diff --git a/messaging/broker.go b/messaging/broker.go
index 1ac3ce0754b..2d232a66b4b 100644
--- a/messaging/broker.go
+++ b/messaging/broker.go
@@ -57,6 +57,14 @@ func (b *Broker) metaPath() string {
 	return filepath.Join(b.path, "meta")
 }
 
+// Index returns the highest index seen by the broker across all topics.
+// Returns 0 if the broker is closed.
+func (b *Broker) Index() uint64 {
+	b.mu.Lock()
+	b.mu.Unlock()
+	return b.index
+}
+
 func (b *Broker) opened() bool { return b.path != "" }
 
 // SetLogOutput sets writer for all Broker log output.
@@ -181,9 +189,23 @@ func (b *Broker) load() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Set the broker's index to the last index seen across all topics.
-	b.index = hdr.maxIndex()
+	// Read the highest index from each of the topic files.
+	if err := b.loadIndex(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("load index: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
 
+// loadIndex reads through all topics to find the highest known index.
+func (b *Broker) loadIndex() error {
+	for _, t := range b.topics {
+		if err := t.loadIndex(); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("topic(%d): %s", t.id, err)
+		} else if t.index > b.index {
+			b.index = t.index
+		}
+	}
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -568,12 +590,7 @@ func (fsm *brokerFSM) MustApply(e *raft.LogEntry) {
 	}
 
 	// Save highest applied index.
-	// TODO: Persist to disk for raft commands.
 	b.index = e.Index
-
-	// HACK: Persist metadata after each apply.
-	//       This should be derived on startup from the topic logs.
-	b.mustSave()
 }
 
 // Index returns the highest index that the broker has seen.
@@ -774,6 +791,33 @@ func (t *topic) Close() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// loadIndex reads the highest available index for a topic from disk.
+func (t *topic) loadIndex() error {
+	// Open topic file for reading.
+	f, err := os.Open(t.path)
+	if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return nil
+	} else if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = f.Close() }()
+
+	// Read all messages.
+	dec := NewMessageDecoder(bufio.NewReader(f))
+	for {
+		// Decode message.
+		var m Message
+		if err := dec.Decode(&m); err == io.EOF {
+			return nil
+		} else if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("decode: %s", err)
+		}
+
+		// Update the topic's highest index.
+		t.index = m.Index
+	}
+}
+
 // writeTo writes the topic to a replica since a given index.
 // Returns an error if the starting index is unavailable.
 func (t *topic) writeTo(r *Replica, index uint64) (int64, error) {
diff --git a/messaging/broker_test.go b/messaging/broker_test.go
index fda760514e6..85f1a86fce4 100644
--- a/messaging/broker_test.go
+++ b/messaging/broker_test.go
@@ -194,6 +194,34 @@ func TestBroker_Unsubscribe_ErrReplicaNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Ensure the broker can reopen and recover correctly.
+func TestBroker_Reopen(t *testing.T) {
+	b := NewBroker(nil)
+	defer b.Close()
+	b.MustCreateReplica(2000, &url.URL{Host: "localhost"})
+	b.MustSubscribe(2000, 20)
+	b.MustSubscribe(2000, 21)
+	b.MustPublishSync(&messaging.Message{TopicID: 20, Data: []byte("0000")})
+	b.MustPublishSync(&messaging.Message{TopicID: 20, Data: []byte("0000")})
+	b.MustPublishSync(&messaging.Message{TopicID: 21, Data: []byte("0000")})
+	index := b.MustPublishSync(&messaging.Message{TopicID: 20, Data: []byte("0000")})
+	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+
+	// Close broker and reopen with a new broker instance.
+	path, u := b.Path(), b.URL()
+	b.Broker.Close()
+	b.Broker = messaging.NewBroker()
+	if err := b.Broker.Open(path, u); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// Verify the broker is up to date.
+	newIndex := b.Index()
+	if newIndex != index {
+		t.Fatalf("index mismatch: exp=%d, got=%d", index, newIndex)
+	}
+}
+
 // Benchmarks a single broker without HTTP.
 func BenchmarkBroker_Publish(b *testing.B) {
 	br := NewBroker(nil)
@@ -276,6 +304,43 @@ func (b *Broker) MustReadAll(replicaID uint64) (a []*messaging.Message) {
 	return
 }
 
+// MustCreateReplica creates a new replica. Panic on error.
+func (b *Broker) MustCreateReplica(replicaID uint64, u *url.URL) {
+	if err := b.CreateReplica(replicaID, u); err != nil {
+		panic(err.Error())
+	}
+}
+
+// MustSubscribe subscribes a replica to a topic. Panic on error.
+func (b *Broker) MustSubscribe(replicaID, topicID uint64) {
+	if err := b.Subscribe(replicaID, topicID); err != nil {
+		panic(err.Error())
+	}
+}
+
+// MustSync syncs to a broker index. Panic on error.
+func (b *Broker) MustSync(index uint64) {
+	if err := b.Sync(index); err != nil {
+		panic(err.Error())
+	}
+}
+
+// MustPublish publishes a message to the broker. Panic on error.
+func (b *Broker) MustPublish(m *messaging.Message) uint64 {
+	index, err := b.Publish(&messaging.Message{Type: 100, TopicID: 20, Data: []byte("0000")})
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err.Error())
+	}
+	return index
+}
+
+// MustPublishSync publishes a message to the broker and syncs to that index. Panic on error.
+func (b *Broker) MustPublishSync(m *messaging.Message) uint64 {
+	index := b.MustPublish(m)
+	b.MustSync(index)
+	return index
+}
+
 // Messages represents a collection of messages.
 // This type provides helper functions.
 type Messages []*messaging.Message
diff --git a/raft/log.go b/raft/log.go
index 9c674b6e200..c2280597a37 100644
--- a/raft/log.go
+++ b/raft/log.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ const logEntryHeaderSize = 8 + 8 + 8 // sz+index+term
 
 // WaitInterval represents the amount of time between checks to the applied index.
 // This is used by clients wanting to wait until a given index is processed.
-const WaitInterval = 100 * time.Millisecond
+const WaitInterval = 1 * time.Millisecond
 
 // State represents whether the log is a follower, candidate, or leader.
 type State int