diff --git a/src/cluster_raft.c b/src/cluster_raft.c
index 3f03e2440c7..b843c8dadcb 100644
--- a/src/cluster_raft.c
+++ b/src/cluster_raft.c
@@ -329,6 +329,49 @@ static void clusterRaftRandomizeElectionTimeout(void) {
     RAFT_STATE()->election_timeout = base + (rand() % base);
 }
 
+static int clusterRaftQuorum(void) {
+    return server.cluster->size / 2 + 1;
+}
+
+/* Leader step-down to follower. */
+static void clusterRaftStepDown(mstime_t now, const char *reason) {
+    clusterRaftState *rs = RAFT_STATE();
+    clusterRaftDeferPendingProposals();
+    rs->role = RAFT_ROLE_FOLLOWER;
+    rs->votes_received = 0;
+    memset(rs->voted_for, 0, CLUSTER_NAMELEN);
+    memset(rs->leader, 0, CLUSTER_NAMELEN);
+    clusterRaftRandomizeElectionTimeout();
+    rs->last_heartbeat = now;
+    rs->todo_save_config = 1;
+    serverLog(LL_NOTICE, "Stepping down to follower: %s.", reason);
+}
+
+/* Return non-zero if the leader still has a recently responsive voting
+ * quorum based on follower AE_ACK timing. */
+static int clusterRaftLeaderHasFreshQuorum(mstime_t now) {
+    clusterRaftState *rs = RAFT_STATE();
+    if (rs->role != RAFT_ROLE_LEADER || server.cluster->size <= 1) return 1;
+
+    int fresh = 1; /* Self */
+    int quorum = clusterRaftQuorum();
+    dictIterator *di = dictGetSafeIterator(server.cluster->nodes);
+    dictEntry *de;
+    while ((de = dictNext(di)) != NULL) {
+        clusterNode *node = dictGetVal(de);
+        if (node == myself) continue;
+        if (node->flags & CLUSTER_NODE_MEET) continue;
+        clusterNodeRaftData *rd = RAFT_NODE(node);
+        if (rd->last_ack_time > 0 &&
+            now - rd->last_ack_time <= server.cluster_node_timeout) {
+            fresh++;
+            if (fresh >= quorum) break;
+        }
+    }
+    dictReleaseIterator(di);
+    return fresh >= quorum;
+}
+
 /* Singleton leader steps down to joiner when joining another cluster. */
 static void clusterRaftSingletonStepDown(void) {
     clusterRaftState *rs = RAFT_STATE();
@@ -818,16 +861,11 @@ static void clusterRaftDeferPendingProposals(void) {
 }
 
 /* Step down to follower if we see a higher term. Returns 1 if stepped down. */
-static int clusterRaftMaybeStepDown(clusterRaftState *rs, uint64_t term) {
+static int clusterRaftMaybeStepDown(uint64_t term) {
+    clusterRaftState *rs = RAFT_STATE();
     if (term > rs->current_term) {
-        clusterRaftDeferPendingProposals();
         rs->current_term = term;
-        rs->role = RAFT_ROLE_FOLLOWER;
-        memset(rs->voted_for, 0, CLUSTER_NAMELEN);
-        memset(rs->leader, 0, CLUSTER_NAMELEN);
-        clusterRaftRandomizeElectionTimeout();
-        rs->last_heartbeat = monotonicMs();
-        rs->todo_save_config = 1;
+        clusterRaftStepDown(monotonicMs(), "observed higher term");
         return 1;
     }
     return 0;
@@ -1236,7 +1274,7 @@ static int clusterRaftProcessAppendEntries(clusterLink *link, int argc, sds *arg
         return 1;
     }
 
-    clusterRaftMaybeStepDown(rs, msg_term);
+    clusterRaftMaybeStepDown(msg_term);
 
     /* Accept heartbeat. */
     if (rs->role != RAFT_ROLE_JOINER) rs->role = RAFT_ROLE_FOLLOWER;
@@ -1310,7 +1348,7 @@ static int clusterRaftProcessAppendEntriesResponse(clusterLink *link, int argc,
     uint64_t follower_last_index = strtoull(argv[3], NULL, 10);
     long long follower_repl_offset = (argc >= 5) ? strtoll(argv[4], NULL, 10) : 0;
 
-    clusterRaftMaybeStepDown(rs, msg_term);
+    clusterRaftMaybeStepDown(msg_term);
     if (rs->role != RAFT_ROLE_LEADER) return 1;
 
     clusterNode *node = link->node;
@@ -1360,7 +1398,7 @@ static int clusterRaftProcessAppendEntriesResponse(clusterLink *link, int argc,
             }
             dictReleaseIterator(di);
 
-            int quorum = server.cluster->size / 2 + 1;
+            int quorum = clusterRaftQuorum();
             if (matches >= quorum) {
                 rs->commit_index = idx;
                 break;
@@ -1420,7 +1458,7 @@ static int clusterRaftProcessRequestVote(clusterLink *link, int argc, sds *argv)
     uint64_t msg_term = strtoull(argv[2], NULL, 10);
     int granted = 0;
 
-    clusterRaftMaybeStepDown(rs, msg_term);
+    clusterRaftMaybeStepDown(msg_term);
 
     if (msg_term < rs->current_term) {
         /* Stale term. */
@@ -1460,14 +1498,14 @@ static int clusterRaftProcessRequestVoteResponse(clusterLink *link, int argc, sd
     uint64_t msg_term = strtoull(argv[1], NULL, 10);
     int granted = atoi(argv[2]);
 
