diff --git a/raft/fsm.cc b/raft/fsm.cc
index 03c3d99320..545d543a3d 100644
--- a/raft/fsm.cc
+++ b/raft/fsm.cc
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ void fsm::replicate_to(follower_progress& progress, bool allow_empty) {
             const snapshot& snapshot = _log.get_snapshot();
             // We need to transfer the snapshot before we can
             // continue syncing the log.
-            progress.become_snapshot();
+            progress.become_snapshot(snapshot.idx);
             send_to(progress.id, install_snapshot{_current_term, snapshot});
             logger.trace("replicate_to[{}->{}]: send snapshot next={} snapshot={}",
                     _my_id, progress.id, progress.next_idx,  snapshot.idx);
@@ -765,7 +765,7 @@ bool fsm::can_read() {
     return false;
 }
 
-void fsm::snapshot_status(server_id id, std::optional<index_t> idx) {
+void fsm::snapshot_status(server_id id, bool success) {
     follower_progress& progress = *leader_state().tracker.find(id);
 
     if (progress.state != follower_progress::state::SNAPSHOT) {
@@ -776,8 +776,7 @@ void fsm::snapshot_status(server_id id, std::optional<index_t> idx) {
     // No matter if snapshot transfer failed or not move back to probe state
     progress.become_probe();
 
-    if (idx) {
-        progress.next_idx = *idx + index_t(1);
+    if (success) {
         // If snapshot was successfully transferred start replication immediately
         replicate_to(progress, false);
     }
diff --git a/raft/fsm.hh b/raft/fsm.hh
index 191f2d9f74..fe537ecc58 100644
--- a/raft/fsm.hh
+++ b/raft/fsm.hh
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ public:
     // tick period.
     bool can_read();
 
-    void snapshot_status(server_id id, std::optional<index_t> idx);
+    void snapshot_status(server_id id, bool success);
 
     // This call will update the log to point to the new snapshot
     // and will truncate the log prefix up to (snp.idx - trailing)
diff --git a/raft/server.cc b/raft/server.cc
index 4383cdf202..b40334e361 100644
--- a/raft/server.cc
+++ b/raft/server.cc
@@ -413,15 +413,14 @@ future<> server_impl::io_fiber(index_t last_stable) {
 }
 
 void server_impl::send_snapshot(server_id dst, install_snapshot&& snp) {
-    index_t snp_idx = snp.snp.idx;
-    future<> f = _rpc->send_snapshot(dst, std::move(snp)).then_wrapped([this, dst, snp_idx] (future<> f) {
+    future<> f = _rpc->send_snapshot(dst, std::move(snp)).then_wrapped([this, dst] (future<> f) {
         _snapshot_transfers.erase(dst);
         if (f.failed()) {
             logger.error("[{}] Transferring snapshot to {} failed with: {}", _id, dst, f.get_exception());
-            _fsm->snapshot_status(dst, std::nullopt);
+            _fsm->snapshot_status(dst, false);
         } else {
             logger.trace("[{}] Transferred snapshot to {}", _id, dst);
-            _fsm->snapshot_status(dst, snp_idx);
+            _fsm->snapshot_status(dst, true);
         }
 
     });
diff --git a/raft/tracker.cc b/raft/tracker.cc
index 39a9f75b14..2df3d0e8ad 100644
--- a/raft/tracker.cc
+++ b/raft/tracker.cc
@@ -62,8 +62,12 @@ void follower_progress::become_pipeline() {
     }
 }
 
-void follower_progress::become_snapshot() {
+void follower_progress::become_snapshot(index_t snp_idx) {
     state = state::SNAPSHOT;
+    // If snapshot transfer succeeds, start replicating from the
+    // next index, otherwise we will learn the follower's index
+    // again by sending a probe request.
+    next_idx = snp_idx + index_t{1};
 }
 
 bool follower_progress::can_send_to() {
diff --git a/raft/tracker.hh b/raft/tracker.hh
index 0ddecef215..9793853aff 100644
--- a/raft/tracker.hh
+++ b/raft/tracker.hh
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ public:
 
     void become_probe();
     void become_pipeline();
-    void become_snapshot();
+    void become_snapshot(index_t snp_idx);
 
     void accepted(index_t idx) {
         // AppendEntries replies can arrive out of order.