diff --git a/consul/leader.go b/consul/leader.go
index f8083fe046..5c2a85ef08 100644
--- a/consul/leader.go
+++ b/consul/leader.go
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ func (s *Server) joinConsulServer(m serf.Member, parts *serverParts) error {
 
 	// Attempt to add as a peer
 	var addr net.Addr = &net.TCPAddr{IP: m.Addr, Port: parts.Port}
-	future := s.raft.AddPeer(addr)
+	future := s.raft.AddPeer(addr.String())
 	if err := future.Error(); err != nil && err != raft.ErrKnownPeer {
 		s.logger.Printf("[ERR] consul: failed to add raft peer: %v", err)
 		return err
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ func (s *Server) joinConsulServer(m serf.Member, parts *serverParts) error {
 func (s *Server) removeConsulServer(m serf.Member, port int) error {
 	// Attempt to remove as peer
 	peer := &net.TCPAddr{IP: m.Addr, Port: port}
-	future := s.raft.RemovePeer(peer)
+	future := s.raft.RemovePeer(peer.String())
 	if err := future.Error(); err != nil && err != raft.ErrUnknownPeer {
 		s.logger.Printf("[ERR] consul: failed to remove raft peer '%v': %v",
 			peer, err)
diff --git a/consul/rpc.go b/consul/rpc.go
index e0303e6efc..412c627de7 100644
--- a/consul/rpc.go
+++ b/consul/rpc.go
@@ -195,13 +195,13 @@ func (s *Server) forward(method string, info structs.RPCInfo, args interface{},
 func (s *Server) forwardLeader(method string, args interface{}, reply interface{}) error {
 	// Get the leader
 	leader := s.raft.Leader()
-	if leader == nil {
+	if leader == "" {
 		return structs.ErrNoLeader
 	}
 
 	// Lookup the server
 	s.localLock.RLock()
-	server := s.localConsuls[leader.String()]
+	server := s.localConsuls[leader]
 	s.localLock.RUnlock()
 
 	// Handle a missing server
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ func (s *Server) setQueryMeta(m *structs.QueryMeta) {
 		m.KnownLeader = true
 	} else {
 		m.LastContact = time.Now().Sub(s.raft.LastContact())
-		m.KnownLeader = (s.raft.Leader() != nil)
+		m.KnownLeader = (s.raft.Leader() != "")
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/consul/serf.go b/consul/serf.go
index ae1dacc33e..e18f15cc6e 100644
--- a/consul/serf.go
+++ b/consul/serf.go
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ func (s *Server) maybeBootstrap() {
 
 	// Scan for all the known servers
 	members := s.serfLAN.Members()
-	addrs := make([]net.Addr, 0)
+	addrs := make([]string, 0)
 	for _, member := range members {
 		valid, p := isConsulServer(member)
 		if !valid {
@@ -220,7 +220,8 @@ func (s *Server) maybeBootstrap() {
 			s.logger.Printf("[ERR] consul: Member %v has bootstrap mode. Expect disabled.", member)
 			return
 		}
-		addrs = append(addrs, &net.TCPAddr{IP: member.Addr, Port: p.Port})
+		addr := &net.TCPAddr{IP: member.Addr, Port: p.Port}
+		addrs = append(addrs, addr.String())
 	}
 
 	// Skip if we haven't met the minimum expect count
diff --git a/consul/server_test.go b/consul/server_test.go
index 2029e42345..c86c83f355 100644
--- a/consul/server_test.go
+++ b/consul/server_test.go
@@ -332,8 +332,8 @@ func TestServer_LeaveLeader(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	var p1 []net.Addr
-	var p2 []net.Addr
+	var p1 []string
+	var p2 []string
 
 	testutil.WaitForResult(func() (bool, error) {
 		p1, _ = s1.raftPeers.Peers()
@@ -387,8 +387,8 @@ func TestServer_Leave(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	var p1 []net.Addr
-	var p2 []net.Addr
+	var p1 []string
+	var p2 []string
 
 	testutil.WaitForResult(func() (bool, error) {
 		p1, _ = s1.raftPeers.Peers()
@@ -515,8 +515,8 @@ func TestServer_Expect(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	var p1 []net.Addr
-	var p2 []net.Addr
+	var p1 []string
+	var p2 []string
 
 	// should have no peers yet
 	testutil.WaitForResult(func() (bool, error) {
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ func TestServer_Expect(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	var p3 []net.Addr
+	var p3 []string
 
 	// should now have all three peers
 	testutil.WaitForResult(func() (bool, error) {
@@ -589,8 +589,8 @@ func TestServer_BadExpect(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	var p1 []net.Addr
-	var p2 []net.Addr
+	var p1 []string
+	var p2 []string
 
 	// should have no peers yet
 	testutil.WaitForResult(func() (bool, error) {
@@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ func TestServer_BadExpect(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	var p3 []net.Addr
+	var p3 []string
 
 	// should still have no peers (because s2 is in expect=2 mode)
 	testutil.WaitForResult(func() (bool, error) {
diff --git a/consul/status_endpoint.go b/consul/status_endpoint.go
index 2908c18d6d..ddcbed440e 100644
--- a/consul/status_endpoint.go
+++ b/consul/status_endpoint.go
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ func (s *Status) Ping(args struct{}, reply *struct{}) error {
 // Leader is used to get the address of the leader
 func (s *Status) Leader(args struct{}, reply *string) error {
 	leader := s.server.raft.Leader()
-	if leader != nil {
-		*reply = leader.String()
+	if leader != "" {
+		*reply = leader
 	} else {
 		*reply = ""
 	}
@@ -28,10 +28,6 @@ func (s *Status) Peers(args struct{}, reply *[]string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	var peerStrings []string
-	for _, p := range peers {
-		peerStrings = append(peerStrings, p.String())
-	}
-	*reply = peerStrings
+	*reply = peers
 	return nil
 }