diff --git a/kong/cmd/utils/serf_signals.lua b/kong/cmd/utils/serf_signals.lua
index aace0cf5cf1..cadf646a464 100644
--- a/kong/cmd/utils/serf_signals.lua
+++ b/kong/cmd/utils/serf_signals.lua
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ function _M.start(kong_config, dao)
     return nil, "could not start Serf: "..err
   end
 
+  -- cleanup current node from cluster to prevent inconsistency of data
+  local ok, err = serf:cleanup()
+  if not ok then return nil, err end
+
   log.verbose("auto-joining Serf cluster...")
   local ok, err = serf:autojoin()
   if not ok then return nil, err end
diff --git a/kong/serf.lua b/kong/serf.lua
index 8af9b4c73fe..b684a5efee2 100644
--- a/kong/serf.lua
+++ b/kong/serf.lua
@@ -80,12 +80,14 @@ function Serf:reachability()
   return self:invoke_signal("reachability")
 end
 
-function Serf:autojoin()
+function Serf:cleanup()
   -- Delete current node just in case it was there
   -- (due to an inconsistency caused by a crash)
-  local _, err = self.dao.nodes:delete {name = self.node_name}
-  if err then return nil, tostring(err) end
+  local ok, err = self.dao.nodes:delete {name = self.node_name }
+  return ok, tostring(err)
+end
 
+function Serf:autojoin()
   local nodes, err = self.dao.nodes:find_all()
   if err then return nil, tostring(err)
   elseif #nodes == 0 then