diff --git a/safekeeper/src/safekeeper.rs b/safekeeper/src/safekeeper.rs
index 0a7adb96b6..c254f2c57c 100644
--- a/safekeeper/src/safekeeper.rs
+++ b/safekeeper/src/safekeeper.rs
@@ -576,13 +576,16 @@ where
         self.state
             .acceptor_state
             .term_history
-            .up_to(self.wal_store.flush_lsn())
+            .up_to(self.flush_lsn())
     }
 
     pub fn get_epoch(&self) -> Term {
-        self.state
-            .acceptor_state
-            .get_epoch(self.wal_store.flush_lsn())
+        self.state.acceptor_state.get_epoch(self.flush_lsn())
+    }
+
+    /// wal_store wrapper avoiding commit_lsn <= flush_lsn violation when we don't have WAL yet.
+    fn flush_lsn(&self) -> Lsn {
+        max(self.wal_store.flush_lsn(), self.state.timeline_start_lsn)
     }
 
     /// Process message from proposer and possibly form reply. Concurrent
@@ -671,7 +674,7 @@ where
         let mut resp = VoteResponse {
             term: self.state.acceptor_state.term,
             vote_given: false as u64,
-            flush_lsn: self.wal_store.flush_lsn(),
+            flush_lsn: self.flush_lsn(),
             truncate_lsn: self.state.peer_horizon_lsn,
             term_history: self.get_term_history(),
             timeline_start_lsn: self.state.timeline_start_lsn,
@@ -703,7 +706,7 @@ where
     fn append_response(&self) -> AppendResponse {
         let ar = AppendResponse {
             term: self.state.acceptor_state.term,
-            flush_lsn: self.wal_store.flush_lsn(),
+            flush_lsn: self.flush_lsn(),
             commit_lsn: self.state.commit_lsn,
             // will be filled by the upper code to avoid bothering safekeeper
             hs_feedback: HotStandbyFeedback::empty(),
@@ -770,7 +773,7 @@ where
 
     /// Advance commit_lsn taking into account what we have locally
     pub fn update_commit_lsn(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
-        let commit_lsn = min(self.global_commit_lsn, self.wal_store.flush_lsn());
+        let commit_lsn = min(self.global_commit_lsn, self.flush_lsn());
         assert!(commit_lsn >= self.inmem.commit_lsn);
 
         self.inmem.commit_lsn = commit_lsn;