diff --git a/src/ra.hrl b/src/ra.hrl
index a1a7dff0..68beffba 100644
--- a/src/ra.hrl
+++ b/src/ra.hrl
@@ -52,12 +52,14 @@
 %% - Nonvoter, node does not participate in elections or consensus voting.
 %% - Staging, node is a temporary nonvoter, and will be automatically promoted
 %%            if it proves to be fast enough to stay up to dat with teh leader.
--type ra_voter() :: yes | no | {staging, staging_status()}.
+-type ra_voter() :: yes | no | {maybe, staging_status()}.
 
 %% For staging nodes we measure current round, target index and the timestamp of its start.
 %% If the node reaches target index and the ∂T is less than the election timeout, the node is
 %% considered eligible to become a voter.
--type staging_status() :: {ra_replication_round(), ra_index(), integer()}.
+-type staging_status() :: #{round  := ra_replication_round(),
+                            target := ra_index(),
+                            ts     := integer()}.
 
 -type ra_peer_state() :: #{next_index := non_neg_integer(),
                            match_index := non_neg_integer(),
diff --git a/src/ra_server.erl b/src/ra_server.erl
index ab964a9e..5b233b24 100644
--- a/src/ra_server.erl
+++ b/src/ra_server.erl
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@
                     | recovered | stop | receive_snapshot.
 
 -type command_type() :: '$usr' | '$ra_join' | '$ra_leave' |
+                        '$ra_maybe_join' |
                         '$ra_cluster_change' | '$ra_cluster'.
 
 -type command_meta() :: #{from => from(),
@@ -2094,6 +2095,15 @@ new_peer() ->
 new_peer_with(Map) ->
     maps:merge(new_peer(), Map).
 
+new_staging_status(State) ->
+    TargetIdx = maps:get(commit_index, State),
+    #{round => 0, target => TargetIdx , ts => os:system_time(millisecond)}.
+
+already_member(State) ->
+    % already a member do nothing
+    % TODO: reply? If we don't reply the caller may block until timeout
+    {not_appended, already_member, State}.
+
 peers(#{cfg := #cfg{id = Id}, cluster := Peers}) ->
     maps:remove(Id, Peers).
 
