diff --git a/raft/raft.go b/raft/raft.go
index 1b363a426da..72ad4c896f4 100644
--- a/raft/raft.go
+++ b/raft/raft.go
@@ -663,6 +663,13 @@ func stepFollower(r *raft, m pb.Message) {
 }
 
 func (r *raft) handleAppendEntries(m pb.Message) {
+	// Ignore the out-of-date append message
+	// It is safe since the leader has sent the commit index to this raft, which is min(leader.Commit, pr[raft.id].Match).
+	// Assume leader updated pr[raft.id] to commit index at t0. All message after t0 should have a m.Index that is greater
+	// than commit index. If m.Index is smaller than r.Commit, then m is sent before t0.
+	if m.Index < r.Commit {
+		return
+	}
 	if mlastIndex, ok := r.raftLog.maybeAppend(m.Index, m.LogTerm, m.Commit, m.Entries...); ok {
 		r.send(pb.Message{To: m.From, Type: pb.MsgAppResp, Index: mlastIndex})
 	} else {
diff --git a/raft/raft_paper_test.go b/raft/raft_paper_test.go
index 1a29b57ff9c..431c13ef6ab 100644
--- a/raft/raft_paper_test.go
+++ b/raft/raft_paper_test.go
@@ -605,12 +605,13 @@ func TestFollowerCheckMsgApp(t *testing.T) {
 		index       uint64
 		wreject     bool
 		wrejectHint uint64
+		wignored    bool
 	}{
-		{ents[0].Term, ents[0].Index, false, 0},
-		{ents[0].Term, ents[0].Index + 1, true, 2},
-		{ents[0].Term + 1, ents[0].Index, true, 2},
-		{ents[1].Term, ents[1].Index, false, 0},
-		{3, 3, true, 2},
+		{ents[0].Term, ents[0].Index, false, 0, true}, // out-of-date message should be ignored
+		{ents[0].Term, ents[0].Index + 1, true, 2, false},
+		{ents[1].Term + 1, ents[1].Index, true, 2, false},
+		{ents[1].Term, ents[1].Index, false, 0, false},
+		{3, 3, true, 2, false},
 	}
 	for i, tt := range tests {
 		storage := NewMemoryStorage()
@@ -622,6 +623,13 @@ func TestFollowerCheckMsgApp(t *testing.T) {
 		r.Step(pb.Message{From: 2, To: 1, Type: pb.MsgApp, Term: 2, LogTerm: tt.term, Index: tt.index})
 
 		msgs := r.readMessages()
+		if tt.wignored {
+			if len(msgs) != 0 {
+				t.Errorf("#%d: len(msgs) = %d, want ignore", i, len(msgs))
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+
 		wmsgs := []pb.Message{
 			{From: 1, To: 2, Type: pb.MsgAppResp, Term: 2, Index: tt.index, Reject: tt.wreject, RejectHint: tt.wrejectHint},
 		}
diff --git a/raft/raft_test.go b/raft/raft_test.go
index 79d90d13057..cf5c563da99 100644
--- a/raft/raft_test.go
+++ b/raft/raft_test.go
@@ -779,6 +779,29 @@ func TestHandleMsgApp(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestHandleMsgAppIgnore ensures: If message.Index < commitIndex, ignore the message.
+func TestHandleMsgAppIgnore(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []pb.Message{
+		{Type: pb.MsgApp, Term: 2, LogTerm: 3, Index: 0, Commit: 1},
+		{Type: pb.MsgApp, Term: 2, LogTerm: 3, Index: 1, Commit: 1},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range tests {
+		storage := NewMemoryStorage()
+		storage.Append([]pb.Entry{{Index: 1, Term: 1}, {Index: 2, Term: 2}, {Index: 3, Term: 3}})
+		sm := newRaft(1, []uint64{1}, 10, 1, storage, 0)
+		sm.raftLog.commitTo(2)
+		sm.Commit = 2
+		sm.becomeFollower(2, None)
+
+		sm.handleAppendEntries(tt)
+		m := sm.readMessages()
+		if len(m) != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("#%d: msg = %d, want ignore", i, len(m))
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // TestHandleHeartbeat ensures that the follower commits to the commit in the message.
 func TestHandleHeartbeat(t *testing.T) {
 	commit := uint64(2)