diff --git a/changelog/20986.txt b/changelog/20986.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c0615f9a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/20986.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+storage/raft: Fix race where new follower joining can get pruned by dead server cleanup.
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/physical/raft/raft_autopilot.go b/physical/raft/raft_autopilot.go
index 41fc321c9..3d8878a95 100644
--- a/physical/raft/raft_autopilot.go
+++ b/physical/raft/raft_autopilot.go
@@ -215,13 +215,15 @@ func NewFollowerStates() *FollowerStates {
 	}
 }
 
-// Update the peer information in the follower states. Note that this function runs on the active node.
-func (s *FollowerStates) Update(req *EchoRequestUpdate) {
+// Update the peer information in the follower states. Note that this function
+// runs on the active node. Returns true if a new entry was added, as opposed
+// to modifying one already present.
+func (s *FollowerStates) Update(req *EchoRequestUpdate) bool {
 	s.l.Lock()
 	defer s.l.Unlock()
 
-	state, ok := s.followers[req.NodeID]
-	if !ok {
+	state, present := s.followers[req.NodeID]
+	if !present {
 		state = &FollowerState{
 			IsDead: atomic.NewBool(false),
 		}
@@ -236,6 +238,8 @@ func (s *FollowerStates) Update(req *EchoRequestUpdate) {
 	state.Version = req.SDKVersion
 	state.UpgradeVersion = req.UpgradeVersion
 	state.RedundancyZone = req.RedundancyZone
+
+	return !present
 }
 
 // Clear wipes all the information regarding peers in the follower states.
diff --git a/vault/logical_system_raft.go b/vault/logical_system_raft.go
index 6faafacec..ca475eddc 100644
--- a/vault/logical_system_raft.go
+++ b/vault/logical_system_raft.go
@@ -248,9 +248,8 @@ func (b *SystemBackend) handleRaftRemovePeerUpdate() framework.OperationFunc {
 		if err := raftBackend.RemovePeer(ctx, serverID); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		if b.Core.raftFollowerStates != nil {
-			b.Core.raftFollowerStates.Delete(serverID)
-		}
+
+		b.Core.raftFollowerStates.Delete(serverID)
 
 		return nil, nil
 	}
@@ -351,16 +350,6 @@ func (b *SystemBackend) handleRaftBootstrapAnswerWrite() framework.OperationFunc
 			return nil, errors.New("could not decode raft TLS configuration")
 		}
 
-		switch nonVoter {
-		case true:
-			err = raftBackend.AddNonVotingPeer(ctx, serverID, clusterAddr)
-		default:
-			err = raftBackend.AddPeer(ctx, serverID, clusterAddr)
-		}
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-
 		var desiredSuffrage string
 		switch nonVoter {
 		case true:
@@ -369,11 +358,22 @@ func (b *SystemBackend) handleRaftBootstrapAnswerWrite() framework.OperationFunc
 			desiredSuffrage = "voter"
 		}
 
-		if b.Core.raftFollowerStates != nil {
-			b.Core.raftFollowerStates.Update(&raft.EchoRequestUpdate{
-				NodeID:          serverID,
-				DesiredSuffrage: desiredSuffrage,
-			})
+		added := b.Core.raftFollowerStates.Update(&raft.EchoRequestUpdate{
+			NodeID:          serverID,
+			DesiredSuffrage: desiredSuffrage,
+		})
+
+		switch nonVoter {
+		case true:
+			err = raftBackend.AddNonVotingPeer(ctx, serverID, clusterAddr)
+		default:
+			err = raftBackend.AddPeer(ctx, serverID, clusterAddr)
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			if added {
+				b.Core.raftFollowerStates.Delete(serverID)
+			}
+			return nil, err
 		}
 
 		peers, err := raftBackend.Peers(ctx)