diff --git a/raft/node.go b/raft/node.go
index 9980c4307..d03a4130e 100644
--- a/raft/node.go
+++ b/raft/node.go
@@ -244,19 +244,19 @@ func (n *node) run(r *raft) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		if lead != r.leader() {
+		if lead != r.lead {
 			if r.hasLeader() {
 				if lead == None {
-					log.Printf("raft.node: %x elected leader %x at term %d", r.id, r.leader(), r.Term)
+					log.Printf("raft.node: %x elected leader %x at term %d", r.id, r.lead, r.Term)
 				} else {
-					log.Printf("raft.node: %x changed leader from %x to %x at term %d", r.id, lead, r.leader(), r.Term)
+					log.Printf("raft.node: %x changed leader from %x to %x at term %d", r.id, lead, r.lead, r.Term)
 				}
 				propc = n.propc
 			} else {
 				log.Printf("raft.node: %x lost leader %x at term %d", r.id, lead, r.Term)
 				propc = nil
 			}
-			lead = r.leader()
+			lead = r.lead
 		}
 
 		select {
diff --git a/raft/raft.go b/raft/raft.go
index 15fc55786..8c1346ade 100644
--- a/raft/raft.go
+++ b/raft/raft.go
@@ -52,10 +52,6 @@ func (st StateType) String() string {
 	return stmap[uint64(st)]
 }
 
-func (st StateType) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
-	return []byte(fmt.Sprintf("%q", st.String())), nil
-}
-
 type progress struct {
 	match, next uint64
 	wait        int
@@ -190,8 +186,6 @@ func newRaft(id uint64, peers []uint64, election, heartbeat int, storage Storage
 
 func (r *raft) hasLeader() bool { return r.lead != None }
 
-func (r *raft) leader() uint64 { return r.lead }
-
 func (r *raft) softState() *SoftState { return &SoftState{Lead: r.lead, RaftState: r.state} }
 
 func (r *raft) q() int { return len(r.prs)/2 + 1 }
diff --git a/raft/util.go b/raft/util.go
index 5dd585774..e1b48750f 100644
--- a/raft/util.go
+++ b/raft/util.go
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ import (
 	pb "github.com/coreos/etcd/raft/raftpb"
 )
 
+func (st StateType) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
+	return []byte(fmt.Sprintf("%q", st.String())), nil
+}
+
 // uint64Slice implements sort interface
 type uint64Slice []uint64