diff --git a/app/api/api.go b/app/api/api.go
index 31fc46a0..fc7362d5 100644
--- a/app/api/api.go
+++ b/app/api/api.go
@@ -545,6 +545,7 @@ func (a *api) start(ctx context.Context) error {
 			SyncInterval:           time.Duration(cfg.Cluster.SyncInterval) * time.Second,
 			NodeRecoverTimeout:     time.Duration(cfg.Cluster.NodeRecoverTimeout) * time.Second,
 			EmergencyLeaderTimeout: time.Duration(cfg.Cluster.EmergencyLeaderTimeout) * time.Second,
+			RecoverTimeout:         time.Duration(cfg.Cluster.RecoverTimeout) * time.Second,
 			CoreConfig:             cfg.Clone(),
 			CoreSkills:             a.ffmpeg.Skills(),
 			IPLimiter:              a.sessionsLimiter,
diff --git a/cluster/cluster.go b/cluster/cluster.go
index 60e41235..ccb9e65c 100644
--- a/cluster/cluster.go
+++ b/cluster/cluster.go
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ type Cluster interface {
 	Leave(origin, id string) error              // gracefully remove a node from the cluster
 	TransferLeadership(origin, id string) error // transfer leadership to another node
 	Snapshot(origin string) (io.ReadCloser, error)
+	IsRaftLeader() bool
 	HasRaftLeader() bool
 
 	ProcessAdd(origin string, config *app.Config) error
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	SyncInterval           time.Duration // Interval between aligning the process in the cluster DB with the processes on the nodes
 	NodeRecoverTimeout     time.Duration // Timeout for a node to recover before rebalancing the processes
 	EmergencyLeaderTimeout time.Duration // Timeout for establishing the emergency leadership after lost contact to raft leader
+	RecoverTimeout         time.Duration // Timeout for recovering the cluster if there's no raft leader
 
 	CoreConfig *config.Config
 	CoreSkills skills.Skills
@@ -127,7 +129,7 @@ type cluster struct {
 
 	logger log.Logger
 
-	raft                    raft.Raft
+	raft                    raft.RaftRecoverer
 	raftRemoveGracePeriod   time.Duration
 	raftAddress             string
 	raftNotifyCh            chan bool
@@ -136,7 +138,8 @@ type cluster struct {
 
 	store store.Store
 
-	cancelLeaderShip context.CancelFunc
+	cancelLeaderShip   context.CancelFunc
+	cancelFollowerShip context.CancelFunc
 
 	shutdown     bool
 	shutdownCh   chan struct{}
@@ -146,6 +149,7 @@ type cluster struct {
 	syncInterval           time.Duration
 	nodeRecoverTimeout     time.Duration
 	emergencyLeaderTimeout time.Duration
+	recoverTimeout         time.Duration
 
 	forwarder *forwarder.Forwarder
 	api       API
@@ -158,10 +162,12 @@ type cluster struct {
 	hostnames []string
 	stateLock sync.RWMutex
 
-	isRaftLeader  bool
-	hasRaftLeader bool
-	isLeader      bool
-	leaderLock    sync.Mutex
+	isRaftLeader      bool
+	hasRaftLeader     bool
+	isLeader          bool
+	isEmergencyLeader bool
+	lastLeaderChange  time.Time
+	leaderLock        sync.Mutex
 
 	isTLSRequired bool
 	clusterKVS    ClusterKVS
@@ -196,6 +202,7 @@ func New(config Config) (Cluster, error) {
 		syncInterval:           config.SyncInterval,
 		nodeRecoverTimeout:     config.NodeRecoverTimeout,
 		emergencyLeaderTimeout: config.EmergencyLeaderTimeout,
+		recoverTimeout:         config.RecoverTimeout,
 
 		config: config.CoreConfig,
 		skills: config.CoreSkills,
@@ -324,7 +331,7 @@ func New(config Config) (Cluster, error) {
 	c.raftLeaderObservationCh = make(chan string, 16)
 	c.raftEmergencyNotifyCh = make(chan bool, 16)
 
-	raft, err := raft.New(raft.Config{
+	raft, err := raft.NewRecoverer(raft.Config{
 		ID:                  config.NodeID,
 		Path:                config.Path,
 		Address:             config.Address,
@@ -357,11 +364,25 @@ func New(config Config) (Cluster, error) {
 				ticker := time.NewTicker(time.Second)
 				defer ticker.Stop()
 
