diff --git a/raft/node.go b/raft/node.go
index 33a9db84001..ebbe23277dc 100644
--- a/raft/node.go
+++ b/raft/node.go
@@ -324,7 +324,6 @@ func (n *node) run(r *raft) {
 			}
 		case cc := <-n.confc:
 			if cc.NodeID == None {
-				r.resetPendingConf()
 				select {
 				case n.confstatec <- pb.ConfState{Nodes: r.nodes()}:
 				case <-n.done:
@@ -344,7 +343,6 @@ func (n *node) run(r *raft) {
 				}
 				r.removeNode(cc.NodeID)
 			case pb.ConfChangeUpdateNode:
-				r.resetPendingConf()
 			default:
 				panic("unexpected conf type")
 			}
diff --git a/raft/node_test.go b/raft/node_test.go
index 4401412e774..ef0c92ad145 100644
--- a/raft/node_test.go
+++ b/raft/node_test.go
@@ -348,6 +348,7 @@ func TestNodeProposeAddDuplicateNode(t *testing.T) {
 				n.Tick()
 			case rd := <-n.Ready():
 				s.Append(rd.Entries)
+				applied := false
 				for _, e := range rd.Entries {
 					rdyEntries = append(rdyEntries, e)
 					switch e.Type {
@@ -356,10 +357,13 @@ func TestNodeProposeAddDuplicateNode(t *testing.T) {
 						var cc raftpb.ConfChange
 						cc.Unmarshal(e.Data)
 						n.ApplyConfChange(cc)
-						applyConfChan <- struct{}{}
+						applied = true
 					}
 				}
 				n.Advance()
+				if applied {
+					applyConfChan <- struct{}{}
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}()
diff --git a/raft/raft.go b/raft/raft.go
index 1b191d9ff26..b9939fae092 100644
--- a/raft/raft.go
+++ b/raft/raft.go
@@ -256,8 +256,13 @@ type raft struct {
 	// leadTransferee is id of the leader transfer target when its value is not zero.
 	// Follow the procedure defined in raft thesis 3.10.
 	leadTransferee uint64
-	// New configuration is ignored if there exists unapplied configuration.
-	pendingConf bool
+	// Only one conf change may be pending (in the log, but not yet
+	// applied) at a time. This is enforced via pendingConfIndex, which
+	// is set to a value >= the log index of the latest pending
+	// configuration change (if any). Config changes are only allowed to
+	// be proposed if the leader's applied index is greater than this
+	// value.
+	pendingConfIndex uint64
 
 	readOnly *readOnly
 
@@ -579,7 +584,7 @@ func (r *raft) reset(term uint64) {
 		}
 	})
 
-	r.pendingConf = false
+	r.pendingConfIndex = 0
 	r.readOnly = newReadOnly(r.readOnly.option)
 }
 
@@ -683,12 +688,13 @@ func (r *raft) becomeLeader() {
 		r.logger.Panicf("unexpected error getting uncommitted entries (%v)", err)
 	}
 
-	nconf := numOfPendingConf(ents)
-	if nconf > 1 {
-		panic("unexpected multiple uncommitted config entry")
-	}
-	if nconf == 1 {
-		r.pendingConf = true
+	// Conservatively set the pendingConfIndex to the last index in the
+	// log. There may or may not be a pending config change, but it's
+	// safe to delay any future proposals until we commit all our
+	// pending log entries, and scanning the entire tail of the log
+	// could be expensive.
+	if len(ents) > 0 {
+		r.pendingConfIndex = ents[len(ents)-1].Index
 	}
 
 	r.appendEntry(pb.Entry{Data: nil})
@@ -902,11 +908,13 @@ func stepLeader(r *raft, m pb.Message) {
 
 		for i, e := range m.Entries {
 			if e.Type == pb.EntryConfChange {
-				if r.pendingConf {
-					r.logger.Infof("propose conf %s ignored since pending unapplied configuration", e.String())
+				if r.pendingConfIndex > r.raftLog.applied {
+					r.logger.Infof("propose conf %s ignored since pending unapplied configuration [index %d, applied %d]",
+						e.String(), r.pendingConfIndex, r.raftLog.applied)
 					m.Entries[i] = pb.Entry{Type: pb.EntryNormal}
+				} else {
+					r.pendingConfIndex = r.raftLog.lastIndex() + uint64(i) + 1
 				}
-				r.pendingConf = true
 			}
 		}
 		r.appendEntry(m.Entries...)
@@ -1271,7 +1279,6 @@ func (r *raft) addLearner(id uint64) {
 }
 
 func (r *raft) addNodeOrLearnerNode(id uint64, isLearner bool) {
-	r.pendingConf = false
 	pr := r.getProgress(id)
 	if pr == nil {
 		r.setProgress(id, 0, r.raftLog.lastIndex()+1, isLearner)
@@ -1307,7 +1314,6 @@ func (r *raft) addNodeOrLearnerNode(id uint64, isLearner bool) {
 
 func (r *raft) removeNode(id uint64) {
 	r.delProgress(id)
-	r.pendingConf = false
 
