diff --git a/consul/leader.go b/consul/leader.go
index e10e3fc547..7a1bfd358f 100644
--- a/consul/leader.go
+++ b/consul/leader.go
@@ -76,6 +76,19 @@ func (s *Server) leaderLoop(stopCh chan struct{}) {
 	var reconcileCh chan serf.Member
 	establishedLeader := false
 
+	reassert := func() error {
+		if !establishedLeader {
+			return fmt.Errorf("leadership has not been established")
+		}
+		if err := s.revokeLeadership(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if err := s.establishLeadership(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+
 RECONCILE:
 	// Setup a reconciliation timer
 	reconcileCh = nil
@@ -125,18 +138,8 @@ WAIT:
 			s.reconcileMember(member)
 		case index := <-s.tombstoneGC.ExpireCh():
 			go s.reapTombstones(index)
-		case <-s.reassertLeaderCh:
-			if !establishedLeader {
-				continue
-			}
-			if err := s.revokeLeadership(); err != nil {
-				s.logger.Printf("[ERR] consul: failed to revoke leadership: %v", err)
-				continue
-			}
-			if err := s.establishLeadership(); err != nil {
-				s.logger.Printf("[ERR] consul: failed to re-establish leadership: %v", err)
-				continue
-			}
+		case errCh := <-s.reassertLeaderCh:
+			errCh <- reassert()
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/consul/server.go b/consul/server.go
index 2ba958e9c8..56df71fc4d 100644
--- a/consul/server.go
+++ b/consul/server.go
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ type Server struct {
 
 	// reassertLeaderCh is used to signal the leader loop should re-run
 	// leadership actions after a snapshot restore.
-	reassertLeaderCh chan struct{}
+	reassertLeaderCh chan chan error
 
 	// tombstoneGC is used to track the pending GC invocations
 	// for the KV tombstones
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ func NewServer(config *Config) (*Server, error) {
 		router:                servers.NewRouter(logger, shutdownCh, config.Datacenter),
 		rpcServer:             rpc.NewServer(),
 		rpcTLS:                incomingTLS,
-		reassertLeaderCh:      make(chan struct{}),
+		reassertLeaderCh:      make(chan chan error),
 		tombstoneGC:           gc,
 		shutdownCh:            make(chan struct{}),
 	}
diff --git a/consul/snapshot_endpoint.go b/consul/snapshot_endpoint.go
index 367db4b9cf..3c6f130021 100644
--- a/consul/snapshot_endpoint.go
+++ b/consul/snapshot_endpoint.go
@@ -101,10 +101,34 @@ func (s *Server) dispatchSnapshotRequest(args *structs.SnapshotRequest, in io.Re
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
+		// This'll be used for feedback from the leader loop.
+		errCh := make(chan error, 1)
+		timeoutCh := time.After(time.Minute)
+
 		select {
 		// Tell the leader loop to reassert leader actions since we just
 		// replaced the state store contents.
-		case s.reassertLeaderCh <- struct{}{}:
+		case s.reassertLeaderCh <- errCh:
+
+		// We might have lost leadership while waiting to kick the loop.
+		case <-timeoutCh:
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("timed out waiting to re-run leader actions")
+
+		// Make sure we don't get stuck during shutdown
+		case <-s.shutdownCh:
+		}
+
+		select {
+		// Wait for the leader loop to finish up.
+		case err := <-errCh:
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+
+		// We might have lost leadership while the loop was doing its
+		// thing.
+		case <-timeoutCh:
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("timed out waiting for re-run of leader actions")
 
 		// Make sure we don't get stuck during shutdown
 		case <-s.shutdownCh: