diff --git a/gms/gossiper.cc b/gms/gossiper.cc
index 36bfd3c211..8941044723 100644
--- a/gms/gossiper.cc
+++ b/gms/gossiper.cc
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ future<> gossiper::do_apply_state_locally(locator::host_id node, endpoint_state
             }
             // Re-rake after apply_new_states
             es = get_endpoint_state_ptr(node);
-            if (!is_alive(es->get_host_id()) && !is_dead_state(*es) && !shadow_round) { // unless of course, it was dead
+            if (!is_alive(es->get_host_id()) && !is_left(*es) && !shadow_round) { // unless of course, it was dead
                 mark_alive(es);
             }
         } else {
@@ -1656,7 +1656,7 @@ future<> gossiper::handle_major_state_change(endpoint_state eps, permit_id pid,
 
     endpoint_state_ptr eps_old = get_endpoint_state_ptr(ep);
 
-    if (!is_dead_state(eps) && !shadow_round) {
+    if (!is_left(eps) && !shadow_round) {
         if (_endpoint_state_map.contains(ep))  {
             logger.info("Node {} has restarted, now UP, status = {}", ep, get_gossip_status(eps));
         } else {
@@ -1681,7 +1681,7 @@ future<> gossiper::handle_major_state_change(endpoint_state eps, permit_id pid,
     if (!ep_state) {
         throw std::out_of_range(format("ep={}", ep));
     }
-    if (!is_dead_state(*ep_state)) {
+    if (!is_left(*ep_state)) {
         mark_alive(ep_state);
     } else {
         logger.debug("Not marking {} alive due to dead state {}", ep, get_gossip_status(eps));
@@ -1698,7 +1698,7 @@ future<> gossiper::handle_major_state_change(endpoint_state eps, permit_id pid,
     }
 }
 
-bool gossiper::is_dead_state(const endpoint_state& eps) const {
+bool gossiper::is_left(const endpoint_state& eps) const {
     return _topo_sm._topology.left_nodes.contains(raft::server_id(eps.get_host_id().uuid()));
 }
 
diff --git a/gms/gossiper.hh b/gms/gossiper.hh
index d2482ccb46..39274527ff 100644
--- a/gms/gossiper.hh
+++ b/gms/gossiper.hh
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ private:
 public:
     bool is_alive(locator::host_id id) const;
 
-    bool is_dead_state(const endpoint_state& eps) const;
+    bool is_left(const endpoint_state& eps) const;
     // Wait for nodes to be alive on all shards
     future<> wait_alive(std::vector<gms::inet_address> nodes, std::chrono::milliseconds timeout);
     future<> wait_alive(std::vector<locator::host_id> nodes, std::chrono::milliseconds timeout);
diff --git a/service/storage_service.cc b/service/storage_service.cc
index 39b849c75a..ef6eaac6c2 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.cc
+++ b/service/storage_service.cc
@@ -1807,7 +1807,7 @@ future<> storage_service::on_change(gms::inet_address endpoint, locator::host_id
     slogger.debug("endpoint={} on_change:     states={}, permit_id={}", endpoint, states, pid);
 
     auto ep_state = _gossiper.get_endpoint_state_ptr(host_id);
-    if (!ep_state || _gossiper.is_dead_state(*ep_state)) {
+    if (!ep_state || _gossiper.is_left(*ep_state)) {
         slogger.debug("Ignoring state change for dead or unknown endpoint: {}", endpoint);
         co_return;
     }