diff --git a/server/filestore.go b/server/filestore.go
index 11661cacec2..c23e6ce9bee 100644
--- a/server/filestore.go
+++ b/server/filestore.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"io/fs"
 	"math"
+	mrand "math/rand/v2"
 	"net"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -7946,7 +7947,11 @@ func (fs *fileStore) setSyncTimer() {
 	if fs.syncTmr != nil {
 		fs.syncTmr.Reset(fs.fcfg.SyncInterval)
 	} else {
-		fs.syncTmr = time.AfterFunc(fs.fcfg.SyncInterval, fs.syncBlocks)
+		// First time this fires will be any time up to the fs.fcfg.SyncInterval,
+		// so that different stores are spread out, rather than having many of
+		// them trying to all sync at once, causing blips and contending dios.
+		start := time.Duration(mrand.Int64N(int64(fs.fcfg.SyncInterval)))
+		fs.syncTmr = time.AfterFunc(min(start, time.Second), fs.syncBlocks)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/server/jetstream_cluster.go b/server/jetstream_cluster.go
index fa06a93a0d1..cedfc0aa7e2 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_cluster.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_cluster.go
@@ -782,8 +782,12 @@ func (js *jetStream) setupMetaGroup() error {
 	sysAcc := s.SystemAccount()
 	storeDir := filepath.Join(js.config.StoreDir, sysAcc.Name, defaultStoreDirName, defaultMetaGroupName)
 
+	js.srv.optsMu.RLock()
+	syncAlways := js.srv.opts.SyncAlways
+	syncInterval := js.srv.opts.SyncInterval
+	js.srv.optsMu.RUnlock()
 	fs, err := newFileStoreWithCreated(
-		FileStoreConfig{StoreDir: storeDir, BlockSize: defaultMetaFSBlkSize, AsyncFlush: false, srv: s},
+		FileStoreConfig{StoreDir: storeDir, BlockSize: defaultMetaFSBlkSize, AsyncFlush: false, SyncAlways: syncAlways, SyncInterval: syncInterval, srv: s},
 		StreamConfig{Name: defaultMetaGroupName, Storage: FileStorage},
 		time.Now().UTC(),
 		s.jsKeyGen(s.getOpts().JetStreamKey, defaultMetaGroupName),
@@ -2078,8 +2082,13 @@ func (js *jetStream) createRaftGroup(accName string, rg *raftGroup, storage Stor
 	storeDir := filepath.Join(js.config.StoreDir, sysAcc.Name, defaultStoreDirName, rg.Name)
 	var store StreamStore
 	if storage == FileStorage {
+		// If the server is set to sync always, do the same for the Raft log.
+		js.srv.optsMu.RLock()
+		syncAlways := js.srv.opts.SyncAlways
+		syncInterval := js.srv.opts.SyncInterval
+		js.srv.optsMu.RUnlock()
 		fs, err := newFileStoreWithCreated(
-			FileStoreConfig{StoreDir: storeDir, BlockSize: defaultMediumBlockSize, AsyncFlush: false, SyncInterval: 5 * time.Minute, srv: s},
+			FileStoreConfig{StoreDir: storeDir, BlockSize: defaultMediumBlockSize, AsyncFlush: false, SyncAlways: syncAlways, SyncInterval: syncInterval, srv: s},
 			StreamConfig{Name: rg.Name, Storage: FileStorage, Metadata: labels},
 			time.Now().UTC(),
 			s.jsKeyGen(s.getOpts().JetStreamKey, rg.Name),