diff --git a/raft/fsm.cc b/raft/fsm.cc
index a98072acc5..342fe55a7a 100644
--- a/raft/fsm.cc
+++ b/raft/fsm.cc
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ void fsm::become_leader() {
     _tracker.emplace(_my_id);
     _log_limiter_semaphore.emplace(this);
     _log_limiter_semaphore->sem.consume(_log.non_snapshoted_length());
-    _tracker->set_configuration(_current_config.servers, _log.next_idx());
+    _tracker->set_configuration(_configuration.current, _log.next_idx());
     _last_election_time = _clock.now();
     // a new leader needs to commit at lease one entry to make sure that
     // all existing entries in its log are commited as well. Also it should
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ void fsm::become_candidate() {
     // and initiating another round of RequestVote RPCs.
     _last_election_time = _clock.now();
     _votes.emplace();
-    _votes->set_configuration(_current_config.servers);
+    _votes->set_configuration(_configuration.current);
     _voted_for = _my_id;
 
     if (_votes->tally_votes() == vote_result::WON) {
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ void fsm::become_candidate() {
         return;
     }
 
-    for (const auto& server : _current_config.servers) {
+    for (const auto& server : _configuration.current) {
         if (server.id == _my_id) {
             continue;
         }
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ static size_t entry_size(const log_entry& e) {
         }
         size_t operator()(const configuration& c) {
             size_t size = 0;
-            for (auto& s : c.servers) {
+            for (auto& s : c.current) {
                 size += sizeof(s.id);
                 size += s.info.size();
             }
@@ -684,7 +684,7 @@ std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const fsm& f) {
     }
     os << "messages: " << f._messages.size() << ", ";
     os << "current_config (";
-    for (auto& server: f._current_config.servers) {
+    for (auto& server: f._configuration.current) {
         os << server.id << ", ";
     }
     os << "), ";
diff --git a/raft/fsm.hh b/raft/fsm.hh
index 74b524d85d..3ccc072fc2 100644
--- a/raft/fsm.hh
+++ b/raft/fsm.hh
@@ -176,9 +176,8 @@ private:
     // TLA+ line 328
     std::vector<std::pair<server_id, rpc_message>> _messages;
 
-    // Currently used configuration, may be different from
-    // the committed during a configuration change.
-    configuration _current_config;
+    // Transitional (joint) or committed configuration.
+    configuration _configuration;
 
     // Signaled when there is a IO event to process.
     seastar::condition_variable _sm_events;
@@ -250,16 +249,18 @@ private:
     // Tick implementation on a leader
     void tick_leader();
 
-    // Set cluster configuration
+    // Reconfigure this instance to use the provided configuration.
+    // Called on start, configuration change, or when restoring
+    // to the previous configuration.
     void set_configuration(const configuration& config) {
-        _current_config = config;
-        // We unconditionally access _current_config
+        _configuration = config;
+        // We unconditionally access _configuration
         // to identify which entries are committed.
-        assert(_current_config.servers.size() > 0);
+        assert(_configuration.current.size() > 0);
         if (is_leader()) {
-            _tracker->set_configuration(_current_config.servers, _log.next_idx());
+            _tracker->set_configuration(_configuration.current, _log.next_idx());
         } else if (is_candidate()) {
-            _votes->set_configuration(_current_config.servers);
+            _votes->set_configuration(_configuration.current);
         }
     }
 public:
diff --git a/raft/raft.hh b/raft/raft.hh
index 4b0fed1573..3e51255d4e 100644
--- a/raft/raft.hh
+++ b/raft/raft.hh
@@ -67,12 +67,17 @@ struct server_address {
 };
 
 struct configuration {
-    std::vector<server_address> servers;
+    // Used during the transitioning period of configuration
+    // changes.
+    std::vector<server_address> previous;
+    // Contains the current configuration. When configuration
+    // change is in progress, contains the new configuration.
+    std::vector<server_address> current;
 
     configuration(std::initializer_list<server_id> ids) {
-        servers.reserve(ids.size());
+        current.reserve(ids.size());
         for (auto&& id : ids) {
-            servers.emplace_back(server_address{std::move(id)});
+            current.emplace_back(server_address{std::move(id)});
         }
     }
     configuration() = default;
diff --git a/test/raft/replication_test.cc b/test/raft/replication_test.cc
index bf2d5c0a95..86d049eeed 100644
--- a/test/raft/replication_test.cc
+++ b/test/raft/replication_test.cc
@@ -324,11 +324,11 @@ future<std::vector<std::pair<std::unique_ptr<raft::server>, state_machine*>>> cr
 
     for (size_t i = 0; i < states.size(); i++) {
         auto uuid = utils::UUID(0, i + 1);   // Custom sequential debug id; 0 is invalid
-        config.servers.push_back(raft::server_address{uuid});
+        config.current.push_back(raft::server_address{uuid});
     }
 
     for (size_t i = 0; i < states.size(); i++) {
-        auto& s = config.servers[i];
+        auto& s = config.current[i];
         states[i].snapshot.config = config;
         snapshots[s.id] = states[i].snp_value;
         auto& raft = *rafts.emplace_back(create_raft_server(s.id, apply, states[i], apply_entries, type)).first;