diff --git a/client/client.go b/client/client.go
index d7fb839de492..dcf5c235aa4b 100644
--- a/client/client.go
+++ b/client/client.go
@@ -315,6 +315,9 @@ func NewClient(cfg *config.Config, consulCatalog consul.CatalogAPI, consulServic
 	// Initialize the server manager
 	c.servers = servers.New(c.logger, c.shutdownCh, c)
 
+	// Start server manager rebalancing go routine
+	go c.servers.Start()
+
 	// Initialize the client
 	if err := c.init(); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to initialize client: %v", err)
@@ -1345,7 +1348,6 @@ func (c *Client) registerAndHeartbeat() {
 		case <-c.shutdownCh:
 			return
 		}
-
 		if err := c.updateNodeStatus(); err != nil {
 			// The servers have changed such that this node has not been
 			// registered before
@@ -2342,13 +2344,6 @@ func (c *Client) consulDiscovery() {
 func (c *Client) consulDiscoveryImpl() error {
 	consulLogger := c.logger.Named("consul")
 
-	// Acquire heartbeat lock to prevent heartbeat from running
-	// concurrently with discovery. Concurrent execution is safe, however
-	// discovery is usually triggered when heartbeating has failed so
-	// there's no point in allowing it.
-	c.heartbeatLock.Lock()
-	defer c.heartbeatLock.Unlock()
-
 	dcs, err := c.consulCatalog.Datacenters()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("client.consul: unable to query Consul datacenters: %v", err)
diff --git a/client/servers/manager.go b/client/servers/manager.go
index fea945dc5e9a..1cc61e8f45db 100644
--- a/client/servers/manager.go
+++ b/client/servers/manager.go
@@ -201,12 +201,16 @@ func (m *Manager) SetServers(servers Servers) bool {
 	m.Lock()
 	defer m.Unlock()
 
-	// Sort both the  existing and incoming servers
-	servers.Sort()
-	m.servers.Sort()
-
 	// Determine if they are equal
-	equal := servers.Equal(m.servers)
+	equal := m.serversAreEqual(servers)
+
+	// If server list is equal don't change the list and return immediately
+	// This prevents unnecessary shuffling of a failed server that was moved to the
+	// bottom of the list
+	if equal {
+		m.logger.Debug("Not replacing server list, current server list is identical to servers discovered in Consul")
+		return !equal
+	}
 
 	// Randomize the incoming servers
 	servers.shuffle()
@@ -215,6 +219,23 @@ func (m *Manager) SetServers(servers Servers) bool {
 	return !equal
 }
 
+// Method to check if the arg list of servers is equal to the one we already have
+func (m *Manager) serversAreEqual(servers Servers) bool {
+	// We use a copy of the server list here because determining
+	// equality requires a sort step which modifies the order of the server list
+	var copy Servers
+	copy = make([]*Server, 0, len(m.servers))
+	for _, s := range m.servers {
+		copy = append(copy, s.Copy())
+	}
+
+	// Sort both the  existing and incoming servers
+	copy.Sort()
+	servers.Sort()
+
+	return copy.Equal(servers)
+}
+
 // FindServer returns a server to send an RPC too. If there are no servers, nil
 // is returned.
 func (m *Manager) FindServer() *Server {
diff --git a/client/servers/manager_test.go b/client/servers/manager_test.go
index e33ab4119ff9..1c13889a7f21 100644
--- a/client/servers/manager_test.go
+++ b/client/servers/manager_test.go
@@ -66,6 +66,19 @@ func TestServers_SetServers(t *testing.T) {
 	require.True(m.SetServers([]*servers.Server{s1}))
 	require.Equal(1, m.NumServers())
 	require.Len(m.GetServers(), 1)
+
+	// Test that the list of servers does not get shuffled
+	// as a side effect when incoming list is equal
+	require.True(m.SetServers([]*servers.Server{s1, s2}))
+	before := m.GetServers()
+	require.False(m.SetServers([]*servers.Server{s1, s2}))
+	after := m.GetServers()
+	require.Equal(before, after)
+
+	// Send a shuffled list, verify original order doesn't change
+	require.False(m.SetServers([]*servers.Server{s2, s1}))
+	afterShuffledInput := m.GetServers()
+	require.Equal(after, afterShuffledInput)
 }
 
 func TestServers_FindServer(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/dev/cluster/client1.hcl b/dev/cluster/client1.hcl
index 2cab7bba4d3b..ff41a0d74fcc 100644
--- a/dev/cluster/client1.hcl
+++ b/dev/cluster/client1.hcl
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ data_dir = "/tmp/client1"
 # Give the agent a unique name. Defaults to hostname
 name = "client1"
 
+# Enable debugging
+enable_debug = true
+
 # Enable the client
 client {
   enabled = true
diff --git a/dev/cluster/client2.hcl b/dev/cluster/client2.hcl
index 3385ab0d7750..e5271d6dc576 100644
--- a/dev/cluster/client2.hcl
+++ b/dev/cluster/client2.hcl
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ data_dir = "/tmp/client2"
 # Give the agent a unique name. Defaults to hostname
 name = "client2"
 
+# Enable debugging
+enable_debug = true
+
 # Enable the client
 client {
   enabled = true
diff --git a/dev/cluster/client3.hcl b/dev/cluster/client3.hcl
index 2702b79b0794..ceb09715a08a 100644
--- a/dev/cluster/client3.hcl
+++ b/dev/cluster/client3.hcl
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ data_dir = "/tmp/client3"
 # Give the agent a unique name. Defaults to hostname
 name = "client3"
 
+# Enable debugging
+enable_debug = true
+
 # Enable the client
 client {
   enabled = true