-    clusterRaftMaybeStepDown(rs, msg_term);
+    clusterRaftMaybeStepDown(msg_term);
 
     if (rs->role != RAFT_ROLE_CANDIDATE) return 1;
     if (msg_term != rs->current_term) return 1;
 
     if (granted) {
         rs->votes_received++;
-        int quorum = server.cluster->size / 2 + 1;
+        int quorum = clusterRaftQuorum();
         if (rs->votes_received >= quorum) {
             char old_leader[CLUSTER_NAMELEN];
             memcpy(old_leader, rs->leader, CLUSTER_NAMELEN);
@@ -1518,7 +1556,7 @@ static void clusterRaftStartElection(void) {
     serverLog(LL_NOTICE, "Starting Raft election (term %llu).", (unsigned long long)rs->current_term);
 
     /* Single-node: already have quorum. */
-    int quorum = server.cluster->size / 2 + 1;
+    int quorum = clusterRaftQuorum();
     if (rs->votes_received >= quorum) {
         rs->role = RAFT_ROLE_LEADER;
         memcpy(rs->leader, myself->name, CLUSTER_NAMELEN);
@@ -1568,42 +1606,13 @@ static void clusterRaftInitLast(void) {
     }
 }
 
-/* Leader: detect node failures and propose NODE_FAIL.
- * If a majority of peers are overdue, the problem is likely on our side
- * (paused or partitioned) — reset ack times to avoid false positives. */
+/* Leader: detect node failures and propose NODE_FAIL. */
 static void clusterRaftDetectFailures(mstime_t now) {
     mstime_t node_timeout = server.cluster_node_timeout;
 
-    /* Check if a majority of peers are overdue. */
-    int overdue = 0, total = 0;
+    /* Check individual nodes. */
     dictIterator *di = dictGetSafeIterator(server.cluster->nodes);
     dictEntry *de;
-    while ((de = dictNext(di)) != NULL) {
-        clusterNode *n = dictGetVal(de);
-        if (n == myself) continue;
-        total++;
-        clusterNodeRaftData *rd = RAFT_NODE(n);
-        if (rd->last_ack_time > 0 &&
-            now - rd->last_ack_time > node_timeout) {
-            overdue++;
-        }
-    }
-    dictReleaseIterator(di);
-
-    if (overdue > total / 2) {
-        /* Majority overdue — reset all ack times. */
-        di = dictGetSafeIterator(server.cluster->nodes);
-        while ((de = dictNext(di)) != NULL) {
-            clusterNode *n = dictGetVal(de);
-            if (n == myself) continue;
-            RAFT_NODE(n)->last_ack_time = now;
-        }
-        dictReleaseIterator(di);
-        return;
-    }
-
-    /* Check individual nodes. */
-    di = dictGetSafeIterator(server.cluster->nodes);
     while ((de = dictNext(di)) != NULL) {
         clusterNode *node = dictGetVal(de);
         if (node == myself) continue;
@@ -1739,6 +1748,11 @@ static void clusterRaftCron(void) {
             clusterRaftStartElection();
         }
 
+        if (rs->role == RAFT_ROLE_LEADER &&
+            !clusterRaftLeaderHasFreshQuorum(now)) {
+            clusterRaftStepDown(now, "lost quorum freshness");
+        }
+
         /* Expire stale pending proposals to prevent unbounded buildup
          * during prolonged partitions. Timeout covers election detection
          * (1-2x node_timeout), election itself (~1x), plus margin. */
diff --git a/tests/unit/cluster/cluster-raft.tcl b/tests/unit/cluster/cluster-raft.tcl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..83afd841ea0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/cluster/cluster-raft.tcl
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# Test higher-level Raft cluster behavior that does not require direct
+# wire-protocol interaction from Tcl.
+
+tags {external:skip cluster singledb} {
+
+test "Raft: leader steps down after losing quorum freshness" {
+    start_multiple_servers 3 {overrides {cluster-enabled yes cluster-protocol raft cluster-node-timeout 1000}} {
+        [srv 0 client] CLUSTER MEET [srv -1 host] [srv -1 port]
+        [srv 0 client] CLUSTER MEET [srv -2 host] [srv -2 port]
+
+        wait_for_condition 50 100 {
+            [CI 0 cluster_size] == 3 &&
+            [CI 1 cluster_size] == 3 &&
+            [CI 2 cluster_size] == 3
+        } else {
+            fail "Cluster did not form: sizes=[CI 0 cluster_size],[CI 1 cluster_size],[CI 2 cluster_size]"
+        }
+
+        assert_equal [CI 0 cluster_raft_role] "leader"
+        set leader_idx 0
+
+        set paused [list]
+        foreach idx {0 1 2} {
+            if {$idx == $leader_idx} continue
+            pause_process [srv [expr {-$idx}] pid]
+            lappend paused $idx
+        }
+
+        wait_for_condition 100 50 {
+            [CI $leader_idx cluster_raft_role] eq "follower"
+        } else {
+            foreach idx $paused {
+                resume_process [srv [expr {-$idx}] pid]
+            }
+            fail "Leader did not step down after losing quorum freshness: role=[CI $leader_idx cluster_raft_role] leader=[CI $leader_idx cluster_raft_leader]"
+        }
+
+        foreach idx $paused {
+            resume_process [srv [expr {-$idx}] pid]
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+} ;# tags