diff --git a/log.go b/log.go
index e8cbddd9..9097491c 100644
--- a/log.go
+++ b/log.go
@@ -106,23 +106,25 @@ func (l *raftLog) String() string {
 
 // maybeAppend returns (0, false) if the entries cannot be appended. Otherwise,
 // it returns (last index of new entries, true).
-func (l *raftLog) maybeAppend(prev entryID, committed uint64, ents ...pb.Entry) (lastnewi uint64, ok bool) {
-	if !l.matchTerm(prev) {
+func (l *raftLog) maybeAppend(a logSlice, committed uint64) (lastnewi uint64, ok bool) {
+	if !l.matchTerm(a.prev) {
 		return 0, false
 	}
+	// TODO(pav-kv): propagate logSlice down the stack. It will be used all the
+	// way down in unstable, for safety checks, and for useful bookkeeping.
 
-	lastnewi = prev.index + uint64(len(ents))
-	ci := l.findConflict(ents)
+	lastnewi = a.prev.index + uint64(len(a.entries))
+	ci := l.findConflict(a.entries)
 	switch {
 	case ci == 0:
 	case ci <= l.committed:
 		l.logger.Panicf("entry %d conflict with committed entry [committed(%d)]", ci, l.committed)
 	default:
-		offset := prev.index + 1
-		if ci-offset > uint64(len(ents)) {
-			l.logger.Panicf("index, %d, is out of range [%d]", ci-offset, len(ents))
+		offset := a.prev.index + 1
+		if ci-offset > uint64(len(a.entries)) {
+			l.logger.Panicf("index, %d, is out of range [%d]", ci-offset, len(a.entries))
 		}
-		l.append(ents[ci-offset:]...)
+		l.append(a.entries[ci-offset:]...)
 	}
 	l.commitTo(min(committed, lastnewi))
 	return lastnewi, true
diff --git a/log_test.go b/log_test.go
index 0f6a7d71..79003ffc 100644
--- a/log_test.go
+++ b/log_test.go
@@ -306,7 +306,11 @@ func TestLogMaybeAppend(t *testing.T) {
 					require.True(t, tt.wpanic)
 				}
 			}()
-			glasti, gappend := raftLog.maybeAppend(tt.prev, tt.committed, tt.ents...)
+			glasti, gappend := raftLog.maybeAppend(logSlice{
+				term:    0, // TODO(pav-kv): this should be a valid leader term.
+				prev:    tt.prev,
+				entries: tt.ents,
+			}, tt.committed)
 			require.Equal(t, tt.wlasti, glasti)
 			require.Equal(t, tt.wappend, gappend)
 			require.Equal(t, tt.wcommit, raftLog.committed)
diff --git a/raft.go b/raft.go
index e2db03b6..3017ac88 100644
--- a/raft.go
+++ b/raft.go
@@ -1745,12 +1745,15 @@ func stepFollower(r *raft, m pb.Message) error {
 }
 
 func (r *raft) handleAppendEntries(m pb.Message) {
-	prev := entryID{term: m.LogTerm, index: m.Index}
-	if prev.index < r.raftLog.committed {
+	// TODO(pav-kv): construct logSlice up the stack next to receiving the
+	// message, and validate it before taking any action (e.g. bumping term).
+	a := logSlice{term: m.Term, prev: entryID{term: m.LogTerm, index: m.Index}, entries: m.Entries}
+
+	if a.prev.index < r.raftLog.committed {
 		r.send(pb.Message{To: m.From, Type: pb.MsgAppResp, Index: r.raftLog.committed})
 		return
 	}
-	if mlastIndex, ok := r.raftLog.maybeAppend(prev, m.Commit, m.Entries...); ok {
+	if mlastIndex, ok := r.raftLog.maybeAppend(a, m.Commit); ok {
 		r.send(pb.Message{To: m.From, Type: pb.MsgAppResp, Index: mlastIndex})
 		return
 	}