diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardFollowTasksExecutor.java b/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardFollowTasksExecutor.java
index cf6b161bc015e..f9780a840ce72 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardFollowTasksExecutor.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardFollowTasksExecutor.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.AliasMetaData;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.IndexMetaData;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.MappingMetaData;
+import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNode;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.IndexRoutingTable;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.service.ClusterService;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.CheckedConsumer;
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.persistent.AllocatedPersistentTask;
 import org.elasticsearch.persistent.PersistentTaskState;
 import org.elasticsearch.persistent.PersistentTasksCustomMetaData;
+import org.elasticsearch.persistent.PersistentTasksCustomMetaData.Assignment;
 import org.elasticsearch.persistent.PersistentTasksExecutor;
 import org.elasticsearch.tasks.TaskId;
 import org.elasticsearch.threadpool.Scheduler;
@@ -76,6 +78,7 @@
 import java.util.function.Consumer;
 import java.util.function.LongConsumer;
 import java.util.function.LongSupplier;
+import java.util.function.Predicate;
 import java.util.function.Supplier;
 
 import static org.elasticsearch.xpack.ccr.CcrLicenseChecker.wrapClient;
@@ -115,6 +118,21 @@ public void validate(ShardFollowTask params, ClusterState clusterState) {
         }
     }
 
+    private static final Assignment NO_ASSIGNMENT = new Assignment(null, "no nodes found with data and remote cluster client roles");
+
+    @Override
+    public Assignment getAssignment(final ShardFollowTask params, final ClusterState clusterState) {
+        final DiscoveryNode node = selectLeastLoadedNode(
+            clusterState,
+            ((Predicate<DiscoveryNode>) DiscoveryNode::isDataNode).and(DiscoveryNode::isRemoteClusterClient)
+        );
+        if (node == null) {
+            return NO_ASSIGNMENT;
+        } else {
+            return new Assignment(node.getId(), "node is the least loaded data node and remote cluster client");
+        }
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected AllocatedPersistentTask createTask(long id, String type, String action, TaskId parentTaskId,
                                                  PersistentTasksCustomMetaData.PersistentTask<ShardFollowTask> taskInProgress,
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardFollowTasksExecutorAssignmentTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardFollowTasksExecutorAssignmentTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..7aeffbd35c623
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardFollowTasksExecutorAssignmentTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+package org.elasticsearch.xpack.ccr.action;
+
+import org.elasticsearch.Version;
+import org.elasticsearch.client.Client;
+import org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterName;
+import org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterState;
+import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNode;
+import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNodeRole;
+import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNodes;
+import org.elasticsearch.cluster.service.ClusterService;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.UUIDs;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.ClusterSettings;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.SettingsModule;
+import org.elasticsearch.persistent.PersistentTasksCustomMetaData.Assignment;
+import org.elasticsearch.test.ESTestCase;
+import org.elasticsearch.threadpool.ThreadPool;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ccr.CcrSettings;
+
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.function.BiConsumer;
+import java.util.function.Supplier;
+
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.equalTo;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
+
+public class ShardFollowTasksExecutorAssignmentTests extends ESTestCase {
+
+    public void testAssignmentToNodeWithDataAndRemoteClusterClientRoles() {
+        runAssignmentTest(
+            new HashSet<>(Arrays.asList(DiscoveryNodeRole.DATA_ROLE, DiscoveryNodeRole.REMOTE_CLUSTER_CLIENT_ROLE)),
+            randomIntBetween(0, 8),
+            () -> new HashSet<>(randomSubsetOf(new HashSet<>(Arrays.asList(DiscoveryNodeRole.DATA_ROLE, DiscoveryNodeRole.INGEST_ROLE)))),
+            (theSpecial, assignment) -> {
+                assertTrue(assignment.isAssigned());
+                assertThat(assignment.getExecutorNode(), equalTo(theSpecial.getId()));
+            }
+        );
+    }
+
+    public void testDataRoleWithoutRemoteClusterServiceRole() {
+        runNoAssignmentTest(Collections.singleton(DiscoveryNodeRole.DATA_ROLE));
+    }
+
+    public void testRemoteClusterClientRoleWithoutDataRole() {
+        runNoAssignmentTest(Collections.singleton(DiscoveryNodeRole.REMOTE_CLUSTER_CLIENT_ROLE));
+    }
+
+    private void runNoAssignmentTest(final Set<DiscoveryNodeRole> roles) {
+        runAssignmentTest(
+            roles,
+            0,
+            Collections::emptySet,
+            (theSpecial, assignment) -> {
+                assertFalse(assignment.isAssigned());
+                assertThat(assignment.getExplanation(), equalTo("no nodes found with data and remote cluster client roles"));
+            }
+        );
+    }
+
+    private void runAssignmentTest(
+        final Set<DiscoveryNodeRole> theSpecialRoles,
+        final int numberOfOtherNodes,
+        final Supplier<Set<DiscoveryNodeRole>> otherNodesRolesSupplier,
+        final BiConsumer<DiscoveryNode, Assignment> consumer
+    ) {
+        final ClusterService clusterService = mock(ClusterService.class);
+        when(clusterService.getClusterSettings())
+            .thenReturn(new ClusterSettings(Settings.EMPTY, Collections.singleton(CcrSettings.CCR_WAIT_FOR_METADATA_TIMEOUT)));
+        final SettingsModule settingsModule = mock(SettingsModule.class);
+        when(settingsModule.getSettings()).thenReturn(Settings.EMPTY);
+        final ShardFollowTasksExecutor executor =
+            new ShardFollowTasksExecutor(mock(Client.class), mock(ThreadPool.class), clusterService, settingsModule);
+        final ClusterState.Builder clusterStateBuilder = ClusterState.builder(new ClusterName("test"));
+        final DiscoveryNodes.Builder nodesBuilder = DiscoveryNodes.builder();
+        final DiscoveryNode theSpecial = newNode(theSpecialRoles);
+        nodesBuilder.add(theSpecial);
+        for (int i = 0; i < numberOfOtherNodes; i++) {
+            nodesBuilder.add(newNode(otherNodesRolesSupplier.get()));
+        }
+        clusterStateBuilder.nodes(nodesBuilder);
+        final Assignment assignment = executor.getAssignment(mock(ShardFollowTask.class), clusterStateBuilder.build());
+        consumer.accept(theSpecial, assignment);
+    }
+
+    private static DiscoveryNode newNode(final Set<DiscoveryNodeRole> roles) {
+        return new DiscoveryNode(
+            "node_" + UUIDs.randomBase64UUID(random()),
+            buildNewFakeTransportAddress(),
+            Collections.emptyMap(),
+            roles,
+            Version.CURRENT
+        );
+    }
+
+}