diff --git a/safekeeper/src/safekeeper.rs b/safekeeper/src/safekeeper.rs
index a70ae247b7..5b1b686529 100644
--- a/safekeeper/src/safekeeper.rs
+++ b/safekeeper/src/safekeeper.rs
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ pub struct SafeKeeperState {
     /// All WAL segments next to one containing local_start_lsn are
     /// filled with data from the beginning.
     pub local_start_lsn: Lsn,
-    /// Part of WAL acknowledged by quorum and available locally. Always points
+    /// Part of WAL acknowledged by quorum *and available locally*. Always points
     /// to record boundary.
     pub commit_lsn: Lsn,
     /// LSN that points to the end of the last backed up segment. Useful to
@@ -501,10 +501,6 @@ impl AcceptorProposerMessage {
 /// - messages from compute (proposers) and provides replies
 /// - messages from broker peers
 pub struct SafeKeeper<CTRL: control_file::Storage, WAL: wal_storage::Storage> {
-    /// Maximum commit_lsn between all nodes, can be ahead of local flush_lsn.
-    /// Note: be careful to set only if we are sure our WAL (term history) matches
-    /// committed one.
-    pub global_commit_lsn: Lsn,
     /// LSN since the proposer safekeeper currently talking to appends WAL;
     /// determines epoch switch point.
     pub epoch_start_lsn: Lsn,
@@ -537,7 +533,6 @@ where
         }
 
         Ok(SafeKeeper {
-            global_commit_lsn: state.commit_lsn,
             epoch_start_lsn: Lsn(0),
             inmem: SafekeeperMemState {
                 commit_lsn: state.commit_lsn,
@@ -777,7 +772,6 @@ where
             // NB: on new clusters, this happens at the same time as
             // timeline_start_lsn initialization, it is taken outside to provide
             // upgrade.
-            self.global_commit_lsn = max(self.global_commit_lsn, state.timeline_start_lsn);
             self.inmem.commit_lsn = max(self.inmem.commit_lsn, state.timeline_start_lsn);
 
             // Initializing backup_lsn is useful to avoid making backup think it should upload 0 segment.
@@ -796,10 +790,21 @@ where
         Ok(None)
     }
 
-    /// Advance commit_lsn taking into account what we have locally
-    fn update_commit_lsn(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
-        let commit_lsn = min(self.global_commit_lsn, self.flush_lsn());
-        assert!(commit_lsn >= self.inmem.commit_lsn);
+    /// Advance commit_lsn taking into account what we have locally.
+    ///
+    /// Note: it is assumed that 'WAL we have is from the right term' check has
+    /// already been done outside.
+    fn update_commit_lsn(&mut self, mut candidate: Lsn) -> Result<()> {
+        // Both peers and walproposer communicate this value, we might already
+        // have a fresher (higher) version.
+        candidate = max(candidate, self.inmem.commit_lsn);
+        let commit_lsn = min(candidate, self.flush_lsn());
+        assert!(
+            commit_lsn >= self.inmem.commit_lsn,
+            "commit_lsn monotonicity violated: old={} new={}",
+            self.inmem.commit_lsn,
+            commit_lsn
+        );
 
         self.inmem.commit_lsn = commit_lsn;
 
@@ -865,14 +870,11 @@ where
             self.wal_store.flush_wal()?;
         }
 
-        // Update global_commit_lsn
+        // Update commit_lsn.
         if msg.h.commit_lsn != Lsn(0) {
-            // We also obtain commit lsn from peers, so value arrived here might be stale (less)
-            self.global_commit_lsn = max(self.global_commit_lsn, msg.h.commit_lsn);
+            self.update_commit_lsn(msg.h.commit_lsn)?;
         }
-
         self.inmem.peer_horizon_lsn = msg.h.truncate_lsn;
-        self.update_commit_lsn()?;
 
         // Update truncate and commit LSN in control file.
         // To avoid negative impact on performance of extra fsync, do it only
@@ -904,10 +906,6 @@ where
     /// Flush WAL to disk. Return AppendResponse with latest LSNs.
     fn handle_flush(&mut self) -> Result<Option<AcceptorProposerMessage>> {
         self.wal_store.flush_wal()?;
-
-        // commit_lsn can be updated because we have new flushed data locally.
-        self.update_commit_lsn()?;
-
         Ok(Some(AcceptorProposerMessage::AppendResponse(
             self.append_response(),
         )))
@@ -922,8 +920,7 @@ where
             // commit_lsn if our history matches (is part of) history of advanced
             // commit_lsn provider.
             if sk_info.last_log_term == self.get_epoch() {
-                self.global_commit_lsn = max(Lsn(sk_info.commit_lsn), self.global_commit_lsn);
-                self.update_commit_lsn()?;
+                self.update_commit_lsn(Lsn(sk_info.commit_lsn))?;
             }
         }