diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/allocator/allocatorimpl/allocator.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/allocator/allocatorimpl/allocator.go
index 05d0ad86505a..21e35f510481 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/allocator/allocatorimpl/allocator.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/allocator/allocatorimpl/allocator.go
@@ -163,6 +163,15 @@ func (a AllocatorAction) Remove() bool {
 		a == AllocatorRemoveDecommissioningNonVoter
 }
 
+// Decommissioning indicates an action replacing or removing a decommissioning
+// replicas.
+func (a AllocatorAction) Decommissioning() bool {
+	return a == AllocatorRemoveDecommissioningVoter ||
+		a == AllocatorRemoveDecommissioningNonVoter ||
+		a == AllocatorReplaceDecommissioningVoter ||
+		a == AllocatorReplaceDecommissioningNonVoter
+}
+
 // TargetReplicaType returns that the action is for a voter or non-voter replica.
 func (a AllocatorAction) TargetReplicaType() TargetReplicaType {
 	var t TargetReplicaType
diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/queue.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/queue.go
index 8270e7c02577..0b845d6b7ad7 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/queue.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/queue.go
@@ -766,10 +766,16 @@ func (bq *baseQueue) addInternal(
 	item = &replicaItem{rangeID: desc.RangeID, replicaID: replicaID, priority: priority}
 	bq.addLocked(item)
 
-	// If adding this replica has pushed the queue past its maximum size,
-	// remove the lowest priority element.
+	// If adding this replica has pushed the queue past its maximum size, remove
+	// an element. Note that it might not be the lowest priority since heap is not
+	// guaranteed to be globally ordered. Ideally, we would remove the lowest
+	// priority element, but it would require additional bookkeeping or a linear
+	// scan.
 	if pqLen := bq.mu.priorityQ.Len(); pqLen > bq.maxSize {
-		bq.removeLocked(bq.mu.priorityQ.sl[pqLen-1])
+		replicaItemToDrop := bq.mu.priorityQ.sl[pqLen-1]
+		log.Dev.VInfof(ctx, 1, "dropping due to exceeding queue max size: priority=%0.3f, replica=%v",
+			priority, replicaItemToDrop.replicaID)
+		bq.removeLocked(replicaItemToDrop)
 	}
 	// Signal the processLoop that a replica has been added.
 	select {
diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica.go
index 7019f62e0208..adcdc2685519 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica.go
@@ -2930,15 +2930,8 @@ func (r *Replica) maybeEnqueueProblemRange(
 	if !isLeaseholder || !leaseValid {
 		// The replicate queue will not process the replica without a valid lease.
 		// Track when we skip enqueuing for these reasons.
-		boolToInt := func(b bool) int {
-			if b {
-				return 1
-			}
-			return 0
-		}
-		reasons := []string{"is not the leaseholder", "the lease is not valid"}
-		reason := reasons[boolToInt(isLeaseholder)]
-		log.KvDistribution.VInfof(ctx, 1, "not enqueuing replica %s because %s", r.Desc(), reason)
+		log.KvDistribution.Infof(ctx, "not enqueuing replica %s because isLeaseholder=%t, leaseValid=%t",
+			r.Desc(), isLeaseholder, leaseValid)
 		r.store.metrics.DecommissioningNudgerNotLeaseholderOrInvalidLease.Inc(1)
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/replicate_queue.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/replicate_queue.go
index 9bfac52f27f7..5e63ba7c3dcc 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/replicate_queue.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/replicate_queue.go
@@ -923,19 +923,12 @@ func (rq *replicateQueue) processOneChange(
 }
 
 func maybeAnnotateDecommissionErr(err error, action allocatorimpl.AllocatorAction) error {
-	if err != nil && isDecommissionAction(action) {
+	if err != nil && action.Decommissioning() {
 		err = decommissionPurgatoryError{err}
 	}
 	return err
 }
 
-func isDecommissionAction(action allocatorimpl.AllocatorAction) bool {
-	return action == allocatorimpl.AllocatorRemoveDecommissioningVoter ||
-		action == allocatorimpl.AllocatorRemoveDecommissioningNonVoter ||
-		action == allocatorimpl.AllocatorReplaceDecommissioningVoter ||
-		action == allocatorimpl.AllocatorReplaceDecommissioningNonVoter
-}
-
 // shedLease takes in a leaseholder replica, looks for a target for transferring
 // the lease and, if a suitable target is found (e.g. alive, not draining),
 // transfers the lease away.