diff --git a/.changelog/11891.txt b/.changelog/11891.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f09bf8e13294
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/11891.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+csi: Fixed a bug where releasing volume claims would fail with ACL errors after leadership transitions.
+```
diff --git a/nomad/leader.go b/nomad/leader.go
index c6dca9dc677e..ecffabc85c77 100644
--- a/nomad/leader.go
+++ b/nomad/leader.go
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ func (s *Server) establishLeadership(stopCh chan struct{}) error {
 	s.nodeDrainer.SetEnabled(true, s.State())
 
 	// Enable the volume watcher, since we are now the leader
-	s.volumeWatcher.SetEnabled(true, s.State())
+	s.volumeWatcher.SetEnabled(true, s.State(), s.getLeaderAcl())
 
 	// Restore the eval broker state
 	if err := s.restoreEvals(); err != nil {
@@ -1074,7 +1074,7 @@ func (s *Server) revokeLeadership() error {
 	s.nodeDrainer.SetEnabled(false, nil)
 
 	// Disable the volume watcher
-	s.volumeWatcher.SetEnabled(false, nil)
+	s.volumeWatcher.SetEnabled(false, nil, "")
 
 	// Disable any enterprise systems required.
 	if err := s.revokeEnterpriseLeadership(); err != nil {
diff --git a/nomad/volumewatcher/volumes_watcher.go b/nomad/volumewatcher/volumes_watcher.go
index 061df061398e..c8c687addea1 100644
--- a/nomad/volumewatcher/volumes_watcher.go
+++ b/nomad/volumewatcher/volumes_watcher.go
@@ -57,14 +57,15 @@ func NewVolumesWatcher(logger log.Logger, rpc CSIVolumeRPC, leaderAcl string) *W
 
 // SetEnabled is used to control if the watcher is enabled. The
 // watcher should only be enabled on the active leader. When being
-// enabled the state is passed in as it is no longer valid once a
-// leader election has taken place.
-func (w *Watcher) SetEnabled(enabled bool, state *state.StateStore) {
+// enabled the state and leader's ACL is passed in as it is no longer
+// valid once a leader election has taken place.
+func (w *Watcher) SetEnabled(enabled bool, state *state.StateStore, leaderAcl string) {
 	w.wlock.Lock()
 	defer w.wlock.Unlock()
 
 	wasEnabled := w.enabled
 	w.enabled = enabled
+	w.leaderAcl = leaderAcl
 
 	if state != nil {
 		w.state = state
diff --git a/nomad/volumewatcher/volumes_watcher_test.go b/nomad/volumewatcher/volumes_watcher_test.go
index 185a7225e68b..7f0365be3518 100644
--- a/nomad/volumewatcher/volumes_watcher_test.go
+++ b/nomad/volumewatcher/volumes_watcher_test.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func TestVolumeWatch_EnableDisable(t *testing.T) {
 	index := uint64(100)
 
 	watcher := NewVolumesWatcher(testlog.HCLogger(t), srv, "")
-	watcher.SetEnabled(true, srv.State())
+	watcher.SetEnabled(true, srv.State(), "")
 
 	plugin := mock.CSIPlugin()
 	node := testNode(plugin, srv.State())
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func TestVolumeWatch_EnableDisable(t *testing.T) {
 		return 1 == len(watcher.watchers)
 	}, time.Second, 10*time.Millisecond)
 
-	watcher.SetEnabled(false, nil)
+	watcher.SetEnabled(false, nil, "")
 	require.Equal(0, len(watcher.watchers))
 }
 
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func TestVolumeWatch_LeadershipTransition(t *testing.T) {
 	alloc.ClientStatus = structs.AllocClientStatusComplete
 	vol := testVolume(plugin, alloc, node.ID)
 
-	watcher.SetEnabled(true, srv.State())
+	watcher.SetEnabled(true, srv.State(), "")
 
 	index++
 	err := srv.State().CSIVolumeRegister(index, []*structs.CSIVolume{vol})
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func TestVolumeWatch_LeadershipTransition(t *testing.T) {
 	// watches for that change will fire on the new watcher
 
 	// step-down (this is sync)
-	watcher.SetEnabled(false, nil)
+	watcher.SetEnabled(false, nil, "")
 	require.Equal(0, len(watcher.watchers))
 
 	// allocation is now invalid
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func TestVolumeWatch_LeadershipTransition(t *testing.T) {
 	// create a new watcher and enable it to simulate the leadership
 	// transition
 	watcher = NewVolumesWatcher(testlog.HCLogger(t), srv, "")
-	watcher.SetEnabled(true, srv.State())
+	watcher.SetEnabled(true, srv.State(), "")
 
 	require.Eventually(func() bool {
 		watcher.wlock.RLock()
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ func TestVolumeWatch_StartStop(t *testing.T) {
 	index := uint64(100)
 	watcher := NewVolumesWatcher(testlog.HCLogger(t), srv, "")
 
-	watcher.SetEnabled(true, srv.State())
+	watcher.SetEnabled(true, srv.State(), "")
 	require.Equal(0, len(watcher.watchers))
 
 	plugin := mock.CSIPlugin()
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ func TestVolumeWatch_RegisterDeregister(t *testing.T) {
 
 	watcher := NewVolumesWatcher(testlog.HCLogger(t), srv, "")
 
-	watcher.SetEnabled(true, srv.State())
+	watcher.SetEnabled(true, srv.State(), "")
 	require.Equal(0, len(watcher.watchers))
 
 	plugin := mock.CSIPlugin()