 	// do not try to commit or abort transferring if there is no nodes in the cluster.
 	if len(r.prs) == 0 && len(r.learnerPrs) == 0 {
@@ -1325,8 +1331,6 @@ func (r *raft) removeNode(id uint64) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (r *raft) resetPendingConf() { r.pendingConf = false }
-
 func (r *raft) setProgress(id, match, next uint64, isLearner bool) {
 	if !isLearner {
 		delete(r.learnerPrs, id)
diff --git a/raft/raft_test.go b/raft/raft_test.go
index c1416d05150..b8ef596ea57 100644
--- a/raft/raft_test.go
+++ b/raft/raft_test.go
@@ -2736,8 +2736,8 @@ func TestStepConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	if g := r.raftLog.lastIndex(); g != index+1 {
 		t.Errorf("index = %d, want %d", g, index+1)
 	}
-	if !r.pendingConf {
-		t.Errorf("pendingConf = %v, want true", r.pendingConf)
+	if r.pendingConfIndex != index+1 {
+		t.Errorf("pendingConfIndex = %d, want %d", r.pendingConfIndex, index+1)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -2751,7 +2751,7 @@ func TestStepIgnoreConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	r.becomeLeader()
 	r.Step(pb.Message{From: 1, To: 1, Type: pb.MsgProp, Entries: []pb.Entry{{Type: pb.EntryConfChange}}})
 	index := r.raftLog.lastIndex()
-	pendingConf := r.pendingConf
+	pendingConfIndex := r.pendingConfIndex
 	r.Step(pb.Message{From: 1, To: 1, Type: pb.MsgProp, Entries: []pb.Entry{{Type: pb.EntryConfChange}}})
 	wents := []pb.Entry{{Type: pb.EntryNormal, Term: 1, Index: 3, Data: nil}}
 	ents, err := r.raftLog.entries(index+1, noLimit)
@@ -2761,57 +2761,39 @@ func TestStepIgnoreConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(ents, wents) {
 		t.Errorf("ents = %+v, want %+v", ents, wents)
 	}
-	if r.pendingConf != pendingConf {
-		t.Errorf("pendingConf = %v, want %v", r.pendingConf, pendingConf)
+	if r.pendingConfIndex != pendingConfIndex {
+		t.Errorf("pendingConfIndex = %d, want %d", r.pendingConfIndex, pendingConfIndex)
 	}
 }
 
