diff --git a/apps/emqx_ds_shared_sub/src/emqx_ds_shared_sub_group_sm.erl b/apps/emqx_ds_shared_sub/src/emqx_ds_shared_sub_group_sm.erl
index b5e8c3f4c..434ea0f14 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_ds_shared_sub/src/emqx_ds_shared_sub_group_sm.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_ds_shared_sub/src/emqx_ds_shared_sub_group_sm.erl
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 -module(emqx_ds_shared_sub_group_sm).
 
 -include_lib("emqx/include/logger.hrl").
+-include_lib("snabbkaffe/include/snabbkaffe.hrl").
 
 -export([
     new/1,
@@ -37,15 +38,40 @@
 -define(replaying, replaying).
 -define(updating, updating).
 
+-type state() :: ?connecting | ?replaying | ?updating.
+
 -type group_sm() :: #{
     topic_filter => emqx_persistent_session_ds:share_topic_filter(),
     agent => emqx_ds_shared_sub_proto:agent(),
     send_after => fun((non_neg_integer(), term()) -> reference()),
 
-    state => ?connecting | ?replaying | ?updating,
-    state_data => map()
+    state => state(),
+    state_data => map(),
+    state_timers => map()
 }.
 
+-record(state_timeout, {
+    id :: reference(),
+    name :: atom(),
+    message :: term()
+}).
+-record(timer, {
+    ref :: reference(),
+    id :: reference()
+}).
+
+%%-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+%% Constants
+%%-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+%% TODO https://emqx.atlassian.net/browse/EMQX-12574
+%% Move to settings
+-define(FIND_LEADER_TIMEOUT, 1000).
+
+%%-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+%% API
+%%-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 -spec new(options()) -> group_sm().
 new(#{
     agent := Agent,
@@ -60,17 +86,20 @@ new(#{
             topic_filter => ShareTopicFilter
         }
     ),
-    ok = emqx_ds_shared_sub_registry:lookup_leader(Agent, ShareTopicFilter),
-    #{
+    GSM0 = #{
         topic_filter => ShareTopicFilter,
         agent => Agent,
-        send_after => SendAfter,
+        send_after => SendAfter
+    },
+    GSM1 = transition(GSM0, ?connecting, #{}),
+    ok = emqx_ds_shared_sub_registry:lookup_leader(Agent, ShareTopicFilter),
+    GSM2 = ensure_state_timeout(GSM1, find_leader_timeout, ?FIND_LEADER_TIMEOUT, find_leader),
+    GSM2.
 
-        state => ?connecting,
-        state_data => #{}
-    }.
-
-handle_leader_lease_streams(#{state := ?connecting} = GSM, StreamProgresses, Version) ->
+handle_leader_lease_streams(
+    #{state := ?connecting, topic_filter := TopicFilter} = GSM, StreamProgresses, Version
+) ->
+    ?tp(debug, leader_lease_streams, #{topic_filter => TopicFilter}),
     Streams = lists:foldl(
         fun(#{stream := Stream, iterator := It}, Acc) ->
             Acc#{Stream => It}
@@ -88,16 +117,17 @@ handle_leader_lease_streams(#{state := ?connecting} = GSM, StreamProgresses, Ver
         end,
         StreamProgresses
     ),
-    GSM#{
-        state => ?replaying,
-        state_data => #{
+    transition(
+        GSM,
+        ?replaying,
+        #{
             streams => Streams,
             stream_lease_events => StreamLeaseEvents,
             prev_version => undefined,
             version => Version,
             last_update_time => erlang:monotonic_time(millisecond)
         }
-    };
+    );
 handle_leader_lease_streams(GSM, _StreamProgresses, _Version) ->
     GSM.
 
@@ -110,8 +140,15 @@ handle_leader_renew_stream_lease(
 handle_leader_renew_stream_lease(GSM, _Version) ->
     GSM.
 
