diff --git a/src/Persistence/RavenDbTests/leadership_locking.cs b/src/Persistence/RavenDbTests/leadership_locking.cs
index 630d66e75..56a713b4d 100644
--- a/src/Persistence/RavenDbTests/leadership_locking.cs
+++ b/src/Persistence/RavenDbTests/leadership_locking.cs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+using JasperFx.Core.Reflection;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting;
 using Raven.Client.Documents;
@@ -112,4 +113,29 @@ public async Task expired_scheduled_job_lock_from_dead_predecessor_can_be_taken_
         (await ravenStore.TryAttainScheduledJobLockAsync(CancellationToken.None))
             .ShouldBeTrue();
     }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task try_attain_renews_the_server_side_lease_when_already_held()
+    {
+        // Calling TryAttain when the lease is already held must refresh the
+        // server-side entry — that's the contract the heartbeat relies on to
+        // keep the lease alive.
+        var store = _host.Services.GetService<IMessageStore>()!.As<RavenDbMessageStore>();
+        var lockId = "wolverine/leader/locking";
+
+        (await store.Nodes.TryAttainLeadershipLockAsync(CancellationToken.None)).ShouldBeTrue();
+        var initial = await _store.Operations.SendAsync(
+            new GetCompareExchangeValueOperation<DistributedLock>(lockId));
+
+        await Task.Delay(10);
+
+        (await store.Nodes.TryAttainLeadershipLockAsync(CancellationToken.None)).ShouldBeTrue();
+        var renewed = await _store.Operations.SendAsync(
+            new GetCompareExchangeValueOperation<DistributedLock>(lockId));
+
+        renewed.Index.ShouldBeGreaterThan(initial.Index);
+        renewed.Value.ExpirationTime.ShouldBeGreaterThan(initial.Value.ExpirationTime);
+
+        await store.Nodes.ReleaseLeadershipLockAsync();
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Wolverine/Runtime/Agents/NodeAgentController.HeartBeat.cs b/src/Wolverine/Runtime/Agents/NodeAgentController.HeartBeat.cs
index 9063666ae..cafa1c4fc 100644
--- a/src/Wolverine/Runtime/Agents/NodeAgentController.HeartBeat.cs
+++ b/src/Wolverine/Runtime/Agents/NodeAgentController.HeartBeat.cs
@@ -62,18 +62,26 @@ public async Task<AgentCommands> DoHealthChecksAsync()
             await stepDownAsync("the leadership advisory lock was released server-side");
         }
 
-        if (_persistence.HasLeadershipLock())
-        {
-            IsLeader = true;
-            return await EvaluateAssignmentsAsync(nodes, restrictions);
-        }
-
+        // Always call TryAttainLeadershipLockAsync. If we're already leader it
+        // refreshes the lease so lease-based backends (RavenDb, Cosmos) don't
+        // age out and trigger a false stepdown; otherwise it's the normal
+        // election attempt.
         try
         {
             if (await _persistence.TryAttainLeadershipLockAsync(_cancellation.Token))
             {
+                if (IsLeader)
+                {
+                    return await EvaluateAssignmentsAsync(nodes, restrictions);
+                }
+
                 return await tryStartLeadershipAsync(nodes, restrictions);
             }
+
+            if (IsLeader)
+            {
+                await stepDownAsync("the leadership advisory lock could not be renewed");
+            }
         }
         catch (Exception e)
         {