diff --git a/server/filestore.go b/server/filestore.go
index 73eee4ac7f6..8552c84b110 100644
--- a/server/filestore.go
+++ b/server/filestore.go
@@ -2286,6 +2286,10 @@ func (mb *msgBlock) firstMatching(filter string, wc bool, start uint64, sm *Stor
 					subs = append(subs, subj)
 				}
 			}
+			// Check if we matched anything
+			if len(subs) == 0 {
+				return nil, didLoad, ErrStoreMsgNotFound
+			}
 		}
 		fseq = lseq + 1
 		for _, subj := range subs {
@@ -2304,6 +2308,10 @@ func (mb *msgBlock) firstMatching(filter string, wc bool, start uint64, sm *Stor
 		}
 	}
 
+	if fseq > lseq {
+		return nil, didLoad, ErrStoreMsgNotFound
+	}
+
 	// If we guess to not do a linear scan, but the above resulted in alot of subs that will
 	// need to be checked for every scanned message, revert.
 	// TODO(dlc) - we could memoize the subs across calls.
@@ -2311,10 +2319,6 @@ func (mb *msgBlock) firstMatching(filter string, wc bool, start uint64, sm *Stor
 		doLinearScan = true
 	}
 
-	if fseq > lseq {
-		return nil, didLoad, ErrStoreMsgNotFound
-	}
-
 	// Need messages loaded from here on out.
 	if mb.cacheNotLoaded() {
 		if err := mb.loadMsgsWithLock(); err != nil {
@@ -3774,15 +3778,6 @@ func (fs *fileStore) removeMsg(seq uint64, secure, viaLimits, needFSLock bool) (
 		secure = false
 	}
 
-	if fs.state.Msgs == 0 {
-		var err = ErrStoreEOF
-		if seq <= fs.state.LastSeq {
-			err = ErrStoreMsgNotFound
-		}
-		fsUnlock()
-		return false, err
-	}
-
 	mb := fs.selectMsgBlock(seq)
 	if mb == nil {
 		var err = ErrStoreEOF
@@ -3795,15 +3790,8 @@ func (fs *fileStore) removeMsg(seq uint64, secure, viaLimits, needFSLock bool) (
 
 	mb.mu.Lock()
 
-	// See if we are closed or the sequence number is still relevant.
-	if mb.closed || seq < atomic.LoadUint64(&mb.first.seq) {
-		mb.mu.Unlock()
-		fsUnlock()
-		return false, nil
-	}
-
-	// Now check dmap if it is there.
-	if mb.dmap.Exists(seq) {
+	// See if we are closed or the sequence number is still relevant or if we know its deleted.
+	if mb.closed || seq < atomic.LoadUint64(&mb.first.seq) || mb.dmap.Exists(seq) {
 		mb.mu.Unlock()
 		fsUnlock()
 		return false, nil
@@ -3813,27 +3801,11 @@ func (fs *fileStore) removeMsg(seq uint64, secure, viaLimits, needFSLock bool) (
 	// Now just load regardless.
 	// TODO(dlc) - Figure out a way not to have to load it in, we need subject tracking outside main data block.
 	if mb.cacheNotLoaded() {
-		// We do not want to block possible activity within another msg block.
-		// We have to unlock both locks and acquire the mb lock in the loadMsgs() call to avoid a deadlock if another
-		// go routine was trying to get fs then this mb lock at the same time. E.g. another call to remove for same block.
-		mb.mu.Unlock()
-		fsUnlock()
-		if err := mb.loadMsgs(); err != nil {
-			return false, err
-		}
-		fsLock()
-		// We need to check if things changed out from underneath us.
-		if fs.closed {
-			fsUnlock()
-			return false, ErrStoreClosed
-		}
-		mb.mu.Lock()
-		if mb.closed || seq < atomic.LoadUint64(&mb.first.seq) {
+		if err := mb.loadMsgsWithLock(); err != nil {
 			mb.mu.Unlock()
 			fsUnlock()
-			return false, nil
+			return false, err
 		}
-		// cacheLookup below will do dmap check so no need to repeat here.
 	}
 
 	var smv StoreMsg
@@ -5288,7 +5260,7 @@ func (fs *fileStore) selectMsgBlock(seq uint64) *msgBlock {
 // Lock should be held.
 func (fs *fileStore) selectMsgBlockWithIndex(seq uint64) (int, *msgBlock) {
 	// Check for out of range.
-	if seq < fs.state.FirstSeq || seq > fs.state.LastSeq {
+	if seq < fs.state.FirstSeq || seq > fs.state.LastSeq || fs.state.Msgs == 0 {
 		return -1, nil
 	}
 
@@ -7234,7 +7206,6 @@ func (mb *msgBlock) recalculateFirstForSubj(subj string, startSeq uint64, ss *Si
 
 	// Mark first as updated.
 	ss.firstNeedsUpdate = false
-	startSeq++
 
 	startSlot := int(startSeq - mb.cache.fseq)
 	if startSlot >= len(mb.cache.idx) {
diff --git a/server/filestore_test.go b/server/filestore_test.go
index 45370cf7bb6..d70d4e4f25b 100644
--- a/server/filestore_test.go
+++ b/server/filestore_test.go
@@ -6071,8 +6071,6 @@ func TestFileStoreTrackSubjLenForPSIM(t *testing.T) {
 
 // This was used to make sure our estimate was correct, but not needed normally.
 func TestFileStoreLargeFullStatePSIM(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Skip()
-
 	sd := t.TempDir()
 	fs, err := newFileStore(
 		FileStoreConfig{StoreDir: sd},