-handle_info(GSM, _Info) ->
-    GSM.
+handle_state_timeout(
+    #{agent := Agent, state := ?connecting, topic_filter := TopicFilter} = GSM0,
+    find_leader_timeout,
+    find_leader
+) ->
+    ?tp(debug, find_leader_timeout, #{topic_filter => TopicFilter}),
+    ok = emqx_ds_shared_sub_registry:lookup_leader(Agent, TopicFilter),
+    GSM1 = ensure_state_timeout(GSM0, find_leader_timeout, ?FIND_LEADER_TIMEOUT, find_leader),
+    GSM1.
 
 fetch_stream_events(
     #{
@@ -135,9 +172,65 @@ fetch_stream_events(
 fetch_stream_events(GSM) ->
     {GSM, []}.
 
+handle_info(
+    #{state_timers := Timers} = GSM, #state_timeout{message = Message, name = Name, id = Id} = Msg
+) ->
+    case Timers of
+        #{Name := #timer{id = Id}} ->
+            handle_state_timeout(GSM, Name, Message);
+        _ ->
+            %% Stale timer
+            GSM
+    end;
+handle_info(GSM, Msg) ->
+    GSM.
+
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Internal functions
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-% send_after(#{send_after := SendAfter} = _GSM, Delay, Message) ->
-%     SendAfter(Delay, Message).
+transition(GSM0, NewState, NewStateData) ->
+    Timers = maps:get(state_timers, GSM0, #{}),
+    TimerNames = maps:keys(Timers),
+    GSM1 = lists:foldl(
+        fun(Name, Acc) ->
+            cancel_timer(Acc, Name)
+        end,
+        GSM0,
+        TimerNames
+    ),
+    GSM1#{
+        state => NewState,
+        state_data => NewStateData,
+        state_timers => #{}
+    }.
+
+ensure_state_timeout(GSM0, Name, Delay, Message) ->
+    Id = make_ref(),
+    GSM1 = cancel_timer(GSM0, Name),
+    Timers = maps:get(state_timers, GSM1),
+    TimerMessage = #state_timeout{
+        id = Id,
+        name = Name,
+        message = Message
+    },
+    TimerRef = send_after(GSM1, Delay, TimerMessage),
+    GSM2 = GSM1#{
+        state_timers := Timers#{Name => #timer{ref = TimerRef, id = Id}}
+    },
+    GSM2.
+
+send_after(#{send_after := SendAfter} = _GSM, Delay, Message) ->
+    SendAfter(Delay, Message).
+
+cancel_timer(GSM, Name) ->
+    Timers = maps:get(state_timers, GSM, #{}),
+    case Timers of
+        #{Name := #timer{ref = TimerRef}} ->
+            _ = erlang:cancel_timer(TimerRef),
+            GSM#{
+                state_timers := maps:remove(Name, Timers)
+            };
+        _ ->
+            GSM
+    end.
diff --git a/apps/emqx_ds_shared_sub/src/emqx_ds_shared_sub_leader.erl b/apps/emqx_ds_shared_sub/src/emqx_ds_shared_sub_leader.erl
index 2081f7a49..5323595cf 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_ds_shared_sub/src/emqx_ds_shared_sub_leader.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_ds_shared_sub/src/emqx_ds_shared_sub_leader.erl
@@ -260,13 +260,6 @@ connect_agent(
                     streams => length(StreamLease),
                     version => Version
                 }),
-                % ct:print("connect_agent: ~p~n", [#{
-                %     msg => leader_lease_streams,
-                %     agent => Agent,
-                %     group => Group,
-                %     streams => length(StreamLease),
-                %     version => Version
-                % }]),
                 ok = emqx_ds_shared_sub_proto:leader_lease_streams(
                     Agent, Group, StreamLease, Version
                 ),
diff --git a/apps/emqx_ds_shared_sub/test/emqx_ds_shared_sub_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_ds_shared_sub/test/emqx_ds_shared_sub_SUITE.erl
index 4a43c3243..3500e0726 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_ds_shared_sub/test/emqx_ds_shared_sub_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_ds_shared_sub/test/emqx_ds_shared_sub_SUITE.erl
@@ -42,24 +42,21 @@ end_per_suite(Config) ->
     ok.
 
