diff --git a/consul/leader.go b/consul/leader.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f55e99ea60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/consul/leader.go
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+package consul
+
+import (
+	"github.com/hashicorp/consul/consul/structs"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/serf/serf"
+	"time"
+)
+
+const (
+	serfCheckID   = "serfHealth"
+	serfCheckName = "Serf Health Status"
+)
+
+// monitorLeadership is used to monitor if we acquire or lose our role
+// as the leader in the Raft cluster. There is some work the leader is
+// expected to do, so we must react to changes
+func (s *Server) monitorLeadership() {
+	leaderCh := s.raft.LeaderCh()
+	var stopCh chan struct{}
+	for {
+		select {
+		case isLeader := <-leaderCh:
+			if isLeader {
+				stopCh = make(chan struct{})
+				go s.leaderLoop(stopCh)
+				s.logger.Printf("[INFO] consul: cluster leadership acquired")
+			} else if stopCh != nil {
+				close(stopCh)
+				stopCh = nil
+				s.logger.Printf("[INFO] consul: cluster leadership lost")
+			}
+		case <-s.shutdownCh:
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// leaderLoop runs as long as we are the leader to run various
+// maintence activities
+func (s *Server) leaderLoop(stopCh chan struct{}) {
+RECONCILE:
+	// Apply a raft barrier to ensure our FSM is caught up
+	barrier := s.raft.Barrier(0)
+	if err := barrier.Error(); err != nil {
+		s.logger.Printf("[ERR] consul: failed to wait for barrier: %v", err)
+		goto WAIT
+	}
+
+	// Reconcile any missing data
+	if err := s.reconcile(); err != nil {
+		s.logger.Printf("[ERR] consul: failed to reconcile: %v", err)
+		goto WAIT
+	}
+
+WAIT:
+	// Periodically reconcile as long as we are the leader
+	select {
+	case <-time.After(s.config.ReconcileInterval):
+		goto RECONCILE
+	case <-stopCh:
+		return
+	case <-s.shutdownCh:
+		return
+	}
+}
+
+// reconcile is used to reconcile the differences between Serf
+// membership and what is reflected in our strongly consistent store.
+// Mainly we need to ensure all live nodes are registered, all failed
+// nodes are marked as such, and all left nodes are de-registered.
+func (s *Server) reconcile() (err error) {
+	members := s.serfLAN.Members()
+	for _, member := range members {
+		if err := s.reconcileMember(member); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// reconcileMember is used to do an async reconcile of a single
+// serf member
+func (s *Server) reconcileMember(member serf.Member) error {
+	// Check if this is a member we should handle
+	if !s.shouldHandleMember(member) {
+		s.logger.Printf("[WARN] Skipping reconcile of node %v", member)
+		return nil
+	}
+	var err error
+	switch member.Status {
+	case serf.StatusAlive:
+		err = s.handleAliveMember(member)
+	case serf.StatusFailed:
+		err = s.handleFailedMember(member)
+	case serf.StatusLeft:
+		err = s.handleLeftMember(member)
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		s.logger.Printf("[ERR] Failed to reconcile member: %v: %v",
+			member, err)
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// shouldHandleMember checks if this is a Consul pool member
+func (s *Server) shouldHandleMember(member serf.Member) bool {
+	if valid, dc := isConsulNode(member); valid && dc == s.config.Datacenter {
+		return true
+	}
+	if valid, dc, _ := isConsulServer(member); valid && dc == s.config.Datacenter {
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// handleAliveMember is used to ensure the node
+// is registered, with a passing health check.