+				timer := time.NewTimer(c.nodeRecoverTimeout)
+				defer timer.Stop()
+
 				for {
 					select {
 					case <-c.shutdownCh:
 						return
+					case <-timer.C:
+						c.logger.Warn().WithFields(log.Fields{
+							"peer":    peerAddress,
+							"timeout": c.nodeRecoverTimeout,
+						}).Log("Giving up joining cluster via peer")
+						return
 					case <-ticker.C:
+						if c.HasRaftLeader() {
+							c.logger.Warn().WithField("peer", peerAddress).Log("Stop joining cluster via peer, already joined")
+							return
+						}
+
 						err := c.Join("", c.nodeID, c.raftAddress, peerAddress)
 						if err != nil {
 							c.logger.Warn().WithError(err).Log("Join cluster")
@@ -750,11 +771,11 @@ func (c *cluster) Leave(origin, id string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	numPeers := len(servers)
+	numServers := len(servers)
 
 	if id == c.nodeID {
 		// We're going to remove ourselves
-		if numPeers <= 1 {
+		if numServers <= 1 {
 			// Don't do so if we're the only server in the cluster
 			c.logger.Debug().Log("We're the leader without any peers, not doing anything")
 			return nil
@@ -1015,6 +1036,7 @@ func (c *cluster) trackLeaderChanges() {
 			}
 			c.forwarder.SetLeader(leaderAddress)
 			c.leaderLock.Lock()
+			c.lastLeaderChange = time.Now()
 			if len(leaderAddress) == 0 {
 				c.hasRaftLeader = false
 			} else {
diff --git a/cluster/follower.go b/cluster/follower.go
index afeeb664..2698b746 100644
--- a/cluster/follower.go
+++ b/cluster/follower.go
@@ -1,7 +1,22 @@
 package cluster
 
+import (
+	"context"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/datarhei/core/v16/cluster/raft"
+)
+
 // followerLoop is run by every follower node in the cluster.
 func (c *cluster) followerLoop(stopCh chan struct{}) {
+	establishedFollower := false
+
+	if !establishedFollower {
+		c.establishFollowership(context.TODO())
+		establishedFollower = true
+		defer c.revokeFollowership()
+	}
+
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-stopCh:
@@ -11,3 +26,83 @@ func (c *cluster) followerLoop(stopCh chan struct{}) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func (c *cluster) establishFollowership(ctx context.Context) {
+	c.logger.Info().Log("Establishing followership")
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+	c.cancelFollowerShip = cancel
+
+	if c.recoverTimeout > 0 {
+		go c.recoverCluster(ctx, c.syncInterval)
+	}
+}
+
+func (c *cluster) revokeFollowership() {
+	c.logger.Info().Log("Revoking followership")
+
+	if c.cancelFollowerShip != nil {
+		c.cancelFollowerShip()
+		c.cancelFollowerShip = nil
+	}
+}
+
+func (c *cluster) recoverCluster(ctx context.Context, interval time.Duration) {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(interval)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			c.leaderLock.Lock()
+			hasLeader := c.hasRaftLeader
+			lastLeaderChange := c.lastLeaderChange
+			c.leaderLock.Unlock()
+
+			uptime := c.raft.Stats().Uptime
+			if uptime < 2*c.recoverTimeout {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			if !hasLeader && c.recoverTimeout > 0 && time.Since(lastLeaderChange) > c.recoverTimeout {
+				peers := []raft.Peer{}
+
+				// find living peers and recover
+				servers, err := c.raft.Servers()
+				if err != nil {
+					break
+				}
+
+				nodes := c.manager.NodeList()
+				for _, node := range nodes {
+					if _, err := node.Status(); err != nil {
+						continue
+					}
+
+					id := node.About().ID
+
+					for _, server := range servers {
+						if server.ID == id && server.ID != c.nodeID {
+							peers = append(peers, raft.Peer{
+								ID:      id,
+								Address: server.Address,
+							})
+						}
+					}
+				}
+
+				c.logger.Warn().WithField("peers", peers).Log("Recovering raft")
+
+				// recover raft with new set of peers
+				err = c.raft.Recover(peers, 2*interval)
+				if err != nil {
+					c.logger.Error().WithError(err).Log("Recovering raft failed, shutting down")
+					c.Shutdown()
+					return
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cluster/leader.go b/cluster/leader.go
index 1f4ed594..14fb4be3 100644
--- a/cluster/leader.go
+++ b/cluster/leader.go
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ func (c *cluster) monitorLeadership() {
 				c.leaderLock.Lock()
 				c.isRaftLeader = false
 				c.isLeader = false
+				c.isEmergencyLeader = false
 				c.leaderLock.Unlock()
 			} else if notification == NOTIFY_LEADER {
 				if weAreLeaderCh != nil {
@@ -144,6 +145,7 @@ func (c *cluster) monitorLeadership() {
 				c.leaderLock.Lock()
 				c.isRaftLeader = true
 				c.isLeader = true
+				c.isEmergencyLeader = false
 				c.leaderLock.Unlock()
 			} else if notification == NOTIFY_EMERGENCY {
 				if weAreEmergencyLeaderCh != nil {
@@ -177,6 +179,7 @@ func (c *cluster) monitorLeadership() {
 				c.leaderLock.Lock()
 				c.isRaftLeader = false
 				c.isLeader = true
+				c.isEmergencyLeader = true
 				c.leaderLock.Unlock()
 			}
 		case <-c.shutdownCh:
@@ -318,11 +321,38 @@ func (c *cluster) establishLeadership(ctx context.Context, emergency bool) error
 
