diff --git a/src/v/raft/heartbeat_manager.cc b/src/v/raft/heartbeat_manager.cc
index ef53078f24e6a..d58289c19b17e 100644
--- a/src/v/raft/heartbeat_manager.cc
+++ b/src/v/raft/heartbeat_manager.cc
@@ -23,12 +23,14 @@
 #include "rpc/types.h"
 #include "vlog.h"
 
+#include <seastar/core/chunked_fifo.hh>
 #include <seastar/core/coroutine.hh>
 #include <seastar/core/future-util.hh>
 #include <seastar/core/timed_out_error.hh>
 #include <seastar/core/with_timeout.hh>
 
 #include <absl/container/flat_hash_set.h>
+#include <absl/container/node_hash_map.h>
 #include <bits/stdint-uintn.h>
 #include <boost/range/iterator_range.hpp>
 
@@ -72,9 +74,9 @@ heartbeat_manager::follower_request_meta::~follower_request_meta() noexcept {
 
 static heartbeat_requests requests_for_range(
   const consensus_set& c, clock_type::duration heartbeat_interval) {
-    absl::btree_map<
+    absl::node_hash_map<
       model::node_id,
-      std::vector<std::pair<
+      ss::chunked_fifo<std::pair<
         heartbeat_metadata,
         heartbeat_manager::follower_request_meta>>>
       pending_beats;
@@ -154,9 +156,10 @@ static heartbeat_requests requests_for_range(
     reqs.reserve(pending_beats.size());
     for (auto& p : pending_beats) {
         std::vector<heartbeat_metadata> requests;
-        absl::
-          btree_map<raft::group_id, heartbeat_manager::follower_request_meta>
-            meta_map;
+        absl::node_hash_map<
+          raft::group_id,
+          heartbeat_manager::follower_request_meta>
+          meta_map;
         requests.reserve(p.second.size());
         for (auto& [hb, follower_meta] : p.second) {
             meta_map.emplace(hb.meta.group, std::move(follower_meta));
@@ -228,7 +231,7 @@ ss::future<> heartbeat_manager::do_self_heartbeat(node_heartbeat&& r) {
             .group = hb.meta.group,
             .result = append_entries_reply::status::success};
       });
-    process_reply(r.target, std::move(r.meta_map), std::move(reply));
+    process_reply(r.target, r.meta_map, std::move(reply));
     return ss::now();
 }
 
@@ -254,7 +257,7 @@ ss::future<> heartbeat_manager::do_heartbeat(node_heartbeat&& r) {
                       this](result<heartbeat_reply> ret) mutable {
                    // this will happen after RPC client will return and resume
                    // sending heartbeats to follower
-                   process_reply(node, std::move(groups), std::move(ret));
+                   process_reply(node, groups, std::move(ret));
                });
     // fail fast to make sure that not lagging nodes will be able to receive
     // hearteats
@@ -272,7 +275,7 @@ ss::future<> heartbeat_manager::do_heartbeat(node_heartbeat&& r) {
 
 void heartbeat_manager::process_reply(
   model::node_id n,
-  absl::btree_map<raft::group_id, follower_request_meta> groups,
+  const absl::node_hash_map<raft::group_id, follower_request_meta>& groups,
   result<heartbeat_reply> r) {
     if (!r) {
         vlog(
diff --git a/src/v/raft/heartbeat_manager.h b/src/v/raft/heartbeat_manager.h
index 24abb988a1c7d..24a100b11c4b4 100644
--- a/src/v/raft/heartbeat_manager.h
+++ b/src/v/raft/heartbeat_manager.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <seastar/util/log.hh>
 
 #include <absl/container/btree_map.h>
+#include <absl/container/node_hash_map.h>
 #include <boost/container/flat_set.hpp>
 
 namespace raft::details {
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ class heartbeat_manager {
         node_heartbeat(
           model::node_id t,
           heartbeat_request req,
-          absl::btree_map<raft::group_id, follower_request_meta> seqs)
+          absl::node_hash_map<raft::group_id, follower_request_meta> seqs)
           : target(t)
           , request(std::move(req))
           , meta_map(std::move(seqs)) {}
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ class heartbeat_manager {
         heartbeat_request request;
         // each raft group has its own follower metadata hence we need map to
         // track a sequence per group
-        absl::btree_map<raft::group_id, follower_request_meta> meta_map;
+        absl::node_hash_map<raft::group_id, follower_request_meta> meta_map;
     };
 
     heartbeat_manager(
@@ -155,7 +156,7 @@ class heartbeat_manager {
     /// \param result if the node return successful heartbeats
     void process_reply(
       model::node_id n,
-      absl::btree_map<raft::group_id, follower_request_meta> groups,
+      const absl::node_hash_map<raft::group_id, follower_request_meta>& groups,
       result<heartbeat_reply> result);
 
     // private members