diff --git a/pageserver/src/page_service.rs b/pageserver/src/page_service.rs
index a429dff1fd..5fd02d8749 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/page_service.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/page_service.rs
@@ -1068,21 +1068,26 @@ impl PageServerHandler {
             ));
         }
 
-        if request_lsn < **latest_gc_cutoff_lsn {
+        // Check explicitly for INVALID just to get a less scary error message if the request is obviously bogus
+        if request_lsn == Lsn::INVALID {
+            return Err(PageStreamError::BadRequest(
+                "invalid LSN(0) in request".into(),
+            ));
+        }
+
+        // Clients should only read from recent LSNs on their timeline, or from locations holding an LSN lease.
+        //
+        // We may have older data available, but we make a best effort to detect this case and return an error,
+        // to distinguish a misbehaving client (asking for old LSN) from a storage issue (data missing at a legitimate LSN).
+        if request_lsn < **latest_gc_cutoff_lsn && !timeline.is_gc_blocked_by_lsn_lease_deadline() {
             let gc_info = &timeline.gc_info.read().unwrap();
             if !gc_info.leases.contains_key(&request_lsn) {
-                // The requested LSN is below gc cutoff and is not guarded by a lease.
-
-                // Check explicitly for INVALID just to get a less scary error message if the
-                // request is obviously bogus
-                return Err(if request_lsn == Lsn::INVALID {
-                    PageStreamError::BadRequest("invalid LSN(0) in request".into())
-                } else {
+                return Err(
                     PageStreamError::BadRequest(format!(
                         "tried to request a page version that was garbage collected. requested at {} gc cutoff {}",
                         request_lsn, **latest_gc_cutoff_lsn
                     ).into())
-                });
+                );
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline.rs b/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline.rs
index 95864af4d0..0c7f3204f6 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline.rs
@@ -2085,6 +2085,11 @@ impl Timeline {
             .unwrap_or(self.conf.default_tenant_conf.lsn_lease_length_for_ts)
     }
 
+    pub(crate) fn is_gc_blocked_by_lsn_lease_deadline(&self) -> bool {
+        let tenant_conf = self.tenant_conf.load();
+        tenant_conf.is_gc_blocked_by_lsn_lease_deadline()
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn get_lazy_slru_download(&self) -> bool {
         let tenant_conf = self.tenant_conf.load();
         tenant_conf
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_readonly_node.py b/test_runner/regress/test_readonly_node.py
index 2b274003a3..fcebf8d23a 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_readonly_node.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_readonly_node.py
@@ -121,7 +121,6 @@ def test_readonly_node(neon_simple_env: NeonEnv):
         )
 
 
-@pytest.mark.skip("See https://github.com/neondatabase/neon/issues/9754")
 def test_readonly_node_gc(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
     """
     Test static endpoint is protected from GC by acquiring and renewing lsn leases.