diff --git a/deps/rabbit/src/rabbit_stream_queue.erl b/deps/rabbit/src/rabbit_stream_queue.erl
index a7aa3a5a18c..0fab693cf8f 100644
--- a/deps/rabbit/src/rabbit_stream_queue.erl
+++ b/deps/rabbit/src/rabbit_stream_queue.erl
@@ -923,8 +923,31 @@ readers(QName) ->
             {node(), 0}
     end.
 
+get_writer_pid(Q) ->
+    case amqqueue:get_pid(Q) of
+        none ->
+            %% the stream is still starting; wait up to 5 seconds
+            %% and ask the coordinator as it has the Pid sooner
+            #{name := StreamId} = amqqueue:get_type_state(Q),
+            get_writer_pid(StreamId, 50);
+        Pid ->
+            Pid
+    end.
+
+get_writer_pid(_StreamId, 0) ->
+    stream_not_found;
+get_writer_pid(StreamId, N) ->
+    case rabbit_stream_coordinator:writer_pid(StreamId) of
+        {ok, Pid} ->
+            Pid;
+        _ ->
+            timer:sleep(100),
+            get_writer_pid(StreamId, N - 1)
+    end.
+
+
 init(Q) when ?is_amqqueue(Q) ->
-    Leader = amqqueue:get_pid(Q),
+    Leader = get_writer_pid(Q),
     QName = amqqueue:get_name(Q),
     #{name := StreamId} = amqqueue:get_type_state(Q),
     %% tell us about leader changes so we can fail over