diff --git a/common/error_codes.go b/common/error_codes.go
index 8d99363e..b4205c3f 100644
--- a/common/error_codes.go
+++ b/common/error_codes.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ const (
 	CodeNamespaceNotFound       codes.Code = 110
 	CodeNotificationsNotEnabled codes.Code = 111
 	CodeFollowerAlreadyPresent  codes.Code = 112
+	CodeFollowerAlreadyFenced   codes.Code = 113
 )
 
 var (
@@ -49,4 +50,5 @@ var (
 	ErrorNamespaceNotFound       = status.Error(CodeNamespaceNotFound, "oxia: namespace not found")
 	ErrorNotificationsNotEnabled = status.Error(CodeNotificationsNotEnabled, "oxia: notifications not enabled on namespace")
 	ErrorFollowerAlreadyPresent  = status.Error(CodeFollowerAlreadyPresent, "oxia: follower is already present")
+	ErrorFollowerAlreadyFenced   = status.Error(CodeFollowerAlreadyFenced, "oxia: follower is already fenced")
 )
diff --git a/coordinator/impl/shard_controller.go b/coordinator/impl/shard_controller.go
index 536ed272..c299d76c 100644
--- a/coordinator/impl/shard_controller.go
+++ b/coordinator/impl/shard_controller.go
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ func (s *shardController) newTermAndAddFollower(ctx context.Context, node model.
 
 func (s *shardController) internalNewTermAndAddFollower(ctx context.Context, node model.ServerAddress, res chan error) {
 	fr, err := s.newTerm(ctx, node)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && status.Code(err) != common.CodeFollowerAlreadyFenced {
 		res <- err
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/server/follower_controller.go b/server/follower_controller.go
index 6fcbcdfa..018ef4a5 100644
--- a/server/follower_controller.go
+++ b/server/follower_controller.go
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ func (fc *followerController) NewTerm(req *proto.NewTermRequest) (*proto.NewTerm
 			slog.Int64("new-term", req.Term),
 			slog.Any("status", fc.status),
 		)
-		return nil, common.ErrorInvalidStatus
+		return nil, common.ErrorFollowerAlreadyFenced
 	}
 
 	if fc.db == nil {
diff --git a/server/follower_controller_test.go b/server/follower_controller_test.go
index 8f776fa1..c610efb9 100644
--- a/server/follower_controller_test.go
+++ b/server/follower_controller_test.go
@@ -357,6 +357,41 @@ func TestFollower_NewTerm(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, walFactory.Close())
 }
 
+func TestFollower_DuplicateNewTermInFollowerState(t *testing.T) {
+	var shardId int64 = 5
+	kvFactory, err := kv.NewPebbleKVFactory(&kv.FactoryOptions{DataDir: t.TempDir()})
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	walFactory := wal.NewWalFactory(&wal.FactoryOptions{BaseWalDir: t.TempDir()})
+
+	fc, _ := NewFollowerController(Config{}, common.DefaultNamespace, shardId, walFactory, kvFactory)
+	_, _ = fc.NewTerm(&proto.NewTermRequest{Term: 1})
+
+	stream := newMockServerReplicateStream()
+	go func() {
+		// cancelled due to fc.Close() below
+		assert.ErrorIs(t, fc.Replicate(stream), context.Canceled)
+	}()
+
+	stream.AddRequest(createAddRequest(t, 1, 0, map[string]string{"a": "0", "b": "1"}, 10))
+
+	// Wait for acks
+	r1 := stream.GetResponse()
+
+	assert.EqualValues(t, 0, r1.Offset)
+
+	assert.Eventually(t, func() bool {
+		return fc.CommitOffset() == 0
+	}, 10*time.Second, 10*time.Millisecond)
+
+	r, err := fc.NewTerm(&proto.NewTermRequest{Term: 1})
+	assert.Nil(t, r)
+	assert.Equal(t, common.CodeFollowerAlreadyFenced, status.Code(err))
+
+	assert.NoError(t, fc.Close())
+	assert.NoError(t, kvFactory.Close())
+	assert.NoError(t, walFactory.Close())
+}
+
 // If a node is restarted, it might get the truncate request
 // when it's in the `NotMember` state. That is ok, provided
 // the request comes in the same term that the follower