diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/collective/manager.py b/confluent_server/confluent/collective/manager.py
index ccefc0ae..b5f3a5a3 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/collective/manager.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/collective/manager.py
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ def handle_connection(connection, cert, request, local=False):
             connection.close()
             return
         if (currentleader == connection.getpeername()[0] and
-                follower and follower.isAlive()):
+                follower and not follower.dead:
             # if we are happily following this leader already, don't stir
             # the pot
             tlvdata.send(connection, {'status': 0})
diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/config/configmanager.py b/confluent_server/confluent/config/configmanager.py
index 3596a0ee..672caac3 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/config/configmanager.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/config/configmanager.py
@@ -2338,7 +2338,7 @@ class ConfigManager(object):
             return
         with cls._syncstate:
             if (cls._syncrunning and cls._cfgwriter is not None and
-                    cls._cfgwriter.isAlive()):
+                    not cls._cfgwriter.dead):
                 cls._writepending = True
                 return
             if cls._syncrunning:  # This suggests an unclean write attempt,