diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/state_manager.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/state_manager.go
index bd1082d36f4..4512b26f177 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/state_manager.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/state_manager.go
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ func (sm *stateManager) StartRequest(ctx context.Context, target *querypb.Target
 	sm.mu.Lock()
 	defer sm.mu.Unlock()
 
-	if sm.state != StateServing || !sm.replHealthy {
+	if sm.state != StateServing || !sm.replHealthy || sm.demotePrimaryStalled {
 		// This specific error string needs to be returned for vtgate buffering to work.
 		return vterrors.New(vtrpcpb.Code_CLUSTER_EVENT, vterrors.NotServing)
 	}
@@ -777,7 +777,7 @@ func (sm *stateManager) IsServing() bool {
 }
 
 func (sm *stateManager) isServingLocked() bool {
-	return sm.state == StateServing && sm.wantState == StateServing && sm.replHealthy && !sm.lameduck
+	return sm.state == StateServing && sm.wantState == StateServing && sm.replHealthy && !sm.demotePrimaryStalled && !sm.lameduck
 }
 
 func (sm *stateManager) AppendDetails(details []*kv) []*kv {
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/tabletserver.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/tabletserver.go
index a3cd025bc9b..deeac10bd05 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/tabletserver.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletserver/tabletserver.go
@@ -760,7 +760,10 @@ func (tsv *TabletServer) WaitForPreparedTwoPCTransactions(ctx context.Context) e
 
 // SetDemotePrimaryStalled marks that demote primary is stalled in the state manager.
 func (tsv *TabletServer) SetDemotePrimaryStalled() {
+	tsv.sm.mu.Lock()
 	tsv.sm.demotePrimaryStalled = true
+	tsv.sm.mu.Unlock()
+	tsv.BroadcastHealth()
 }
 
 // CreateTransaction creates the metadata for a 2PC transaction.