diff --git a/server/consumer.go b/server/consumer.go
index 0ffd72af57a..1322384e600 100644
--- a/server/consumer.go
+++ b/server/consumer.go
@@ -1821,6 +1821,8 @@ var (
 	consumerNotActiveMaxInterval   = defaultConsumerNotActiveMaxInterval
 )
 
+// deleteNotActive must only be called from time.AfterFunc or in its own
+// goroutine, as it can block on clean-up.
 func (o *consumer) deleteNotActive() {
 	o.mu.Lock()
 	if o.mset == nil {
@@ -1863,6 +1865,16 @@ func (o *consumer) deleteNotActive() {
 	acc, stream, name, isDirect := o.acc.Name, o.stream, o.name, o.cfg.Direct
 	o.mu.Unlock()
 
+	// Useful for pprof.
+	setGoRoutineLabels(pprofLabels{
+		"account":  acc,
+		"stream":   stream,
+		"consumer": name,
+	})
+
+	// We will delete locally regardless.
+	defer o.delete()
+
 	// If we are clustered, check if we still have this consumer assigned.
 	// If we do forward a proposal to delete ourselves to the metacontroller leader.
 	if !isDirect && s.JetStreamIsClustered() {
@@ -1885,38 +1897,33 @@ func (o *consumer) deleteNotActive() {
 		if ca != nil && cc != nil {
 			// Check to make sure we went away.
 			// Don't think this needs to be a monitored go routine.
-			go func() {
-				jitter := time.Duration(rand.Int63n(int64(consumerNotActiveStartInterval)))
-				interval := consumerNotActiveStartInterval + jitter
-				ticker := time.NewTicker(interval)
-				defer ticker.Stop()
-				for range ticker.C {
-					js.mu.RLock()
-					if js.shuttingDown {
-						js.mu.RUnlock()
-						return
-					}
-					nca := js.consumerAssignment(acc, stream, name)
+			jitter := time.Duration(rand.Int63n(int64(consumerNotActiveStartInterval)))
+			interval := consumerNotActiveStartInterval + jitter
+			ticker := time.NewTicker(interval)
+			defer ticker.Stop()
+			for range ticker.C {
+				js.mu.RLock()
+				if js.shuttingDown {
 					js.mu.RUnlock()
-					// Make sure this is not a new consumer with the same name.
-					if nca != nil && nca == ca {
-						s.Warnf("Consumer assignment for '%s > %s > %s' not cleaned up, retrying", acc, stream, name)
-						meta.ForwardProposal(removeEntry)
-						if interval < consumerNotActiveMaxInterval {
-							interval *= 2
-							ticker.Reset(interval)
-						}
-						continue
-					}
-					// We saw that consumer has been removed, all done.
 					return
 				}
-			}()
+				nca := js.consumerAssignment(acc, stream, name)
+				js.mu.RUnlock()
+				// Make sure this is not a new consumer with the same name.
+				if nca != nil && nca == ca {
+					s.Warnf("Consumer assignment for '%s > %s > %s' not cleaned up, retrying", acc, stream, name)
+					meta.ForwardProposal(removeEntry)
+					if interval < consumerNotActiveMaxInterval {
+						interval *= 2
+						ticker.Reset(interval)
+					}
+					continue
+				}
+				// We saw that consumer has been removed, all done.
+				return
+			}
 		}
 	}
-
-	// We will delete here regardless.
-	o.delete()
 }
 
 func (o *consumer) watchGWinterest() {