diff --git a/src/Proto.Cluster/DefaultClusterContext.cs b/src/Proto.Cluster/DefaultClusterContext.cs
index 6e1967af5f..33b7c15a62 100644
--- a/src/Proto.Cluster/DefaultClusterContext.cs
+++ b/src/Proto.Cluster/DefaultClusterContext.cs
@@ -52,11 +52,16 @@ public DefaultClusterContext(Cluster cluster)
     public async Task<T?> RequestAsync<T>(ClusterIdentity clusterIdentity, object message, ISenderContext context,
         CancellationToken ct)
     {
-        if (!_cluster.JoinedCluster.IsCompletedSuccessfully)
+        
+        //for member requests, we need to wait for the cluster to be ready
+        if (!_cluster.MemberList.IsClient)
         {
-            await _cluster.JoinedCluster;
+            if (!_cluster.JoinedCluster.IsCompletedSuccessfully)
+            {
+                await _cluster.JoinedCluster;
+            }
         }
-        
+
         var i = 0;
 
         var future = context.GetFuture();
diff --git a/src/Proto.Cluster/Member/MemberList.cs b/src/Proto.Cluster/Member/MemberList.cs
index 4e328fd836..1c9140878d 100644
--- a/src/Proto.Cluster/Member/MemberList.cs
+++ b/src/Proto.Cluster/Member/MemberList.cs
@@ -60,14 +60,16 @@ public record MemberList
 
     private TaskCompletionSource<bool> _startedTcs = new(TaskCreationOptions.RunContinuationsAsynchronously);
     private IConsensusHandle<ulong>? _topologyConsensus;
-    private readonly bool _asClient;
+    private readonly bool _isClient;
 
-    public MemberList(Cluster cluster, bool asClient = false)
+    public bool IsClient => _isClient;
+
+    public MemberList(Cluster cluster, bool isClient = false)
     {
         _cluster = cluster;
         _system = _cluster.System;
         _root = _system.Root;
-        _asClient = asClient;
+        _isClient = isClient;
         var (host, port) = _cluster.System.GetAddress();
 
         Self = new Member
@@ -239,7 +241,7 @@ public void UpdateClusterTopology(IReadOnlyCollection<Member> members)
 
             if (!_startedTcs.Task.IsCompleted)
             {
-                if (_asClient || activeMembers.Contains(_system.Id))
+                if (_isClient || activeMembers.Contains(_system.Id))
                 {
                     _startedTcs.TrySetResult(true);
                 }