diff --git a/src/Coordination/InMemoryStateManager.cpp b/src/Coordination/InMemoryStateManager.cpp
index d90c7e46f0d..a6db3271bc1 100644
--- a/src/Coordination/InMemoryStateManager.cpp
+++ b/src/Coordination/InMemoryStateManager.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ InMemoryStateManager::InMemoryStateManager(
         int port = config.getInt(full_prefix + ".port");
         bool can_become_leader = config.getBool(full_prefix + ".can_become_leader", true);
         int32_t priority = config.getInt(full_prefix + ".priority", 1);
+        bool start_as_follower = config.getBool(full_prefix + ".start_as_follower", false);
+        if (start_as_follower)
+            start_as_follower_servers.insert(server_id);
 
         auto endpoint = hostname + ":" + std::to_string(port);
         auto peer_config = nuraft::cs_new<nuraft::srv_config>(server_id, 0, endpoint, "", !can_become_leader, priority);
@@ -41,6 +44,9 @@ InMemoryStateManager::InMemoryStateManager(
     }
     if (!my_server_config)
         throw Exception(ErrorCodes::RAFT_ERROR, "Our server id {} not found in raft_configuration section");
+
+    if (start_as_follower_servers.size() == cluster_config->get_servers().size())
+        throw Exception(ErrorCodes::RAFT_ERROR, "At least one of servers should be able to start as leader (without <start_as_follower>)");
 }
 
 void InMemoryStateManager::save_config(const nuraft::cluster_config & config)
diff --git a/src/Coordination/InMemoryStateManager.h b/src/Coordination/InMemoryStateManager.h
index b48b5188f36..a4537602b36 100644
--- a/src/Coordination/InMemoryStateManager.h
+++ b/src/Coordination/InMemoryStateManager.h
@@ -35,9 +35,15 @@ public:
 
     int getPort() const { return my_port; }
 
+    bool shouldStartAsFollower() const
+    {
+        return start_as_follower_servers.count(my_server_id);
+    }
+
 private:
     int my_server_id;
     int my_port;
+    std::unordered_set<int> start_as_follower_servers;
     nuraft::ptr<InMemoryLogStore> log_store;
     nuraft::ptr<nuraft::srv_config> my_server_config;
     nuraft::ptr<nuraft::cluster_config> cluster_config;
diff --git a/src/Coordination/NuKeeperServer.cpp b/src/Coordination/NuKeeperServer.cpp
index c7deebfdb96..7464a06e86f 100644
--- a/src/Coordination/NuKeeperServer.cpp
+++ b/src/Coordination/NuKeeperServer.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ NuKeeperServer::NuKeeperServer(
 {
 }
 
-void NuKeeperServer::startup(bool should_build_quorum)
+void NuKeeperServer::startup()
 {
     nuraft::raft_params params;
     params.heart_beat_interval_ = coordination_settings->heart_beat_interval_ms.totalMilliseconds();
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ void NuKeeperServer::startup(bool should_build_quorum)
 
     nuraft::asio_service::options asio_opts{};
     nuraft::raft_server::init_options init_options;
-    init_options.skip_initial_election_timeout_ = !should_build_quorum;
+    init_options.skip_initial_election_timeout_ = state_manager->shouldStartAsFollower();
     init_options.raft_callback_ = [this] (nuraft::cb_func::Type type, nuraft::cb_func::Param * param)
     {
         return callbackFunc(type, param);
diff --git a/src/Coordination/NuKeeperServer.h b/src/Coordination/NuKeeperServer.h
index a37d4d9127a..a8d269eb9eb 100644
--- a/src/Coordination/NuKeeperServer.h
+++ b/src/Coordination/NuKeeperServer.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public:
         const Poco::Util::AbstractConfiguration & config,
         ResponsesQueue & responses_queue_);
 
-    void startup(bool should_build_quorum);
+    void startup();
 
     void putRequest(const NuKeeperStorage::RequestForSession & request);
 
diff --git a/src/Coordination/NuKeeperStorageDispatcher.cpp b/src/Coordination/NuKeeperStorageDispatcher.cpp
index 042f0d2ffb9..570087757ad 100644
--- a/src/Coordination/NuKeeperStorageDispatcher.cpp
+++ b/src/Coordination/NuKeeperStorageDispatcher.cpp
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ void NuKeeperStorageDispatcher::initialize(const Poco::Util::AbstractConfigurati
     try
     {
         LOG_DEBUG(log, "Waiting server to initialize");
-        server->startup(true);
+        server->startup();
         LOG_DEBUG(log, "Server initialized, waiting for quorum");
 
         server->waitInit();
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_testkeeper_multinode/configs/enable_test_keeper1.xml b/tests/integration/test_testkeeper_multinode/configs/enable_test_keeper1.xml
index 3ae44f926d0..4ad76889d1e 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_testkeeper_multinode/configs/enable_test_keeper1.xml
+++ b/tests/integration/test_testkeeper_multinode/configs/enable_test_keeper1.xml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
                 <hostname>node2</hostname>
                 <port>44444</port>
                 <can_become_leader>true</can_become_leader>
+                <start_as_follower>true</start_as_follower>
                 <priority>2</priority>
             </server>
             <server>
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@
                 <hostname>node3</hostname>
                 <port>44444</port>
                 <can_become_leader>true</can_become_leader>
+                <start_as_follower>true</start_as_follower>
                 <priority>1</priority>
             </server>
         </raft_configuration>
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_testkeeper_multinode/configs/enable_test_keeper2.xml b/tests/integration/test_testkeeper_multinode/configs/enable_test_keeper2.xml
index 7674c755511..a1954a1e639 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_testkeeper_multinode/configs/enable_test_keeper2.xml
+++ b/tests/integration/test_testkeeper_multinode/configs/enable_test_keeper2.xml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
                 <hostname>node2</hostname>
                 <port>44444</port>
                 <can_become_leader>true</can_become_leader>
+                <start_as_follower>true</start_as_follower>
                 <priority>2</priority>
             </server>
             <server>
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@
                 <hostname>node3</hostname>
                 <port>44444</port>
                 <can_become_leader>true</can_become_leader>
+                <start_as_follower>true</start_as_follower>
                 <priority>1</priority>
             </server>
         </raft_configuration>
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_testkeeper_multinode/configs/enable_test_keeper3.xml b/tests/integration/test_testkeeper_multinode/configs/enable_test_keeper3.xml
index 59dde3bc1b1..88d2358138f 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_testkeeper_multinode/configs/enable_test_keeper3.xml
+++ b/tests/integration/test_testkeeper_multinode/configs/enable_test_keeper3.xml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
                 <hostname>node2</hostname>
                 <port>44444</port>
                 <can_become_leader>true</can_become_leader>
+                <start_as_follower>true</start_as_follower>
                 <priority>2</priority>
             </server>
             <server>
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@
                 <hostname>node3</hostname>
                 <port>44444</port>
                 <can_become_leader>true</can_become_leader>
+                <start_as_follower>true</start_as_follower>
                 <priority>1</priority>
             </server>
         </raft_configuration>