 	if !emergency {
 		go c.clearLocks(ctx, time.Minute)
+		go c.clearDeadNodes(ctx, c.syncInterval, c.nodeRecoverTimeout)
 	}
 
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (c *cluster) clearDeadNodes(ctx context.Context, interval, nodeRecoverTimeout time.Duration) {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(interval)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			nodes := c.manager.NodeList()
+			for _, node := range nodes {
+				about := node.About()
+				if time.Since(about.SpawnedAt) > nodeRecoverTimeout && time.Since(about.LastContact) > nodeRecoverTimeout {
+					c.logger.Warn().WithFields(log.Fields{
+						"id":          about.ID,
+						"after":       nodeRecoverTimeout,
+						"lastContact": about.LastContact,
+						"spawnedAt":   about.SpawnedAt,
+					}).Log("Removing peer from cluster")
+					c.raft.RemoveServer(about.ID)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func (c *cluster) revokeLeadership() {
 	c.logger.Info().Log("Revoking leadership")
 
diff --git a/cluster/node/node.go b/cluster/node/node.go
index c1daf191..a455d6d1 100644
--- a/cluster/node/node.go
+++ b/cluster/node/node.go
@@ -16,10 +16,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Node struct {
-	id      string
-	address string
-	ips     []string
-	version string
+	id        string
+	address   string
+	ips       []string
+	version   string
+	spawnedAt time.Time
 
 	node            client.APIClient
 	nodeAbout       About
@@ -57,9 +58,10 @@ func New(config Config) *Node {
 	tr.IdleConnTimeout = 30 * time.Second
 
 	n := &Node{
-		id:      config.ID,
-		address: config.Address,
-		version: "0.0.0",
+		id:        config.ID,
+		address:   config.Address,
+		version:   "0.0.0",
+		spawnedAt: time.Now(),
 		node: client.APIClient{
 			Address: config.Address,
 			Client: &http.Client{
@@ -136,6 +138,7 @@ type About struct {
 	Error       error
 	Core        CoreAbout
 	Resources   Resources
+	SpawnedAt   time.Time
 }
 
 type ResourcesGPU struct {
@@ -167,9 +170,10 @@ func (n *Node) About() About {
 	defer n.lock.RUnlock()
 
 	a := About{
-		ID:      n.id,
-		Version: n.version,
-		Address: n.address,
+		ID:        n.id,
+		Version:   n.version,
+		Address:   n.address,
+		SpawnedAt: n.spawnedAt,
 	}
 
 	a.Name = n.coreAbout.Name
diff --git a/cluster/raft/raft.go b/cluster/raft/raft.go
index 347a7012..ac31729e 100644
--- a/cluster/raft/raft.go
+++ b/cluster/raft/raft.go
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ type Server struct {
 }
 
 type Stats struct {
+	Uptime      time.Duration
 	Address     string
 	State       string
 	LastContact time.Duration
@@ -210,6 +211,7 @@ func (r *raft) Servers() ([]Server, error) {
 
 func (r *raft) Stats() Stats {
 	stats := Stats{
+		Uptime:  time.Since(r.raftStart),
 		Address: r.raftAddress,
 	}
 
