diff --git a/server/norace_1_test.go b/server/norace_1_test.go
index 75b6b70cee2..0afe648df0a 100644
--- a/server/norace_1_test.go
+++ b/server/norace_1_test.go
@@ -3606,7 +3606,7 @@ func TestNoRaceJetStreamClusterCorruptWAL(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
-	ae, err := node.decodeAppendEntry(sm.msg, nil, _EMPTY_)
+	ae, err := decodeAppendEntry(sm.msg, nil, _EMPTY_)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/server/raft.go b/server/raft.go
index 0191827e8e8..04ec1b4cadc 100644
--- a/server/raft.go
+++ b/server/raft.go
@@ -2424,7 +2424,7 @@ func (ae *appendEntry) encode(b []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 }
 
 // This can not be used post the wire level callback since we do not copy.
-func (n *raft) decodeAppendEntry(msg []byte, sub *subscription, reply string) (*appendEntry, error) {
+func decodeAppendEntry(msg []byte, sub *subscription, reply string) (*appendEntry, error) {
 	if len(msg) < appendEntryBaseLen {
 		return nil, errBadAppendEntry
 	}
@@ -2509,7 +2509,7 @@ func (ar *appendEntryResponse) encode(b []byte) []byte {
 // Track all peers we may have ever seen to use an string interns for appendEntryResponse decoding.
 var peers sync.Map
 
-func (n *raft) decodeAppendEntryResponse(msg []byte) *appendEntryResponse {
+func decodeAppendEntryResponse(msg []byte) *appendEntryResponse {
 	if len(msg) != appendEntryResponseLen {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -2972,7 +2972,7 @@ func (n *raft) loadEntry(index uint64) (*appendEntry, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return n.decodeAppendEntry(sm.msg, nil, _EMPTY_)
+	return decodeAppendEntry(sm.msg, nil, _EMPTY_)
 }
 
 // applyCommit will update our commit index and apply the entry to the apply queue.
@@ -3302,7 +3302,7 @@ func (n *raft) runAsCandidate() {
 // is an internal callback from the "asubj" append entry subscription.
 func (n *raft) handleAppendEntry(sub *subscription, c *client, _ *Account, _, reply string, msg []byte) {
 	msg = copyBytes(msg)
-	if ae, err := n.decodeAppendEntry(msg, sub, reply); err == nil {
+	if ae, err := decodeAppendEntry(msg, sub, reply); err == nil {
 		// Push to the new entry channel. From here one of the worker
 		// goroutines (runAsLeader, runAsFollower, runAsCandidate) will
 		// pick it up.
@@ -3894,7 +3894,7 @@ func (n *raft) processAppendEntryResponse(ar *appendEntryResponse) {
 
 // handleAppendEntryResponse processes responses to append entries.
 func (n *raft) handleAppendEntryResponse(sub *subscription, c *client, _ *Account, subject, reply string, msg []byte) {
-	ar := n.decodeAppendEntryResponse(msg)
+	ar := decodeAppendEntryResponse(msg)
 	ar.reply = reply
 	n.resp.push(ar)
 }
diff --git a/server/raft_test.go b/server/raft_test.go
index 4d97367dd29..3fdb3626d30 100644
--- a/server/raft_test.go
+++ b/server/raft_test.go
@@ -133,9 +133,8 @@ func TestNRGAppendEntryDecode(t *testing.T) {
 	require_NoError(t, err)
 
 	// Truncate buffer first.
-	var node *raft
 	short := buf[0 : len(buf)-1025]
-	_, err = node.decodeAppendEntry(short, nil, _EMPTY_)
+	_, err = decodeAppendEntry(short, nil, _EMPTY_)
 	require_Error(t, err, errBadAppendEntry)
 
 	for i := 0; i < 100; i++ {
@@ -144,7 +143,7 @@ func TestNRGAppendEntryDecode(t *testing.T) {
 		bi := 42 + rand.Intn(len(b)-42)
 		if b[bi] != 0 && bi != 40 {
 			b[bi] = 0
-			_, err = node.decodeAppendEntry(b, nil, _EMPTY_)
+			_, err = decodeAppendEntry(b, nil, _EMPTY_)
 			require_Error(t, err, errBadAppendEntry)
 		}
 	}
@@ -279,7 +278,7 @@ func TestNRGAEFromOldLeader(t *testing.T) {
 	require_NoError(t, err)
 
 	// Wait for the response, the server should have rejected it.
-	ar := leader.decodeAppendEntryResponse(resp.Data)
+	ar := decodeAppendEntryResponse(resp.Data)
 	require_NotNil(t, ar)
 	require_Equal(t, ar.success, false)
 
