diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index 673cf60c1..c1fda25be 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -3114,6 +3114,7 @@ standardConfig static_configs[] = {
     createBoolConfig("aof-disable-auto-gc", NULL, MODIFIABLE_CONFIG | HIDDEN_CONFIG, server.aof_disable_auto_gc, 0, NULL, updateAofAutoGCEnabled),
     createBoolConfig("replica-ignore-disk-write-errors", NULL, MODIFIABLE_CONFIG, server.repl_ignore_disk_write_error, 0, NULL, NULL),
     createBoolConfig("hide-user-data-from-log", NULL, MODIFIABLE_CONFIG, server.hide_user_data_from_log, 0, NULL, NULL),
+    createBoolConfig("lazyexpire-nested-arbitrary-keys", NULL, MODIFIABLE_CONFIG | HIDDEN_CONFIG, server.lazyexpire_nested_arbitrary_keys, 1, NULL, NULL),
 
     /* String Configs */
     createStringConfig("aclfile", NULL, IMMUTABLE_CONFIG, ALLOW_EMPTY_STRING, server.acl_filename, "", NULL, NULL),
diff --git a/src/db.c b/src/db.c
index 6154cecc7..56ac60bea 100644
--- a/src/db.c
+++ b/src/db.c
@@ -2444,6 +2444,17 @@ int keyIsExpired(redisDb *db, sds key, kvobj *kv) {
     return now > when;
 }
 
+/* Check if user configuration allows key to be deleted due to expiary */
+int confAllowsExpireDel(void) {
+    if (server.lazyexpire_nested_arbitrary_keys)
+        return 1;
+
+    /* This configuration specifically targets nested commands, to align with RE's feature of replication between dbs.
+     * transactions (from scripts or multi-exec) containing commands like SCAN and RANDOMKEY will execute locally, but their
+     * lazy-expiration DELs may induce CROSS-SLOT on remote proxy in mode replica-of (RED-161574) */
+    return !(server.execution_nesting > 1 && server.executing_client->cmd->flags & CMD_TOUCHES_ARBITRARY_KEYS);
+}
+
 /* This function is called when we are going to perform some operation
  * in a given key, but such key may be already logically expired even if
  * it still exists in the database. The main way this function is called
@@ -2503,6 +2514,11 @@ keyStatus expireIfNeeded(redisDb *db, robj *key, kvobj *kv, int flags) {
         if (!(flags & EXPIRE_FORCE_DELETE_EXPIRED)) return KEY_EXPIRED;
     }
 
+    /* Check if user configuration disables lazy-expire deletions in current state.
+     * This will only apply if the server doesn't mandate key deletion to operate correctly (write commands). */
+    if (!(flags & EXPIRE_FORCE_DELETE_EXPIRED) && !confAllowsExpireDel())
+        return KEY_EXPIRED;
+
     /* In some cases we're explicitly instructed to return an indication of a
      * missing key without actually deleting it, even on masters. */
     if (flags & EXPIRE_AVOID_DELETE_EXPIRED)
diff --git a/src/server.h b/src/server.h
index 19e2166cf..2824ee0d7 100644
--- a/src/server.h
+++ b/src/server.h
@@ -1977,6 +1977,7 @@ struct redisServer {
     unsigned int max_new_tls_conns_per_cycle; /* The maximum number of tls connections that will be accepted during each invocation of the event loop. */
     unsigned int max_new_conns_per_cycle; /* The maximum number of tcp connections that will be accepted during each invocation of the event loop. */
     int cluster_compatibility_sample_ratio; /* Sampling ratio for cluster mode incompatible commands. */
+    int lazyexpire_nested_arbitrary_keys; /* If disabled, avoid lazy-expire from commands that touch arbitrary keys (SCAN/RANDOMKEY) within transactions */
 
     /* AOF persistence */
     int aof_enabled;                /* AOF configuration */
@@ -3620,6 +3621,7 @@ void deleteExpiredKeyAndPropagate(redisDb *db, robj *keyobj);
 void deleteEvictedKeyAndPropagate(redisDb *db, robj *keyobj, long long *key_mem_freed);
 void propagateDeletion(redisDb *db, robj *key, int lazy);
 int keyIsExpired(redisDb *db, sds key, kvobj *kv);
+int confAllowsExpireDel(void);
 long long getExpire(redisDb *db, sds key, kvobj *kv);
 kvobj *setExpire(client *c, redisDb *db, robj *key, long long when);
 kvobj *setExpireByLink(client *c, redisDb *db, sds key, long long when, dictEntryLink link);
diff --git a/tests/unit/expire.tcl b/tests/unit/expire.tcl
index 08fa88a10..f89c2b059 100644
--- a/tests/unit/expire.tcl
+++ b/tests/unit/expire.tcl
@@ -899,3 +899,59 @@ start_cluster 1 0 {tags {"expire external:skip cluster"}} {
         assert_equal 0 [s 0 expired_time_cap_reached_count]
     } {} {needs:debug}
 }
+
+# Config lazyexpire-nested-arbitrary-keys test body
+proc conf_le_test {option mode} {
+    r config set lazyexpire-nested-arbitrary-keys $option
+    r debug set-active-expire 0
+    r flushall
+    r script LOAD {return redis.call('SCAN', 0)}
+
+    r set foo bar
+    r pexpire foo 1
+    after 2
+
+    set repl [attach_to_replication_stream]
+
+    # First two conditions hit lazy expire within a 'transaction', meaning
+    # DEL propagation should be blocked if 'lazyexpire-nested-arbitrary-keys' is set.
+    if {$mode == "lua"} {
+        r eval "return redis.call('SCAN', 0)" 0
+    } elseif {$mode == "multi"} {
+        r multi
+        r scan 0
+        r exec
+    } else {
+        r scan 0
+    }
+
+    # dummy command to verify nothing else gets into the replication stream.
+    r set x 1
+
+    if {$option == "no" && $mode != "direct"} {
+        assert_replication_stream $repl {
+            {select *}
+            {set x 1}
+        }
+    } else {
+        assert_replication_stream $repl {
+            {select *}
+            {del foo}
+            {set x 1}
+        }
+    }
+
+    close_replication_stream $repl
+    r script flush
+    assert_equal [r config set lazyexpire-nested-arbitrary-keys yes] {OK}
+    assert_equal [r debug set-active-expire 1] {OK}
+}
+
+foreach option {yes no} {
+foreach mode {direct multi lua} {
+    start_server {tags {"expire"}} {
+        test "Config lazyexpire-nested-arbitrary-keys ($option, $mode)" {
+            conf_le_test $option $mode
+        } {} {needs:debug repl}
+    }
+}}