diff --git a/arangod/Agency/AgencyFeature.cpp b/arangod/Agency/AgencyFeature.cpp
index 16d0d80754..7e35156827 100644
--- a/arangod/Agency/AgencyFeature.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Agency/AgencyFeature.cpp
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ AgencyFeature::AgencyFeature(application_features::ApplicationServer* server)
     : ApplicationFeature(server, "Agency"),
       _size(1),
       _agentId(0),
-      _minElectionTimeout(0.15),
-      _maxElectionTimeout(2.0),
+      _minElectionTimeout(0.25),
+      _maxElectionTimeout(2.5),
       _notify(false),
       _supervision(false),
       _waitForSync(true),
diff --git a/arangod/Agency/Agent.cpp b/arangod/Agency/Agent.cpp
index fb9bebd249..df3afd05f8 100644
--- a/arangod/Agency/Agent.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Agency/Agent.cpp
@@ -178,6 +178,8 @@ void Agent::reportIn(arangodb::consensus::id_t id, index_t index) {
 
   MUTEX_LOCKER(mutexLocker, _ioLock);
 
+  TRI_ASSERT(id<_confirmed.size());
+
   if (index > _confirmed[id]) {  // progress this follower?
     _confirmed[id] = index;
   }
@@ -282,6 +284,10 @@ priv_rpc_ret_t Agent::sendAppendEntriesRPC(
     t = this->term();
   }
 
+  if (unconfirmed.empty()) {
+    return priv_rpc_ret_t(false, t);
+  }
+  
   // RPC path
   std::stringstream path;
   path << "/_api/agency_priv/appendEntries?term=" << t << "&leaderId=" << id()
diff --git a/arangod/Agency/State.cpp b/arangod/Agency/State.cpp
index 4a2f7620b5..ebed0adb57 100644
--- a/arangod/Agency/State.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Agency/State.cpp
@@ -180,7 +180,9 @@ std::vector<VPackSlice> State::slices(
   std::vector<VPackSlice> slices;
   MUTEX_LOCKER(mutexLocker, _logLock);
 
-  
+  if (_log.empty()) {
+    return slices;
+  }
 
   if (start < _log.front().index) { // no start specified
     start = _log.front().index;