@@ -400,8 +399,7 @@ func TestNRGLeaderTransfer(t *testing.T) {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		leader := newLeader.node().(*raft)
-		ae, err := leader.decodeAppendEntry(msg.Data, nil, msg.Reply)
+		ae, err := decodeAppendEntry(msg.Data, nil, msg.Reply)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -473,7 +471,7 @@ func TestNRGStepDownOnSameTermDoesntClearVote(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// We're going to modify the append entry that we received so that
 	// we can send it again with modifications.
-	ae, err := leader.decodeAppendEntry(msg.Data, nil, msg.Reply)
+	ae, err := decodeAppendEntry(msg.Data, nil, msg.Reply)
 	require_NoError(t, err)
 
 	// First of all we're going to try sending an append entry that
@@ -931,7 +929,7 @@ func TestNRGNoResetOnAppendEntryResponse(t *testing.T) {
 	// The higher term in this case is what would cause the leader previously
 	// to reset the entire log which it shouldn't do.
 	_, err := nc.Subscribe(fmt.Sprintf(raftAppendSubj, "TEST"), func(msg *nats.Msg) {
-		if ae, err := follower.decodeAppendEntry(msg.Data, nil, msg.Reply); err == nil && len(ae.entries) > 0 {
+		if ae, err := decodeAppendEntry(msg.Data, nil, msg.Reply); err == nil && len(ae.entries) > 0 {
 			ar := newAppendEntryResponse(ae.term+1, ae.commit, follower.id, false)
 			require_NoError(t, msg.Respond(ar.encode(nil)))
 		}
@@ -1023,7 +1021,7 @@ func TestNRGCandidateDontStepdownDueToLeaderOfPreviousTerm(t *testing.T) {
 	defer rg.unlockAll()
 
 	// Decode the append entry
-	ae, err := leader.decodeAppendEntry(msg.Data, nil, msg.Reply)
+	ae, err := decodeAppendEntry(msg.Data, nil, msg.Reply)
 	require_NoError(t, err)
 
 	// Check that the append entry is from the leader
@@ -2434,7 +2432,7 @@ func TestNRGCatchupDontCountTowardQuorum(t *testing.T) {
 	// Should reply we require catchup.
 	msg, err := sub.NextMsg(time.Second)
 	require_NoError(t, err)
-	ar := n.decodeAppendEntryResponse(msg.Data)
+	ar := decodeAppendEntryResponse(msg.Data)
 	require_Equal(t, ar.index, 0)
 	require_False(t, ar.success)
 	require_True(t, strings.HasPrefix(msg.Reply, "$NRG.CR"))
@@ -2452,7 +2450,7 @@ func TestNRGCatchupDontCountTowardQuorum(t *testing.T) {
 	n.processAppendEntry(aeHeartbeat, n.aesub)
 	msg, err = sub.NextMsg(time.Second)
 	require_NoError(t, err)
-	ar = n.decodeAppendEntryResponse(msg.Data)
+	ar = decodeAppendEntryResponse(msg.Data)
 	require_Equal(t, ar.index, aeHeartbeat.pindex)
 	require_True(t, ar.success)
 	require_Equal(t, msg.Reply, _EMPTY_)
@@ -3196,7 +3194,7 @@ func TestNRGDelayedMessagesAfterCatchupDontCountTowardQuorum(t *testing.T) {
 	// Should reply "success", this is the latest message.
 	msg, err := sub.NextMsg(500 * time.Millisecond)
 	require_NoError(t, err)
-	ar := n.decodeAppendEntryResponse(msg.Data)
+	ar := decodeAppendEntryResponse(msg.Data)
 	require_Equal(t, ar.index, 3)
 	require_True(t, ar.success)
 	require_Equal(t, msg.Reply, _EMPTY_)
@@ -3359,14 +3357,14 @@ func TestNRGLeaderCatchupHandling(t *testing.T) {
 	// Should receive all messages the leader knows up to this point.
 	msg, err := sub.NextMsg(500 * time.Millisecond)
 	require_NoError(t, err)
-	ae, err := n.decodeAppendEntry(msg.Data, nil, _EMPTY_)
+	ae, err := decodeAppendEntry(msg.Data, nil, _EMPTY_)
 	require_NoError(t, err)
 	require_Equal(t, ae.pterm, 1)
 	require_Equal(t, ae.pindex, 1)
 
 	msg, err = sub.NextMsg(500 * time.Millisecond)
 	require_NoError(t, err)
-	ae, err = n.decodeAppendEntry(msg.Data, nil, _EMPTY_)
+	ae, err = decodeAppendEntry(msg.Data, nil, _EMPTY_)
 	require_NoError(t, err)
 	require_Equal(t, ae.pterm, 1)
 	require_Equal(t, ae.pindex, 2)
@@ -3425,7 +3423,7 @@ func TestNRGNewEntriesFromOldLeaderResetsWALDuringCatchup(t *testing.T) {
 	// Should reply we have a higher term, prompting the server to step down.
 	msg, err := sub.NextMsg(time.Second)
 	require_NoError(t, err)
-	ar := n.decodeAppendEntryResponse(msg.Data)
+	ar := decodeAppendEntryResponse(msg.Data)
 	require_False(t, ar.success)
 	require_Equal(t, ar.index, 1)
 	require_Equal(t, ar.term, 20)