diff --git a/src/main/java/io/nats/client/impl/NatsJetStream.java b/src/main/java/io/nats/client/impl/NatsJetStream.java
index aa9276fd2..5c8671cea 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/nats/client/impl/NatsJetStream.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/nats/client/impl/NatsJetStream.java
@@ -351,9 +351,10 @@ else if (so.isBind()) {
         // 4. If no deliver subject (inbox) provided or found, make an inbox.
         final String fnlInboxDeliver = inboxDeliver == null ? conn.createInbox() : inboxDeliver;
 
-        // 5. If consumer does not exist, create
-        final String fnlConsumerName;
-        final ConsumerConfiguration fnlServerCC;
+        // 5. If consumer does not exist, create and settle on the config. Name will have to wait
+        //    If the consumer exists, I know what the settled info is
+        final String settledConsumerName;
+        final ConsumerConfiguration settledServerCC;
         if (serverCC == null) {
             ConsumerConfiguration.Builder ccBuilder = ConsumerConfiguration.builder(userCC);
 
@@ -368,14 +369,12 @@ else if (so.isBind()) {
 
             ccBuilder.deliverGroup(qgroup);
 
-            // createOrUpdateConsumer can fail for security reasons, maybe other reasons?
-            ConsumerInfo ci = _createConsumer(fnlStream, ccBuilder.build());
-            fnlConsumerName = ci.getName();
-            fnlServerCC = ci.getConsumerConfiguration();
+            settledServerCC = ccBuilder.build();
+            settledConsumerName = null;
         }
         else {
-            fnlConsumerName = consumerName;
-            fnlServerCC = serverCC;
+            settledServerCC = serverCC;
+            settledConsumerName = consumerName;
         }
 
         // 6. create the subscription. lambda needs final or effectively final vars
@@ -383,18 +382,18 @@ else if (so.isBind()) {
         if (isPullMode) {
             final MessageManager[] managers = new MessageManager[] { new PullStatusMessageManager() };
             final NatsSubscriptionFactory factory = (sid, lSubject, lQgroup, lConn, lDispatcher)
-                -> new NatsJetStreamPullSubscription(sid, lSubject, lConn, this, fnlStream, fnlConsumerName, managers);
+                -> new NatsJetStreamPullSubscription(sid, lSubject, lConn, this, fnlStream, settledConsumerName, managers);
             sub = (NatsJetStreamSubscription) conn.createSubscription(fnlInboxDeliver, qgroup, null, factory);
         }
         else {
             final MessageManager statusManager =
-                PUSH_STATUS_MANAGER_FACTORY.createPushStatusMessageManager(conn, so, fnlServerCC, qgroup != null, dispatcher == null);
+                PUSH_STATUS_MANAGER_FACTORY.createPushStatusMessageManager(conn, so, settledServerCC, qgroup != null, dispatcher == null);
             final MessageManager[] managers;
             if (so.isOrdered()) {
                 managers = new MessageManager[3];
                 managers[0] = new SidCheckManager();
                 managers[1] = statusManager;
-                managers[2] = new OrderedManager(this, dispatcher, fnlStream, fnlServerCC);
+                managers[2] = new OrderedManager(this, dispatcher, fnlStream, settledServerCC);
             }
             else {
                 managers = new MessageManager[1];
@@ -403,17 +402,35 @@ else if (so.isBind()) {
 
             final NatsSubscriptionFactory factory = (sid, lSubject, lQgroup, lConn, lDispatcher)
                 -> new NatsJetStreamSubscription(sid, lSubject, lQgroup, lConn, lDispatcher,
-                this, fnlStream, fnlConsumerName, managers);
+                this, fnlStream, settledConsumerName, managers);
 
             if (dispatcher == null) {
                 sub = (NatsJetStreamSubscription) conn.createSubscription(fnlInboxDeliver, qgroup, null, factory);
             }
             else {
-                AsyncMessageHandler handler = new AsyncMessageHandler(userHandler, isAutoAck, fnlServerCC, managers);
+                AsyncMessageHandler handler = new AsyncMessageHandler(userHandler, isAutoAck, settledServerCC, managers);
                 sub = (NatsJetStreamSubscription) dispatcher.subscribeImplJetStream(fnlInboxDeliver, qgroup, handler, factory);
             }
         }
 
+        // 7. The consumer might need to be created, do it here
+        if (settledConsumerName == null) {
+            try {
+                ConsumerInfo ci = _createConsumer(fnlStream, settledServerCC);
+                sub.setConsumerName(ci.getName());
+            }
+            catch (IOException | JetStreamApiException e) {
+                // create consumer can fail, unsubscribe and then throw the exception to the user
+                if (dispatcher == null) {
+                    sub.unsubscribe();
+                }
+                else {
+                    dispatcher.unsubscribe(sub);
+                }
+                throw e;
+            }
+        }
+
         return sub;
     }
 
@@ -472,10 +489,10 @@ static class AsyncMessageHandler implements MessageHandler {
         List<MessageManager> managers;
         List<MessageHandler> handlers;
 
-        public AsyncMessageHandler(MessageHandler userHandler, boolean isAutoAck, ConsumerConfiguration fnlServerCC, MessageManager ... managers) {
+        public AsyncMessageHandler(MessageHandler userHandler, boolean isAutoAck, ConsumerConfiguration settledServerCC, MessageManager ... managers) {
             handlers = new ArrayList<>();
             handlers.add(userHandler);
-            if (isAutoAck && fnlServerCC.getAckPolicy() != AckPolicy.None) {
+            if (isAutoAck && settledServerCC.getAckPolicy() != AckPolicy.None) {
                 handlers.add(Message::ack);
             };
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/nats/client/impl/NatsJetStreamSubscription.java b/src/main/java/io/nats/client/impl/NatsJetStreamSubscription.java
index b2dafcdbd..c64dd5d59 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/nats/client/impl/NatsJetStreamSubscription.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/nats/client/impl/NatsJetStreamSubscription.java
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public class NatsJetStreamSubscription extends NatsSubscription implements JetSt
         super(sid, subject, queueName, connection, dispatcher);
         this.js = js;
         this.stream = stream;
-        this.consumerName = consumer;
+        this.consumerName = consumer; // might be null, someone will call setConsumerName
 
         managers = inManagers;
         for (MessageManager mm : managers) {
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ public class NatsJetStreamSubscription extends NatsSubscription implements JetSt
         }
     }
 
+    void setConsumerName(String consumerName) {
+        this.consumerName = consumerName;
+    }
+
     String getConsumerName() {
         return consumerName;
     }