diff --git a/cluster/raft/recovery.go b/cluster/raft/recovery.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8754184a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cluster/raft/recovery.go
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+package raft
+
+import (
+	"io"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+)
+
+type RaftRecoverer interface {
+	Raft
+
+	Recover([]Peer, time.Duration) error
+}
+
+type raftRecoverer struct {
+	raft   Raft
+	config Config
+
+	lock sync.RWMutex
+}
+
+func NewRecoverer(config Config) (RaftRecoverer, error) {
+	r := &raftRecoverer{
+		config: config,
+	}
+
+	raft, err := New(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	r.raft = raft
+
+	return r, nil
+}
+
+func (r *raftRecoverer) Recover(peers []Peer, cooldown time.Duration) error {
+	r.lock.Lock()
+	defer r.lock.Unlock()
+
+	r.raft.Shutdown()
+
+	if r.config.Logger != nil {
+		r.config.Logger.Warn().WithField("duration", cooldown).Log("Cooling down")
+	}
+
+	time.Sleep(cooldown)
+
+	r.config.Peers = peers
+
+	raft, err := New(r.config)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	r.raft = raft
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (r *raftRecoverer) Shutdown() {
+	r.lock.RLock()
+	defer r.lock.RUnlock()
+
+	r.raft.Shutdown()
+}
+
+func (r *raftRecoverer) IsLeader() bool {
+	r.lock.RLock()
+	defer r.lock.RUnlock()
+
+	return r.raft.IsLeader()
+}
+
+func (r *raftRecoverer) Leader() (string, string) {
+	r.lock.RLock()
+	defer r.lock.RUnlock()
+
+	return r.raft.Leader()
+}
+
+func (r *raftRecoverer) Servers() ([]Server, error) {
+	r.lock.RLock()
+	defer r.lock.RUnlock()
+
+	return r.raft.Servers()
+}
+
+func (r *raftRecoverer) Stats() Stats {
+	r.lock.RLock()
+	defer r.lock.RUnlock()
+
+	return r.raft.Stats()
+}
+
+func (r *raftRecoverer) Apply(data []byte) error {
+	r.lock.RLock()
+	defer r.lock.RUnlock()
+
+	return r.raft.Apply(data)
+}
+
+func (r *raftRecoverer) Barrier(timeout time.Duration) error {
+	r.lock.RLock()
+	defer r.lock.RUnlock()
+
+	return r.raft.Barrier(timeout)
+}
+
+func (r *raftRecoverer) AddServer(id, address string) error {
+	r.lock.RLock()
+	defer r.lock.RUnlock()
+
+	return r.raft.AddServer(id, address)
+}
+
+func (r *raftRecoverer) RemoveServer(id string) error {
+	r.lock.RLock()
+	defer r.lock.RUnlock()
+
+	return r.raft.RemoveServer(id)
+}
+
+func (r *raftRecoverer) LeadershipTransfer(id string) error {
+	r.lock.RLock()
+	defer r.lock.RUnlock()
+
+	return r.raft.LeadershipTransfer(id)
+}
+
+func (r *raftRecoverer) Snapshot() (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+	r.lock.RLock()
+	defer r.lock.RUnlock()
+
+	return r.raft.Snapshot()
+}
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 4c0cfd61..ac559052 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -342,6 +342,7 @@ func (d *Config) init() {
 	d.vars.Register(value.NewInt64(&d.Cluster.SyncInterval, 5), "cluster.sync_interval_sec", "CORE_CLUSTER_SYNC_INTERVAL_SEC", nil, "Interval between aligning the process in the cluster DB with the processes on the nodes", true, false)
 	d.vars.Register(value.NewInt64(&d.Cluster.NodeRecoverTimeout, 120), "cluster.node_recover_timeout_sec", "CORE_CLUSTER_NODE_RECOVER_TIMEOUT_SEC", nil, "Timeout for a node to recover before rebalancing the processes", true, false)
 	d.vars.Register(value.NewInt64(&d.Cluster.EmergencyLeaderTimeout, 10), "cluster.emergency_leader_timeout_sec", "CORE_CLUSTER_EMERGENCY_LEADER_TIMEOUT_SEC", nil, "Timeout for establishing the emergency leadership after lost contact to raft leader", true, false)
+	d.vars.Register(value.NewInt64(&d.Cluster.RecoverTimeout, 0), "cluster.recover_timeout_sec", "CORE_CLUSTER_RECOVER_TIMEOUT_SEC", nil, "Timeout for recovering the cluster if no raft leader can be elected", false, false)
 	d.vars.Register(value.NewBool(&d.Cluster.Debug.DisableFFmpegCheck, false), "cluster.debug.disable_ffmpeg_check", "CORE_CLUSTER_DEBUG_DISABLE_FFMPEG_CHECK", nil, "Disable checking for identical FFmpeg versions on all nodes", false, false)
 }
 
diff --git a/config/data.go b/config/data.go
index be8b3ebb..7596575f 100644
--- a/config/data.go
+++ b/config/data.go
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ type Data struct {
 		SyncInterval           int64    `json:"sync_interval_sec" format:"int64"`            // seconds
 		NodeRecoverTimeout     int64    `json:"node_recover_timeout_sec" format:"int64"`     // seconds
 		EmergencyLeaderTimeout int64    `json:"emergency_leader_timeout_sec" format:"int64"` // seconds
+		RecoverTimeout         int64    `json:"revocer_timeout_sec" format:"int64"`          // seconds
 		Debug                  struct {
 			DisableFFmpegCheck bool `json:"disable_ffmpeg_check"`
 		} `json:"debug"`