+func (s *Server) handleAliveMember(member serf.Member) error {
+	state := s.fsm.State()
+
+	// Check if the node exists
+	found, addr := state.GetNode(member.Name)
+	if found && addr == member.Addr.String() {
+		// Check if the serfCheck is in the passing state
+		checks := state.NodeChecks(member.Name)
+		for _, check := range checks {
+			if check.CheckID == serfCheckID && check.Status == structs.HealthPassing {
+				return nil
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Register with the catalog
+	req := structs.RegisterRequest{
+		Datacenter: s.config.Datacenter,
+		Node:       member.Name,
+		Address:    member.Addr.String(),
+		Check: &structs.HealthCheck{
+			Node:    member.Name,
+			CheckID: serfCheckID,
+			Name:    serfCheckName,
+			Status:  structs.HealthPassing,
+		},
+	}
+	var out struct{}
+	return s.endpoints.Catalog.Register(&req, &out)
+}
+
+// handleFailedMember is used to mark the node's status
+// as being critical, along with all checks as unknown.
+func (s *Server) handleFailedMember(member serf.Member) error {
+	state := s.fsm.State()
+
+	// Check if the node exists
+	found, addr := state.GetNode(member.Name)
+	if found && addr == member.Addr.String() {
+		// Check if the serfCheck is in the critical state
+		checks := state.NodeChecks(member.Name)
+		for _, check := range checks {
+			if check.CheckID == serfCheckID && check.Status == structs.HealthCritical {
+				return nil
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Register with the catalog
+	req := structs.RegisterRequest{
+		Datacenter: s.config.Datacenter,
+		Node:       member.Name,
+		Address:    member.Addr.String(),
+		Check: &structs.HealthCheck{
+			Node:    member.Name,
+			CheckID: serfCheckID,
+			Name:    serfCheckName,
+			Status:  structs.HealthCritical,
+		},
+	}
+	var out struct{}
+	return s.endpoints.Catalog.Register(&req, &out)
+}
+
+// handleLeftMember is used to handle members that gracefully
+// left. They are deregistered if necessary.
+func (s *Server) handleLeftMember(member serf.Member) error {
+	state := s.fsm.State()
+
+	// Check if the node does not exists
+	found, _ := state.GetNode(member.Name)
+	if !found {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Deregister the node
+	req := structs.DeregisterRequest{
+		Datacenter: s.config.Datacenter,
+		Node:       member.Name,
+	}
+	var out struct{}
+	return s.endpoints.Catalog.Deregister(&req, &out)
+}
diff --git a/consul/serf.go b/consul/serf.go
index 26c2b0ab04..a2f2e03e62 100644
--- a/consul/serf.go
+++ b/consul/serf.go
@@ -15,8 +15,11 @@ func (s *Server) lanEventHandler() {
 			switch e.EventType() {
 			case serf.EventMemberJoin:
 				s.localJoin(e.(serf.MemberEvent))
+				fallthrough
 			case serf.EventMemberLeave:
+				fallthrough
 			case serf.EventMemberFailed:
+				s.localMemberEvent(e.(serf.MemberEvent))
 			case serf.EventUser:
 			default:
 				s.logger.Printf("[WARN] Unhandled LAN Serf Event: %#v", e)
@@ -51,6 +54,20 @@ func (s *Server) wanEventHandler() {
 	}
 }
 
+// localMemberEvent is used to reconcile Serf events with the strongly
+// consistent store if we are the current leader
+func (s *Server) localMemberEvent(me serf.MemberEvent) {
+	// Do nothing if we are not the leader
+	if !s.IsLeader() {
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Dispatch an async handler for each member
+	for _, m := range me.Members {
+		go s.reconcileMember(m)
+	}
+}
+
 // localJoin is used to handle join events on the lan serf cluster
 func (s *Server) localJoin(me serf.MemberEvent) {
 	// Check for consul members
diff --git a/consul/server.go b/consul/server.go
index cd8bad1f02..2659a6db24 100644
--- a/consul/server.go
+++ b/consul/server.go
@@ -229,6 +229,9 @@ func (s *Server) setupRaft() error {
 		trans.Close()
 		return err
 	}
+
+	// Start monitoring leadership
+	go s.monitorLeadership()
 	return nil
 }