diff --git a/changelog/22040.txt b/changelog/22040.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e96a428b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/22040.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:improvement
+storage/raft: Cap the minimum dead_server_last_contact_threshold to 1m.
+```
diff --git a/vault/external_tests/raft/raft_autopilot_test.go b/vault/external_tests/raft/raft_autopilot_test.go
index 9b2f83c18..9185d5b94 100644
--- a/vault/external_tests/raft/raft_autopilot_test.go
+++ b/vault/external_tests/raft/raft_autopilot_test.go
@@ -190,6 +190,14 @@ func TestRaft_Autopilot_Configuration(t *testing.T) {
 	writeConfigFunc(writableConfig, true)
 	configCheckFunc(config)
 
+	// Check dead server last contact threshold minimum
+	writableConfig = map[string]interface{}{
+		"cleanup_dead_servers":               true,
+		"dead_server_last_contact_threshold": "5s",
+	}
+	writeConfigFunc(writableConfig, true)
+	configCheckFunc(config)
+
 	// Ensure that the configuration stays across reboots
 	leaderCore := cluster.Cores[0]
 	testhelpers.EnsureCoreSealed(t, cluster.Cores[0])
@@ -442,7 +450,7 @@ func TestRaft_Autopilot_DeadServerCleanup(t *testing.T) {
 	// Ensure Autopilot has the aggressive settings
 	config.CleanupDeadServers = true
 	config.ServerStabilizationTime = 5 * time.Second
-	config.DeadServerLastContactThreshold = 10 * time.Second
+	config.DeadServerLastContactThreshold = 1 * time.Minute
 	config.MaxTrailingLogs = 10
 	config.LastContactThreshold = 10 * time.Second
 	config.MinQuorum = 3
diff --git a/vault/logical_system_raft.go b/vault/logical_system_raft.go
index ca475eddc..483c24fc5 100644
--- a/vault/logical_system_raft.go
+++ b/vault/logical_system_raft.go
@@ -533,6 +533,10 @@ func (b *SystemBackend) handleStorageRaftAutopilotConfigUpdate() framework.Opera
 			return logical.ErrorResponse(fmt.Sprintf("min_quorum must be set when cleanup_dead_servers is set and it should at least be 3; cleanup_dead_servers: %#v, min_quorum: %#v", effectiveConf.CleanupDeadServers, effectiveConf.MinQuorum)), logical.ErrInvalidRequest
 		}
 
+		if effectiveConf.CleanupDeadServers && effectiveConf.DeadServerLastContactThreshold.Seconds() < 60 {
+			return logical.ErrorResponse(fmt.Sprintf("dead_server_last_contact_threshold should not be set to less than 1m; received: %v", deadServerLastContactThreshold)), logical.ErrInvalidRequest
+		}
+
 		// Persist only the user supplied fields
 		if persist {
 			entry, err := logical.StorageEntryJSON(raftAutopilotConfigurationStoragePath, config)
diff --git a/website/content/api-docs/system/storage/raftautopilot.mdx b/website/content/api-docs/system/storage/raftautopilot.mdx
index 18eff4c8d..6c8e7c9d5 100644
--- a/website/content/api-docs/system/storage/raftautopilot.mdx
+++ b/website/content/api-docs/system/storage/raftautopilot.mdx
@@ -210,7 +210,8 @@ This endpoint is used to modify the configuration of the autopilot subsystem of
 
 - `dead_server_last_contact_threshold` `(string: "24h")` - Limit on the amount of time
   a server can go without leader contact before being considered failed. This
-  takes effect only when `cleanup_dead_servers` is `true`.
+  takes effect only when `cleanup_dead_servers` is `true`. This can not be set to a value
+  smaller than 1m.
 
 - `max_trailing_logs` `(int: 1000)` - Amount of entries in the Raft Log that a server
   can be behind before being considered unhealthy.