diff --git a/server/client.go b/server/client.go
index 87fc410a32e..b308389f7b6 100644
--- a/server/client.go
+++ b/server/client.go
@@ -4790,12 +4790,18 @@ func (c *client) processMsgResults(acc *Account, r *SublistResult, msg, deliver,
 			ql := _ql[:0]
 			for i := 0; i < len(qsubs); i++ {
 				sub = qsubs[i]
-				if sub.client.kind == LEAF || sub.client.kind == ROUTER {
-					// If we have assigned an rsub already, replace if the destination is a LEAF
-					// since we want to favor that compared to a ROUTER. We could make sure that
-					// we override only if previous was a ROUTE and not a LEAF, but we don't have to.
-					if rsub == nil || sub.client.kind == LEAF {
+				if dst := sub.client.kind; dst == LEAF || dst == ROUTER {
+					// If we have assigned an ROUTER rsub already, replace if
+					// the destination is a LEAF since we want to favor that.
+					if rsub == nil || (rsub.client.kind == ROUTER && dst == LEAF) {
 						rsub = sub
+					} else if dst == LEAF {
+						// We already have a LEAF and this is another one.
+						// Flip a coin to see if we swap it or not.
+						// See https://github.com/nats-io/nats-server/issues/6040
+						if fastrand.Uint32()%2 == 1 {
+							rsub = sub
+						}
 					}
 				} else {
 					ql = append(ql, sub)
diff --git a/server/leafnode_test.go b/server/leafnode_test.go
index 698066c03db..0a068ccf665 100644
--- a/server/leafnode_test.go
+++ b/server/leafnode_test.go
@@ -4117,6 +4117,122 @@ func TestLeafNodeQueueGroupDistribution(t *testing.T) {
 	sendAndCheck(2)
 }
 
+func TestLeafNodeQueueGroupDistributionVariant(t *testing.T) {
+	hc := createClusterWithName(t, "HUB", 3)
+	defer hc.shutdown()
+
+	// Now have a cluster of leafnodes with LEAF1 and LEAF2 connecting to HUB1.
+	c1 := `
+	server_name: LEAF1
+	listen: 127.0.0.1:-1
+	cluster { name: ln22, listen: 127.0.0.1:-1 }
+	leafnodes { remotes = [{ url: nats-leaf://127.0.0.1:%d }] }
+	`
+	lconf1 := createConfFile(t, []byte(fmt.Sprintf(c1, hc.opts[0].LeafNode.Port)))
+	ln1, lopts1 := RunServerWithConfig(lconf1)
+	defer ln1.Shutdown()
+
+	c2 := `
+	server_name: LEAF2
+	listen: 127.0.0.1:-1
+	cluster { name: ln22, listen: 127.0.0.1:-1, routes = [ nats-route://127.0.0.1:%d] }
+	leafnodes { remotes = [{ url: nats-leaf://127.0.0.1:%d }] }
+	`
+	lconf2 := createConfFile(t, []byte(fmt.Sprintf(c2, lopts1.Cluster.Port, hc.opts[0].LeafNode.Port)))
+	ln2, _ := RunServerWithConfig(lconf2)
+	defer ln2.Shutdown()
+
+	// And LEAF3 to HUB3
+	c3 := `
+	server_name: LEAF3
+	listen: 127.0.0.1:-1
+	cluster { name: ln22, listen: 127.0.0.1:-1, routes = [ nats-route://127.0.0.1:%d] }
+	leafnodes { remotes = [{ url: nats-leaf://127.0.0.1:%d }] }
+	`
+	lconf3 := createConfFile(t, []byte(fmt.Sprintf(c3, lopts1.Cluster.Port, hc.opts[2].LeafNode.Port)))
+	ln3, _ := RunServerWithConfig(lconf3)
+	defer ln3.Shutdown()
+
+	// Check leaf cluster is formed and all connected to the HUB.
+	lnServers := []*Server{ln1, ln2, ln3}
+	checkClusterFormed(t, lnServers...)
+	for _, s := range lnServers {
+		checkLeafNodeConnected(t, s)
+	}
+	// Check that HUB1 has 2 leaf connections, HUB2 has 0 and HUB3 has 1.
+	checkLeafNodeConnectedCount(t, hc.servers[0], 2)
+	checkLeafNodeConnectedCount(t, hc.servers[1], 0)
+	checkLeafNodeConnectedCount(t, hc.servers[2], 1)
+
+	// Create a client and qsub on LEAF1 and LEAF2.
+	nc1 := natsConnect(t, ln1.ClientURL())
+	defer nc1.Close()
+	var qsub1Count atomic.Int32
+	natsQueueSub(t, nc1, "foo", "queue1", func(_ *nats.Msg) {
+		qsub1Count.Add(1)
+	})
+	natsFlush(t, nc1)
+
+	nc2 := natsConnect(t, ln2.ClientURL())
+	defer nc2.Close()
+	var qsub2Count atomic.Int32
+	natsQueueSub(t, nc2, "foo", "queue1", func(_ *nats.Msg) {
+		qsub2Count.Add(1)
+	})
+	natsFlush(t, nc2)
+
+	// Make sure that the propagation interest is done before sending.
+	for i, s := range hc.servers {
+		gacc := s.GlobalAccount()
+		var ei int
+		switch i {
+		case 0:
+			ei = 2
+		default:
+			ei = 1
+		}
+		checkFor(t, time.Second, 15*time.Millisecond, func() error {
+			if n := gacc.Interest("foo"); n != ei {
+				return fmt.Errorf("Expected interest for %q to be %d, got %v", "foo", ei, n)
+			}
+			return nil
+		})
+	}
+
+	sendAndCheck := func(idx int) {
+		t.Helper()
+		nchub := natsConnect(t, hc.servers[idx].ClientURL())
+		defer nchub.Close()
+		total := 1000
+		for i := 0; i < total; i++ {
+			natsPub(t, nchub, "foo", []byte("from hub"))
+		}
+		checkFor(t, time.Second, 15*time.Millisecond, func() error {
+			if trecv := int(qsub1Count.Load() + qsub2Count.Load()); trecv != total {
+				return fmt.Errorf("Expected %v messages, got %v", total, trecv)
+			}
+			return nil
+		})
+		// Now that we have made sure that all messages were received,
+		// check that qsub1 and qsub2 are getting at least some.
+		if n := int(qsub1Count.Load()); n <= total/10 {
+			t.Fatalf("Expected qsub1 to get some messages, but got %v (qsub2=%v)", n, qsub2Count.Load())
+		}
+		if n := int(qsub2Count.Load()); n <= total/10 {
+			t.Fatalf("Expected qsub2 to get some messages, but got %v (qsub1=%v)", n, qsub1Count.Load())
+		}
+		// Reset the counters.
+		qsub1Count.Store(0)
+		qsub2Count.Store(0)
+	}
+	// Send from HUB1
+	sendAndCheck(0)
+	// Send from HUB2
+	sendAndCheck(1)
+	// Send from HUB3
+	sendAndCheck(2)
+}
+
 func TestLeafNodeQueueGroupWithLateLNJoin(t *testing.T) {
 	/*