diff --git a/conanfile.py b/conanfile.py
index 28516c2..38b318b 100644
--- a/conanfile.py
+++ b/conanfile.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 class NuRaftMesgConan(ConanFile):
     name = "nuraft_mesg"
-    version = "3.5.3"
+    version = "3.5.4"
 
     homepage = "https://github.com/eBay/nuraft_mesg"
     description = "A gRPC service for NuRAFT"
@@ -127,4 +127,4 @@ def package_info(self):
         self.cpp_info.set_property("cmake_file_name", "NuraftMesg")
         self.cpp_info.set_property("cmake_target_name", "NuraftMesg::NuraftMesg")
         self.cpp_info.names["cmake_find_package"] = "NuraftMesg"
-        self.cpp_info.names["cmake_find_package_multi"] = "NuraftMesg"
+        self.cpp_info.names["cmake_find_package_multi"] = "NuraftMesg"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/lib/nuraft_mesg_config.fbs b/src/lib/nuraft_mesg_config.fbs
index 1ac9706..59ad7ed 100644
--- a/src/lib/nuraft_mesg_config.fbs
+++ b/src/lib/nuraft_mesg_config.fbs
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ table NuraftMesgConfig {
     raft_leader_change_timeout_ms: uint32 = 3200;
 
     raft_scheduler_thread_cnt: uint16 = 2;
+
+    raft_append_entries_thread_cnt: uint16 = 2;
 }
 
 root_type NuraftMesgConfig;
diff --git a/src/lib/service.hpp b/src/lib/service.hpp
index 688223f..75eb7b0 100644
--- a/src/lib/service.hpp
+++ b/src/lib/service.hpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ class group_metrics : public sisl::MetricsGroupWrapper {
             sisl::MetricsGroupWrapper("RAFTGroup", to_string(group_id).c_str()) {
         REGISTER_COUNTER(group_steps, "Total group messages received", "raft_group", {"op", "step"});
         REGISTER_COUNTER(group_sends, "Total group messages sent", "raft_group", {"op", "send"});
+        REGISTER_HISTOGRAM(group_step_latency, "Latency for processing raft step", "raft_group", {"op", "step"});
         register_me_to_farm();
     }
 
diff --git a/src/proto/proto_service.cpp b/src/proto/proto_service.cpp
index 51cecd4..3fc6c9c 100644
--- a/src/proto/proto_service.cpp
+++ b/src/proto/proto_service.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include <boost/uuid/string_generator.hpp>
 #include <folly/Expected.h>
 #include <grpcpp/impl/codegen/status_code_enum.h>
+#include <boost/asio.hpp>
 #include <libnuraft/async.hxx>
 #include <libnuraft/rpc_listener.hxx>
 #include <sisl/options/options.h>
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "nuraft_mesg/nuraft_mesg.hpp"
 
 #include "lib/service.hpp"
+#include "lib/nuraft_mesg_config.hpp"
 
 #include "messaging_service.grpc.pb.h"
 #include "utils.hpp"
@@ -46,12 +48,19 @@ class proto_service : public msg_service {
     ::grpc::Status step(nuraft::raft_server& server, const RaftMessage& request, RaftMessage& reply);
 
 public:
-    using msg_service::msg_service;
+    template < typename... Args >
+    proto_service(Args&&... args) :
+            msg_service(std::forward< Args >(args)...),
+            _raft_thread_pool{NURAFT_MESG_CONFIG(raft_append_entries_thread_cnt)} {}
+
     void associate(sisl::GrpcServer* server) override;
     void bind(sisl::GrpcServer* server) override;
 
     // Incomming gRPC message
     bool raftStep(const sisl::AsyncRpcDataPtr< Messaging, RaftGroupMsg, RaftGroupMsg >& rpc_data);
+
+private:
+    boost::asio::thread_pool _raft_thread_pool;
 };
 
 void proto_service::associate(::sisl::GrpcServer* server) {
@@ -127,7 +136,7 @@ bool proto_service::raftStep(const sisl::AsyncRpcDataPtr< Messaging, RaftGroupMs
 
     // Setup our response and process the request.
     response.set_group_id(group_id);
-    folly::getGlobalCPUExecutor()->add([this, rpc_data]() {
+    boost::asio::post(_raft_thread_pool, [this, rpc_data]() {
         auto gid = boost::uuids::string_generator()(rpc_data->response().group_id());
         auto& request = rpc_data->request();
         auto& response = rpc_data->response();
@@ -136,8 +145,11 @@ bool proto_service::raftStep(const sisl::AsyncRpcDataPtr< Messaging, RaftGroupMs
             if (auto it = _raft_servers.find(gid); _raft_servers.end() != it) {
                 if (it->second.m_metrics) COUNTER_INCREMENT(*it->second.m_metrics, group_steps, 1);
                 try {
+                    auto const time_start = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
                     rpc_data->set_status(
                         step(*it->second.m_server->raft_server(), request.msg(), *response.mutable_msg()));
+                    if (it->second.m_metrics)
+                        HISTOGRAM_OBSERVE(*it->second.m_metrics, group_step_latency, get_elapsed_time_ms(time_start));
                 } catch (std::runtime_error& rte) {
                     LOGE("Caught exception during step(): {}", rte.what());
                     rpc_data->set_status(