diff --git a/src/Storages/StorageReplicatedMergeTree.cpp b/src/Storages/StorageReplicatedMergeTree.cpp
index c41403e312b..8c711ffd25f 100644
--- a/src/Storages/StorageReplicatedMergeTree.cpp
+++ b/src/Storages/StorageReplicatedMergeTree.cpp
@@ -399,6 +399,11 @@ StorageReplicatedMergeTree::StorageReplicatedMergeTree(
     {
         try
         {
+            if (LoadingStrictnessLevel::ATTACH == mode && current_zookeeper && current_zookeeper->exists(replica_path + "/is_active"))
+            {
+                throw Exception(ErrorCodes::REPLICA_ALREADY_EXISTS, "There already is an active replica with this replica path {}", replica_path);
+            }
+
             if (current_zookeeper && current_zookeeper->exists(replica_path + "/host"))
             {
                 /// Check it earlier if we can (we don't want incompatible version to start).