diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8c59f0b66a..fb3c7d5499 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 * [ENHANCEMENT] Memberlist: client can now keep a size-bounded buffer with sent and received messages and display them in the admin UI (/memberlist) for troubleshooting. #3581
 * [BUGFIX] Allow `-querier.max-query-lookback` use `y|w|d` suffix like deprecated `-store.max-look-back-period`. #3598
 * [BUGFIX] Query-Frontend: `cortex_query_seconds_total` now return seconds not nanoseconds. #3589
+* [BUGFIX] Memberlist: Entry in the ring should now not appear again after using "Forget" feature (unless it's still heartbeating). #3603
 
 ## 1.6.0-rc.0 in progress
 
diff --git a/pkg/ring/merge_test.go b/pkg/ring/merge_test.go
index d050deb799..6d5cb2e90c 100644
--- a/pkg/ring/merge_test.go
+++ b/pkg/ring/merge_test.go
@@ -356,30 +356,30 @@ func TestMergeRemoveMissing(t *testing.T) {
 			Ingesters: map[string]IngesterDesc{
 				"Ing 1": {Addr: "addr1", Timestamp: now, State: ACTIVE, Tokens: []uint32{30, 40, 50}},
 				"Ing 2": {Addr: "addr2", Timestamp: now + 5, State: ACTIVE, Tokens: []uint32{5, 10, 20, 100, 200}},
-				"Ing 3": {Addr: "addr3", Timestamp: now, State: LEFT},
+				"Ing 3": {Addr: "addr3", Timestamp: now + 3, State: LEFT}, // When deleting, time depends on value passed to merge function.
 			},
 		}
 	}
 
 	{
-		our, ch := mergeLocalCAS(firstRing(), secondRing())
+		our, ch := mergeLocalCAS(firstRing(), secondRing(), now+3)
 		assert.Equal(t, expectedFirstSecondMerge(), our)
 		assert.Equal(t, &Desc{
 			Ingesters: map[string]IngesterDesc{
 				"Ing 2": {Addr: "addr2", Timestamp: now + 5, State: ACTIVE, Tokens: []uint32{5, 10, 20, 100, 200}},
-				"Ing 3": {Addr: "addr3", Timestamp: now, State: LEFT},
+				"Ing 3": {Addr: "addr3", Timestamp: now + 3, State: LEFT}, // When deleting, time depends on value passed to merge function.
 			},
 		}, ch) // entire second ring is new
 	}
 
-	{ // idempotency: (no change after applying same ring again)
-		our, ch := mergeLocalCAS(expectedFirstSecondMerge(), secondRing())
+	{ // idempotency: (no change after applying same ring again, even if time has advanced)
+		our, ch := mergeLocalCAS(expectedFirstSecondMerge(), secondRing(), now+10)
 		assert.Equal(t, expectedFirstSecondMerge(), our)
 		assert.Equal(t, (*Desc)(nil), ch)
 	}
 
 	{ // commutativity is broken when deleting missing entries. But let's make sure we get reasonable results at least.
-		our, ch := mergeLocalCAS(secondRing(), firstRing())
+		our, ch := mergeLocalCAS(secondRing(), firstRing(), now+3)
 		assert.Equal(t, &Desc{
 			Ingesters: map[string]IngesterDesc{
 				"Ing 1": {Addr: "addr1", Timestamp: now, State: ACTIVE, Tokens: []uint32{30, 40, 50}},
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ func TestMergeMissingIntoLeft(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	{
-		our, ch := mergeLocalCAS(ring1(), ring2())
+		our, ch := mergeLocalCAS(ring1(), ring2(), now+10)
 		assert.Equal(t, &Desc{
 			Ingesters: map[string]IngesterDesc{
 				"Ing 1": {Addr: "addr1", Timestamp: now + 10, State: ACTIVE, Tokens: []uint32{30, 40, 50}},
@@ -438,8 +438,8 @@ func TestMergeMissingIntoLeft(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func mergeLocalCAS(ring1, ring2 *Desc) (*Desc, *Desc) {
-	change, err := ring1.Merge(ring2, true)
+func mergeLocalCAS(ring1, ring2 *Desc, nowUnixTime int64) (*Desc, *Desc) {
+	change, err := ring1.mergeWithTime(ring2, true, time.Unix(nowUnixTime, 0))
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/ring/model.go b/pkg/ring/model.go
index d9ebd78155..e4a2ea45b9 100644
--- a/pkg/ring/model.go
+++ b/pkg/ring/model.go
@@ -189,6 +189,10 @@ func (i *IngesterDesc) IsHealthy(op Operation, heartbeatTimeout time.Duration) b
 //
 // This method is part of memberlist.Mergeable interface, and is only used by gossiping ring.
 func (d *Desc) Merge(mergeable memberlist.Mergeable, localCAS bool) (memberlist.Mergeable, error) {
+	return d.mergeWithTime(mergeable, localCAS, time.Now())
+}
+
+func (d *Desc) mergeWithTime(mergeable memberlist.Mergeable, localCAS bool, now time.Time) (memberlist.Mergeable, error) {
 	if mergeable == nil {
 		return nil, nil
 	}
@@ -229,6 +233,10 @@ func (d *Desc) Merge(mergeable memberlist.Mergeable, localCAS bool) (memberlist.
 				// missing, let's mark our ingester as LEFT
 				ting.State = LEFT
 				ting.Tokens = nil
+				// We are deleting entry "now", and should not keep old timestamp, because there may already be pending
+				// message in the gossip network with newer timestamp (but still older than "now").
+				// Such message would "resurrect" this deleted entry.
+				ting.Timestamp = now.Unix()
 				thisIngesterMap[name] = ting
 
 				updated = append(updated, name)