diff --git a/consul/leader.go b/consul/leader.go
index cf1e434fb5..3afb6e545b 100644
--- a/consul/leader.go
+++ b/consul/leader.go
@@ -246,11 +246,7 @@ func (s *Server) handleLeftMember(member serf.Member) error {
 
 	// Remove from Raft peers if this was a server
 	if valid, _, port := isConsulServer(member); valid {
-		peer := &net.TCPAddr{IP: member.Addr, Port: port}
-		future := s.raft.RemovePeer(peer)
-		if err := future.Error(); err != nil && err != raft.UnknownPeer {
-			s.logger.Printf("[ERR] consul: failed to remove raft peer '%v': %v",
-				peer, err)
+		if err := s.removeConsulServer(member, port); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
@@ -280,3 +276,21 @@ func (s *Server) joinConsulServer(m serf.Member, port int) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// joinConsulServer is used to try to join another consul server
+func (s *Server) removeConsulServer(m serf.Member, port int) error {
+	// Do not remove ourself
+	if m.Name == s.config.NodeName {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Attempt to remove as peer
+	peer := &net.TCPAddr{IP: m.Addr, Port: port}
+	future := s.raft.RemovePeer(peer)
+	if err := future.Error(); err != nil && err != raft.UnknownPeer {
+		s.logger.Printf("[ERR] consul: failed to remove raft peer '%v': %v",
+			peer, err)
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}