diff --git a/src/sentinel.c b/src/sentinel.c
index c693a58627..ba522e6183 100644
--- a/src/sentinel.c
+++ b/src/sentinel.c
@@ -3244,8 +3244,13 @@ char *sentinelVoteLeader(sentinelRedisInstance *master, uint64_t req_epoch, char
 
     if (master->leader_epoch < req_epoch && sentinel.current_epoch <= req_epoch)
     {
-        sdsfree(master->leader);
-        master->leader = sdsnew(req_runid);
+        mstime_t time_since_last_vote = mstime() - master->failover_start_time;
+        if (time_since_last_vote > master->failover_timeout ||
+            strcasecmp(req_runid,server.runid) == 0 ||
+            master->leader == NULL) {
+            sdsfree(master->leader);
+            master->leader = sdsnew(req_runid);
+        }
         master->leader_epoch = sentinel.current_epoch;
         sentinelFlushConfig();
         sentinelEvent(REDIS_WARNING,"+vote-for-leader",master,"%s %llu",