diff --git a/nomad/node_endpoint.go b/nomad/node_endpoint.go
index a8778216ffda..dc7e2d6a0974 100644
--- a/nomad/node_endpoint.go
+++ b/nomad/node_endpoint.go
@@ -679,6 +679,12 @@ func (n *Node) GetClientAllocs(args *structs.NodeSpecificRequest,
 		return fmt.Errorf("missing node ID")
 	}
 
+	// numOldAllocs is used to detect if there is a garbage collection event
+	// that effects the node. When an allocation is garbage collected, that does
+	// not change the modify index changes and thus the query won't unblock,
+	// even though the set of allocations on the node has changed.
+	var numOldAllocs int
+
 	// Setup the blocking query
 	opts := blockingOptions{
 		queryOpts: &args.QueryOptions,
@@ -708,8 +714,17 @@ func (n *Node) GetClientAllocs(args *structs.NodeSpecificRequest,
 			reply.Allocs = make(map[string]uint64)
 			reply.MigrateTokens = make(map[string]string)
 
+			// preferTableIndex is used to determine whether we should build the
+			// response index based on the full table indexes versus the modify
+			// indexes of the allocations on the specific node. This is prefered
+			// in the case that the node doesn't yet have allocations or when we
+			// detect a GC that effects the node.
+			preferTableIndex := true
+
 			// Setup the output
-			if len(allocs) != 0 {
+			if numAllocs := len(allocs); numAllocs != 0 {
+				preferTableIndex = false
+
 				for _, alloc := range allocs {
 					reply.Allocs[alloc.ID] = alloc.AllocModifyIndex
 
@@ -742,7 +757,18 @@ func (n *Node) GetClientAllocs(args *structs.NodeSpecificRequest,
 
 					reply.Index = maxUint64(reply.Index, alloc.ModifyIndex)
 				}
-			} else {
+
+				// Determine if we have less allocations than before. This
+				// indicates there was a garbage collection
+				if numAllocs < numOldAllocs {
+					preferTableIndex = true
+				}
+
+				// Store the new number of allocations
+				numOldAllocs = numAllocs
+			}
+
+			if preferTableIndex {
 				// Use the last index that affected the nodes table
 				index, err := state.Index("allocs")
 				if err != nil {
diff --git a/nomad/node_endpoint_test.go b/nomad/node_endpoint_test.go
index 772a40e3e043..f6ee39d98a46 100644
--- a/nomad/node_endpoint_test.go
+++ b/nomad/node_endpoint_test.go
@@ -1328,6 +1328,96 @@ func TestClientEndpoint_GetClientAllocs_Blocking(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestClientEndpoint_GetClientAllocs_Blocking_GC(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	s1 := testServer(t, nil)
+	defer s1.Shutdown()
+	codec := rpcClient(t, s1)
+	testutil.WaitForLeader(t, s1.RPC)
+
+	// Create the register request
+	node := mock.Node()
+	reg := &structs.NodeRegisterRequest{
+		Node:         node,
+		WriteRequest: structs.WriteRequest{Region: "global"},
+	}
+
+	// Fetch the response
+	var resp structs.GenericResponse
+	if err := msgpackrpc.CallWithCodec(codec, "Node.Register", reg, &resp); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+	}
+	node.CreateIndex = resp.Index
+	node.ModifyIndex = resp.Index
+
+	// Inject fake allocations async
+	alloc1 := mock.Alloc()
+	alloc1.NodeID = node.ID
+	alloc2 := mock.Alloc()
+	alloc2.NodeID = node.ID
+	state := s1.fsm.State()
+	state.UpsertJobSummary(99, mock.JobSummary(alloc1.JobID))
+	start := time.Now()
+	time.AfterFunc(100*time.Millisecond, func() {
+		err := state.UpsertAllocs(100, []*structs.Allocation{alloc1, alloc2})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+		}
+	})
+
+	// Lookup the allocs in a blocking query
+	req := &structs.NodeSpecificRequest{
+		NodeID:   node.ID,
+		SecretID: node.SecretID,
+		QueryOptions: structs.QueryOptions{
+			Region:        "global",
+			MinQueryIndex: 50,
+			MaxQueryTime:  time.Second,
+		},
+	}
+	var resp2 structs.NodeClientAllocsResponse
+	if err := msgpackrpc.CallWithCodec(codec, "Node.GetClientAllocs", req, &resp2); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Should block at least 100ms
+	if time.Since(start) < 100*time.Millisecond {
+		t.Fatalf("too fast")
+	}
+
+	if resp2.Index != 100 {
+		t.Fatalf("Bad index: %d %d", resp2.Index, 100)
+	}
+
+	if len(resp2.Allocs) != 2 || resp2.Allocs[alloc1.ID] != 100 {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", resp2.Allocs)
+	}
+
+	// Delete an allocation
+	time.AfterFunc(100*time.Millisecond, func() {
+		err := state.DeleteEval(200, nil, []string{alloc2.ID})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+		}
+	})
+
+	req.QueryOptions.MinQueryIndex = 150
+	var resp3 structs.NodeClientAllocsResponse
+	if err := msgpackrpc.CallWithCodec(codec, "Node.GetClientAllocs", req, &resp3); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if time.Since(start) < 100*time.Millisecond {
+		t.Fatalf("too fast")
+	}
+	if resp3.Index != 200 {
+		t.Fatalf("Bad index: %d %d", resp3.Index, 200)
+	}
+	if len(resp3.Allocs) != 1 || resp3.Allocs[alloc1.ID] != 100 {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %#v", resp3.Allocs)
+	}
+}
+
 // A MigrateToken should not be created if an allocation shares the same node
 // with its previous allocation
 func TestClientEndpoint_GetClientAllocs_WithoutMigrateTokens(t *testing.T) {