diff --git a/weed/worker/tasks/balance/plugin_handler.go b/weed/worker/tasks/balance/plugin_handler.go
index 813f770c2..d271b0bd2 100644
--- a/weed/worker/tasks/balance/plugin_handler.go
+++ b/weed/worker/tasks/balance/plugin_handler.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/admin/topology"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/glog"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb/plugin_pb"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb/worker_pb"
 	pluginworker "github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/plugin/worker"
@@ -790,12 +791,17 @@ func (h *VolumeBalanceHandler) checkMoveStillValid(ctx context.Context, masterAd
 }
 
 func checkMovePreconditions(locations []string, volumeID uint32, sourceNode, targetNode string) error {
+	// Proposal nodes carry the grpc suffix (host:port.grpcPort) while the
+	// master reports plain host:port urls, so compare in http form.
+	sourceAddress := pb.ServerAddress(strings.TrimSpace(sourceNode))
+	targetAddress := pb.ServerAddress(strings.TrimSpace(targetNode))
 	sourceFound := false
 	for _, location := range locations {
-		switch strings.TrimSpace(location) {
-		case targetNode:
+		locationAddress := pb.ServerAddress(strings.TrimSpace(location))
+		switch {
+		case locationAddress.Equals(targetAddress):
 			return fmt.Errorf("stale move: volume %d already has a replica on target %s", volumeID, targetNode)
-		case sourceNode:
+		case locationAddress.Equals(sourceAddress):
 			sourceFound = true
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/weed/worker/tasks/balance/plugin_handler_test.go b/weed/worker/tasks/balance/plugin_handler_test.go
index a3c2294b1..2067623fa 100644
--- a/weed/worker/tasks/balance/plugin_handler_test.go
+++ b/weed/worker/tasks/balance/plugin_handler_test.go
@@ -798,18 +798,22 @@ func (r *recordingDetectionSender) SendActivity(event *plugin_pb.ActivityEvent)
 
 func TestCheckMovePreconditions(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
-		name      string
-		locations []string
-		wantErr   string
+		name       string
+		locations  []string
+		sourceNode string
+		targetNode string
+		wantErr    string
 	}{
-		{"valid move", []string{"10.0.0.1:8080", "10.0.0.3:8080"}, ""},
-		{"volume left the source", []string{"10.0.0.3:8080"}, "no longer on source"},
-		{"volume gone entirely", nil, "no longer on source"},
-		{"target already has a replica", []string{"10.0.0.1:8080", "10.0.0.2:8080"}, "already has a replica on target"},
+		{"valid move", []string{"10.0.0.1:8080", "10.0.0.3:8080"}, "10.0.0.1:8080", "10.0.0.2:8080", ""},
+		{"volume left the source", []string{"10.0.0.3:8080"}, "10.0.0.1:8080", "10.0.0.2:8080", "no longer on source"},
+		{"volume gone entirely", nil, "10.0.0.1:8080", "10.0.0.2:8080", "no longer on source"},
+		{"target already has a replica", []string{"10.0.0.1:8080", "10.0.0.2:8080"}, "10.0.0.1:8080", "10.0.0.2:8080", "already has a replica on target"},
+		{"proposal nodes carry grpc suffix", []string{"10.0.0.1:8080", "10.0.0.3:8080"}, "10.0.0.1:8080.18080", "10.0.0.2:8080.18080", ""},
+		{"grpc-suffixed target already has a replica", []string{"10.0.0.1:8080", "10.0.0.2:8080"}, "10.0.0.1:8080.18080", "10.0.0.2:8080.18080", "already has a replica on target"},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			err := checkMovePreconditions(tt.locations, 5, "10.0.0.1:8080", "10.0.0.2:8080")
+			err := checkMovePreconditions(tt.locations, 5, tt.sourceNode, tt.targetNode)
 			if tt.wantErr == "" {
 				if err != nil {
 					t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)