diff --git a/repmgr-action-standby.c b/repmgr-action-standby.c
index 094afd64..0c6b9578 100644
--- a/repmgr-action-standby.c
+++ b/repmgr-action-standby.c
@@ -2901,8 +2901,8 @@ do_standby_follow_internal(PGconn *primary_conn, PGconn *follow_target_conn, t_n
 		free_conninfo_params(&local_node_conninfo);
 
 		/*
-		 * store the original upstream node id so we can delete the
-		 * replication slot, if exists
+		 * Store the original upstream node id so we can delete the
+		 * replication slot, if it exists.
 		 */
 		if (local_node_record.upstream_node_id != UNKNOWN_NODE_ID)
 		{
@@ -2914,9 +2914,17 @@ do_standby_follow_internal(PGconn *primary_conn, PGconn *follow_target_conn, t_n
 		}
 
 
-		if (config_file_options.use_replication_slots && runtime_options.host_param_provided == false && original_upstream_node_id != UNKNOWN_NODE_ID)
+		if (config_file_options.use_replication_slots && runtime_options.host_param_provided == false)
 		{
-			remove_old_replication_slot = true;
+			/*
+			 * Only attempt to delete the old replication slot if the old upstream
+			 * node is known and is different to the follow target node.
+			 */
+			if (original_upstream_node_id != UNKNOWN_NODE_ID
+			 && original_upstream_node_id != follow_target_node_record->node_id)
+			{
+				remove_old_replication_slot = true;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -3063,8 +3071,6 @@ do_standby_follow_internal(PGconn *primary_conn, PGconn *follow_target_conn, t_n
 	 * Note that if this function is called by do_standby_switchover(), the
 	 * "repmgr node rejoin" command executed on the demotion candidate may already
 	 * have removed the slot, so there may be nothing to do.
-	 *
-	 * XXX check if former upstream is current primary?
 	 */
 
 	if (remove_old_replication_slot == true)