-// TestRecoverPendingConfig tests that new leader recovers its pendingConf flag
+// TestNewLeaderPendingConfig tests that new leader sets its pendingConfigIndex
 // based on uncommitted entries.
-func TestRecoverPendingConfig(t *testing.T) {
+func TestNewLeaderPendingConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
-		entType  pb.EntryType
-		wpending bool
+		addEntry      bool
+		wpendingIndex uint64
 	}{
-		{pb.EntryNormal, false},
-		{pb.EntryConfChange, true},
+		{false, 0},
+		{true, 1},
 	}
 	for i, tt := range tests {
 		r := newTestRaft(1, []uint64{1, 2}, 10, 1, NewMemoryStorage())
-		r.appendEntry(pb.Entry{Type: tt.entType})
+		if tt.addEntry {
+			r.appendEntry(pb.Entry{Type: pb.EntryNormal})
+		}
 		r.becomeCandidate()
 		r.becomeLeader()
-		if r.pendingConf != tt.wpending {
-			t.Errorf("#%d: pendingConf = %v, want %v", i, r.pendingConf, tt.wpending)
+		if r.pendingConfIndex != tt.wpendingIndex {
+			t.Errorf("#%d: pendingConfIndex = %d, want %d",
+				i, r.pendingConfIndex, tt.wpendingIndex)
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-// TestRecoverDoublePendingConfig tests that new leader will panic if
-// there exist two uncommitted config entries.
-func TestRecoverDoublePendingConfig(t *testing.T) {
-	func() {
-		defer func() {
-			if err := recover(); err == nil {
-				t.Errorf("expect panic, but nothing happens")
-			}
-		}()
-		r := newTestRaft(1, []uint64{1, 2}, 10, 1, NewMemoryStorage())
-		r.appendEntry(pb.Entry{Type: pb.EntryConfChange})
-		r.appendEntry(pb.Entry{Type: pb.EntryConfChange})
-		r.becomeCandidate()
-		r.becomeLeader()
-	}()
-}
-
-// TestAddNode tests that addNode could update pendingConf and nodes correctly.
+// TestAddNode tests that addNode could update nodes correctly.
 func TestAddNode(t *testing.T) {
 	r := newTestRaft(1, []uint64{1}, 10, 1, NewMemoryStorage())
-	r.pendingConf = true
 	r.addNode(2)
-	if r.pendingConf {
-		t.Errorf("pendingConf = %v, want false", r.pendingConf)
-	}
 	nodes := r.nodes()
 	wnodes := []uint64{1, 2}
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(nodes, wnodes) {
@@ -2819,14 +2801,10 @@ func TestAddNode(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestAddLearner tests that addLearner could update pendingConf and nodes correctly.
+// TestAddLearner tests that addLearner could update nodes correctly.
 func TestAddLearner(t *testing.T) {
 	r := newTestRaft(1, []uint64{1}, 10, 1, NewMemoryStorage())
-	r.pendingConf = true
 	r.addLearner(2)
-	if r.pendingConf {
-		t.Errorf("pendingConf = %v, want false", r.pendingConf)
-	}
 	nodes := r.nodes()
 	wnodes := []uint64{1, 2}
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(nodes, wnodes) {
@@ -2841,7 +2819,6 @@ func TestAddLearner(t *testing.T) {
 // immediately when checkQuorum is set.
 func TestAddNodeCheckQuorum(t *testing.T) {
 	r := newTestRaft(1, []uint64{1}, 10, 1, NewMemoryStorage())
-	r.pendingConf = true
 	r.checkQuorum = true
 
 	r.becomeCandidate()
@@ -2872,15 +2849,11 @@ func TestAddNodeCheckQuorum(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestRemoveNode tests that removeNode could update pendingConf, nodes and
+// TestRemoveNode tests that removeNode could update nodes and
 // and removed list correctly.
 func TestRemoveNode(t *testing.T) {
 	r := newTestRaft(1, []uint64{1, 2}, 10, 1, NewMemoryStorage())
-	r.pendingConf = true
 	r.removeNode(2)
-	if r.pendingConf {
-		t.Errorf("pendingConf = %v, want false", r.pendingConf)
-	}
 	w := []uint64{1}
 	if g := r.nodes(); !reflect.DeepEqual(g, w) {
 		t.Errorf("nodes = %v, want %v", g, w)
@@ -2894,15 +2867,11 @@ func TestRemoveNode(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestRemoveLearner tests that removeNode could update pendingConf, nodes and
+// TestRemoveLearner tests that removeNode could update nodes and
 // and removed list correctly.
 func TestRemoveLearner(t *testing.T) {
 	r := newTestLearnerRaft(1, []uint64{1}, []uint64{2}, 10, 1, NewMemoryStorage())
-	r.pendingConf = true
 	r.removeNode(2)
-	if r.pendingConf {
-		t.Errorf("pendingConf = %v, want false", r.pendingConf)
-	}
 	w := []uint64{1}
 	if g := r.nodes(); !reflect.DeepEqual(g, w) {
 		t.Errorf("nodes = %v, want %v", g, w)
diff --git a/raft/rawnode.go b/raft/rawnode.go
index 925cb851c4a..b289cd60f27 100644
--- a/raft/rawnode.go
+++ b/raft/rawnode.go
@@ -169,7 +169,6 @@ func (rn *RawNode) ProposeConfChange(cc pb.ConfChange) error {
 // ApplyConfChange applies a config change to the local node.
 func (rn *RawNode) ApplyConfChange(cc pb.ConfChange) *pb.ConfState {
 	if cc.NodeID == None {
-		rn.raft.resetPendingConf()
 		return &pb.ConfState{Nodes: rn.raft.nodes()}
 	}
 	switch cc.Type {
@@ -180,7 +179,6 @@ func (rn *RawNode) ApplyConfChange(cc pb.ConfChange) *pb.ConfState {
 	case pb.ConfChangeRemoveNode:
 		rn.raft.removeNode(cc.NodeID)
 	case pb.ConfChangeUpdateNode:
-		rn.raft.resetPendingConf()
 	default:
 		panic("unexpected conf type")
 	}