diff --git a/src/y-socket-io/y-socket-io.js b/src/y-socket-io/y-socket-io.js
index 3f5cd9d..3da56b3 100644
--- a/src/y-socket-io/y-socket-io.js
+++ b/src/y-socket-io/y-socket-io.js
@@ -414,7 +414,6 @@ export class YSocketIO {
         if (nsp?.sockets.size === 0 && stream) {
           this.cleanupNamespace(ns, stream, DEFAULT_CLEAR_TIMEOUT)
           if (this.namespaceDocMap.has(ns)) this.debouncedPersist(ns, true)
-          this.persistentLeaderOf.delete(ns)
         }
         logSocketIO(`disconnecting socket in ${ns}, ${nsp?.sockets.size || 0} remaining`)
       }
@@ -475,7 +474,8 @@ export class YSocketIO {
     const nsp = this.namespaceMap.get(namespace)
     if (!nsp) return
     if (nsp.sockets.size === 0 && this.subscriber) {
-      this.cleanupNamespace(namespace, stream, DEFAULT_CLEAR_TIMEOUT)
+      const isLeader = this.persistentLeaderOf.has(namespace)
+      this.cleanupNamespace(namespace, stream, DEFAULT_CLEAR_TIMEOUT, isLeader)
     }
 
     /** @type {Uint8Array[]} */
@@ -708,13 +708,19 @@ export class YSocketIO {
    * @param {string} namespace
    * @param {string} stream
    * @param {number=} removeAfterWait
+   * @param {boolean=} extendExisting
    */
-  cleanupNamespace (namespace, stream, removeAfterWait) {
+  cleanupNamespace (namespace, stream, removeAfterWait, extendExisting = false) {
     if (!removeAfterWait) {
       this.awaitingCleanupNamespace.delete(namespace)
       return this.cleanupNamespaceImpl(namespace, stream)
     }
-    if (this.awaitingCleanupNamespace.has(namespace)) return
+
+    const existingTimer = this.awaitingCleanupNamespace.get(namespace)
+    if (existingTimer) {
+      if (!extendExisting) return
+      clearTimeout(existingTimer)
+    }
 
     const timer = setTimeout(async () => {
       const awaitingPersist = this.awaitingPersistMap.get(namespace)
@@ -739,6 +745,15 @@ export class YSocketIO {
     this.namespaceDocMap.get(namespace)?.ydoc.destroy()
     this.namespaceDocMap.delete(namespace)
     this.namespacePersistentMap.delete(namespace)
+    this.persistentLeaderOf.delete(namespace)
+
+    // clear leader key in redis when we fully clean up
+    if (this.client) {
+      const key = this.getLeaderKeyOf(namespace)
+      this.client.redis
+        .del(key)
+        .catch((e) => console.error(e))
+    }
   }
 
   async waitUntilWorkerReady () {
@@ -818,8 +833,11 @@ export class YSocketIO {
           const curLeader = await redis.get(key)
 
           // remove orphaned if exist
-          const aliveClients = this.namespaceMap.get(namespace)?.sockets.size || 0
-          if (aliveClients === 0) {
+          const nsp = this.namespaceMap.get(namespace)
+          const hasDoc = this.namespaceDocMap.has(namespace)
+          const hasCleanupTimer = this.awaitingCleanupNamespace.has(namespace)
+          const isActiveHere = Boolean(nsp || hasDoc || hasCleanupTimer)
+          if (!isActiveHere) {
             logSocketIO(`clearing leader heartbeat for [${namespace}] (SID: ${this.serverId})`)
             this.persistentLeaderOf.delete(namespace)
             continue