diff --git a/service/storage_service.cc b/service/storage_service.cc
index 059ec0966d..1554326bef 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.cc
+++ b/service/storage_service.cc
@@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ static std::unordered_set<locator::host_id> get_released_nodes(const service::to
 
 // Synchronizes the local node state (token_metadata, system.peers/system.local tables,
 // gossiper) to align it with the other raft topology nodes.
-future<storage_service::nodes_to_notify_after_sync> storage_service::sync_raft_topology_nodes(mutable_token_metadata_ptr tmptr, std::unordered_set<raft::server_id> prev_normal) {
+future<storage_service::nodes_to_notify_after_sync> storage_service::sync_raft_topology_nodes(mutable_token_metadata_ptr tmptr, std::unordered_set<raft::server_id> prev_normal, std::optional<std::unordered_set<locator::host_id>> prev_released) {
     nodes_to_notify_after_sync nodes_to_notify;
 
     rtlogger.trace("Start sync_raft_topology_nodes");
@@ -695,8 +695,11 @@ future<storage_service::nodes_to_notify_after_sync> storage_service::sync_raft_t
         }
     }
 
-    const auto nodes_to_release = get_released_nodes(t, *tmptr);
+    if (prev_released) {
+    auto nodes_to_release = get_released_nodes(t, *tmptr);
+    std::erase_if(nodes_to_release, [&] (const auto& host_id) { return prev_released->contains(host_id); });
     std::copy(nodes_to_release.begin(), nodes_to_release.end(), std::back_inserter(nodes_to_notify.released));
+    }
 
     co_await when_all_succeed(sys_ks_futures.begin(), sys_ks_futures.end()).discard_result();
 
@@ -733,6 +736,10 @@ future<> storage_service::topology_state_load(state_change_hint hint) {
 
     rtlogger.debug("reload raft topology state");
     std::unordered_set<raft::server_id> prev_normal = _topology_state_machine._topology.normal_nodes | std::views::keys | std::ranges::to<std::unordered_set>();
+    std::optional<std::unordered_set<locator::host_id>> prev_released;
+    if (!_topology_state_machine._topology.is_empty()) {
+        prev_released = get_released_nodes(_topology_state_machine._topology, get_token_metadata());
+    }
 
     std::unordered_set<locator::host_id> tablet_hosts = co_await replica::read_required_hosts(_qp);
 
@@ -833,7 +840,7 @@ future<> storage_service::topology_state_load(state_change_hint hint) {
         }, topology.tstate);
         tmptr->set_read_new(read_new);
 
-        auto nodes_to_notify = co_await sync_raft_topology_nodes(tmptr, std::move(prev_normal));
+        auto nodes_to_notify = co_await sync_raft_topology_nodes(tmptr, std::move(prev_normal), std::move(prev_released));
 
         std::optional<locator::tablet_metadata> tablets;
         if (hint.tablets_hint) {
diff --git a/service/storage_service.hh b/service/storage_service.hh
index 02852b8bfb..b29ff5f536 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.hh
+++ b/service/storage_service.hh
@@ -1115,7 +1115,7 @@ private:
     // gossiper) to align it with the other raft topology nodes.
     // Optional target_node can be provided to restrict the synchronization to the specified node.
     // Returns a structure that describes which notifications to trigger after token metadata is updated.
-    future<nodes_to_notify_after_sync> sync_raft_topology_nodes(mutable_token_metadata_ptr tmptr, std::unordered_set<raft::server_id> prev_normal);
+    future<nodes_to_notify_after_sync> sync_raft_topology_nodes(mutable_token_metadata_ptr tmptr, std::unordered_set<raft::server_id> prev_normal, std::optional<std::unordered_set<locator::host_id>> prev_released);
     // Triggers notifications (on_joined, on_left) based on the recent changes to token metadata, as described by the passed in structure.
     // This function should be called on the result of `sync_raft_topology_nodes`, after the global token metadata is updated.
     future<> notify_nodes_after_sync(nodes_to_notify_after_sync&& nodes_to_notify);