 init_per_testcase(_TC, Config) ->
+    ok = snabbkaffe:start_trace(),
     Config.
 
 end_per_testcase(_TC, _Config) ->
+    ok = snabbkaffe:stop(),
+    ok = terminate_leaders(),
     ok.
 
 t_lease_initial(_Config) ->
-    ConnRegular = emqtt_connect_sub(<<"client_regular">>),
     ConnPub = emqtt_connect_pub(<<"client_pub">>),
 
     %% Need to pre-reate some streams in "topic/#".
     %% Leader is dummy by far and won't update streams after the first lease to the agent.
     %% So there should be some streams already when the agent connects.
-    {ok, _, _} = emqtt:subscribe(ConnRegular, <<"topic/1">>, 1),
-    {ok, _} = emqtt:publish(ConnPub, <<"topic/1">>, <<"hello1">>, 1),
-
-    ?assertReceive({publish, #{payload := <<"hello1">>}}, 5000),
-
-    ok = emqtt:disconnect(ConnRegular),
+    ok = init_streams(ConnPub, <<"topic/1">>),
 
     ConnShared = emqtt_connect_sub(<<"client_shared">>),
     {ok, _, _} = emqtt:subscribe(ConnShared, <<"$share/gr1/topic/#">>, 1),
@@ -70,10 +67,52 @@ t_lease_initial(_Config) ->
     ok = emqtt:disconnect(ConnShared),
     ok = emqtt:disconnect(ConnPub).
 
+t_lease_reconnect(_Config) ->
+    ConnPub = emqtt_connect_pub(<<"client_pub">>),
+
+    %% Need to pre-reate some streams in "topic/#".
+    %% Leader is dummy by far and won't update streams after the first lease to the agent.
+    %% So there should be some streams already when the agent connects.
+    ok = init_streams(ConnPub, <<"topic/2">>),
+
+    ConnShared = emqtt_connect_sub(<<"client_shared">>),
+
+    %% Stop registry to simulate unability to find leader.
+    ok = supervisor:terminate_child(emqx_ds_shared_sub_sup, emqx_ds_shared_sub_registry),
+
+    ?assertWaitEvent(
+        {ok, _, _} = emqtt:subscribe(ConnShared, <<"$share/gr1/topic/#">>, 1),
+        #{?snk_kind := find_leader_timeout},
+        5000
+    ),
+
+    %% Start registry, agent should retry after some time and find the leader.
+    ?assertWaitEvent(
+        {ok, _} = supervisor:restart_child(emqx_ds_shared_sub_sup, emqx_ds_shared_sub_registry),
+        #{?snk_kind := leader_lease_streams},
+        5000
+    ),
+
+    {ok, _} = emqtt:publish(ConnPub, <<"topic/2">>, <<"hello2">>, 1),
+
+    ?assertReceive({publish, #{payload := <<"hello2">>}}, 10000),
+
+    ok = emqtt:disconnect(ConnShared),
+    ok = emqtt:disconnect(ConnPub).
+
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Helper functions
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+init_streams(ConnPub, Topic) ->
+    ConnRegular = emqtt_connect_sub(<<"client_regular">>),
+    {ok, _, _} = emqtt:subscribe(ConnRegular, Topic, 1),
+    {ok, _} = emqtt:publish(ConnPub, Topic, <<"hello1">>, 1),
+
+    ?assertReceive({publish, #{payload := <<"hello1">>}}, 5000),
+
+    ok = emqtt:disconnect(ConnRegular).
+
 emqtt_connect_sub(ClientId) ->
     {ok, C} = emqtt:start_link([
         {client_id, ClientId},
@@ -92,3 +131,8 @@ emqtt_connect_pub(ClientId) ->
     ]),
     {ok, _} = emqtt:connect(C),
     C.
+
+terminate_leaders() ->
+    ok = supervisor:terminate_child(emqx_ds_shared_sub_sup, emqx_ds_shared_sub_leader_sup),
+    {ok, _} = supervisor:restart_child(emqx_ds_shared_sub_sup, emqx_ds_shared_sub_leader_sup),
+    ok.