@@ -2450,19 +2460,31 @@ add_reply(_, _, _, % From, Reply, Mode
 append_log_leader({CmdTag, _, _, _},
                   State = #{cluster_change_permitted := false})
   when CmdTag == '$ra_join' orelse
+       CmdTag == '$ra_maybe_join' orelse
        CmdTag == '$ra_leave' ->
     {not_appended, cluster_change_not_permitted, State};
 append_log_leader({'$ra_join', From, JoiningNode, ReplyMode},
                   State = #{cluster := OldCluster}) ->
     case OldCluster of
-        #{JoiningNode := _} ->
-            % already a member do nothing
-            % TODO: reply? If we don't reply the caller may block until timeout
-            {not_appended, already_member, State};
+        #{JoiningNode := #{voter := yes}} ->
+            already_member(State);
+        #{JoiningNode := #{voter := {maybe, _}} = Peer} ->
+            Cluster = OldCluster#{JoiningNode => Peer#{voter => yes}},
+            append_cluster_change(Cluster, From, ReplyMode, State);
         _ ->
             Cluster = OldCluster#{JoiningNode => new_peer()},
             append_cluster_change(Cluster, From, ReplyMode, State)
     end;
+append_log_leader({'$ra_maybe_join', From, JoiningNode, ReplyMode},
+                  State = #{cluster := OldCluster}) ->
+    case OldCluster of
+        #{JoiningNode := _} ->
+            already_member(State);
+        _ ->
+            Round0 = new_staging_status(State),
+            Cluster = OldCluster#{JoiningNode => new_peer_with(#{voter => {maybe, Round0}})},
+            append_cluster_change(Cluster, From, ReplyMode, State)
+    end;
 append_log_leader({'$ra_leave', From, LeavingServer, ReplyMode},
                   State = #{cfg := #cfg{log_id = LogId},
                             cluster := OldCluster}) ->
diff --git a/test/ra_server_SUITE.erl b/test/ra_server_SUITE.erl
index fe0c6386..c55d6c84 100644
--- a/test/ra_server_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/ra_server_SUITE.erl
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ all() ->
      follower_machine_version,
      follower_install_snapshot_machine_version,
      leader_server_join,
+     leader_server_maybe_join,
      leader_server_leave,
      leader_is_removed,
      follower_cluster_change,
@@ -1310,12 +1311,12 @@ leader_server_join(_Config) ->
       #append_entries_rpc{entries =
                           [_, _, _, {4, 5, {'$ra_cluster_change', _,
                                             #{N1 := _, N2 := _,
-                                              N3 := _, N4 := _},
+                                              N3 := _, N4 := #{voter := yes}},
                                             await_consensus}}]}},
      {send_rpc, N3,
       #append_entries_rpc{entries =
                           [{4, 5, {'$ra_cluster_change', _,
-                                   #{N1 := _, N2 := _, N3 := _, N4 := _},
+                                   #{N1 := _, N2 := _, N3 := _, N4 := #{voter := yes}},
                                    await_consensus}}],
                           term = 5, leader_id = N1,
                           prev_log_index = 3,
@@ -1324,7 +1325,48 @@ leader_server_join(_Config) ->
      {send_rpc, N2,
       #append_entries_rpc{entries =
                           [{4, 5, {'$ra_cluster_change', _,
-                                   #{N1 := _, N2 := _, N3 := _, N4 := _},
+                                   #{N1 := _, N2 := _, N3 := _, N4 := #{voter := yes}},
+                                   await_consensus}}],
+                          term = 5, leader_id = N1,
+                          prev_log_index = 3,
+                          prev_log_term = 5,
+                          leader_commit = 3}}
+     | _] = Effects,
+    ok.
+
+leader_server_maybe_join(_Config) ->
+    N1 = ?N1, N2 = ?N2, N3 = ?N3, N4 = ?N4,
+    OldCluster = #{N1 => new_peer_with(#{next_index => 4, match_index => 3}),
+                   N2 => new_peer_with(#{next_index => 4, match_index => 3}),
+                   N3 => new_peer_with(#{next_index => 4, match_index => 3})},
+    State0 = (base_state(3, ?FUNCTION_NAME))#{cluster => OldCluster},
+    Round0 = new_staging_status(State0),
+    % raft servers should switch to the new configuration after log append
+    % and further cluster changes should be disallowed
+    {leader, #{cluster := #{N1 := _, N2 := _, N3 := _, N4 := _},
+               cluster_change_permitted := false} = _State1, Effects} =
+        ra_server:handle_leader({command, {'$ra_maybe_join', meta(),
+                                           N4, await_consensus}}, State0),
+    [
+     {send_rpc, N4,
+      #append_entries_rpc{entries =
+                          [_, _, _, {4, 5, {'$ra_cluster_change', _,
+                                            #{N1 := _, N2 := _,
+                                              N3 := _, N4 := #{voter := {maybe, Round0}}},
+                                            await_consensus}}]}},
+     {send_rpc, N3,
+      #append_entries_rpc{entries =
+                          [{4, 5, {'$ra_cluster_change', _,
+                                   #{N1 := _, N2 := _, N3 := _, N4 := #{voter := {maybe, Round0}}},
+                                   await_consensus}}],
+                          term = 5, leader_id = N1,
+                          prev_log_index = 3,
+                          prev_log_term = 5,
+                          leader_commit = 3}},
+     {send_rpc, N2,
+      #append_entries_rpc{entries =
+                          [{4, 5, {'$ra_cluster_change', _,
+                                   #{N1 := _, N2 := _, N3 := _, N4 := #{voter := {maybe, Round0}}},
                                    await_consensus}}],
                           term = 5, leader_id = N1,
                           prev_log_index = 3,
@@ -2599,6 +2641,10 @@ new_peer() ->
 new_peer_with(Map) ->
     maps:merge(new_peer(), Map).
 
+new_staging_status(State) ->
+    TargetIdx = maps:get(commit_index, State),
+    #{round => 0, target => TargetIdx , ts => os:system_time(millisecond)}.
+
 snap_meta(Idx, Term) ->
     snap_meta(Idx, Term, []).