diff --git a/clientv3/concurrency/election.go b/clientv3/concurrency/election.go
index 90c7c667c..257cc78af 100644
--- a/clientv3/concurrency/election.go
+++ b/clientv3/concurrency/election.go
@@ -148,9 +148,13 @@ func (e *Election) Leader(ctx context.Context) (*v3.GetResponse, error) {
 	return resp, nil
 }
 
-// Observe returns a channel that observes all leader proposal values as
-// GetResponse values on the current leader key. The channel closes when
-// the context is cancelled or the underlying watcher is otherwise disrupted.
+// Observe returns a channel that reliably observes ordered leader proposals
+// as GetResponse values on every current elected leader key. It will not
+// necessarily fetch all historical leader updates, but will always post the
+// most recent leader value.
+//
+// The channel closes when the context is canceled or the underlying watcher
+// is otherwise disrupted.
 func (e *Election) Observe(ctx context.Context) <-chan v3.GetResponse {
 	retc := make(chan v3.GetResponse)
 	go e.observe(ctx, retc)
diff --git a/integration/v3election_grpc_test.go b/integration/v3election_grpc_test.go
index f92c41d30..b573b6e12 100644
--- a/integration/v3election_grpc_test.go
+++ b/integration/v3election_grpc_test.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func TestV3ElectionObserve(t *testing.T) {
 
 	lc := epb.NewElectionClient(clus.Client(0).ActiveConnection())
 
-	// observe 10 leadership events
+	// observe leadership events
 	observec := make(chan struct{})
 	go func() {
 		defer close(observec)
@@ -110,9 +110,13 @@ func TestV3ElectionObserve(t *testing.T) {
 			if rerr != nil {
 				t.Fatal(rerr)
 			}
-			if string(resp.Kv.Value) != fmt.Sprintf("%d", i) {
-				t.Fatalf(`got observe value %q, expected "%d"`, string(resp.Kv.Value), i)
+			respV := 0
+			fmt.Sscanf(string(resp.Kv.Value), "%d", &respV)
+			// leader transitions should not go backwards
+			if respV < i {
+				t.Fatalf(`got observe value %q, expected >= "%d"`, string(resp.Kv.Value), i)
 			}
+			i = respV
 		}
 	}()