,
+				},
+			},
+		}
+		require.Equal(r, ret.Results, expected)
+	})
 
 	// Sanity check using the regular GET API.
 	kv := c.KV()
diff --git a/api/watch/funcs_test.go b/api/watch/funcs_test.go
index be70f591c2..5e7091e23b 100644
--- a/api/watch/funcs_test.go
+++ b/api/watch/funcs_test.go
@@ -715,7 +715,7 @@ func TestConnectRootsWatch(t *testing.T) {
 			return // ignore
 		}
 		v, ok := raw.(*api.CARootList)
-		if !ok || v == nil {
+		if !ok || v == nil || len(v.Roots) == 0 {
 			return // ignore
 		}
 		// Only 1 CA is the bootstrapped state (i.e. first response). Ignore this