diff --git a/raft/node.go b/raft/node.go
index f0ef4d260..ed9b01a39 100644
--- a/raft/node.go
+++ b/raft/node.go
@@ -231,11 +231,20 @@ func (n *node) Tick() {
 }
 
 func (n *node) Campaign(ctx context.Context) error {
-	return n.Step(ctx, pb.Message{Type: msgHup})
+	return n.step(ctx, pb.Message{Type: msgHup})
 }
 
 func (n *node) Propose(ctx context.Context, data []byte) error {
-	return n.Step(ctx, pb.Message{Type: msgProp, Entries: []pb.Entry{{Data: data}}})
+	return n.step(ctx, pb.Message{Type: msgProp, Entries: []pb.Entry{{Data: data}}})
+}
+
+func (n *node) Step(ctx context.Context, m pb.Message) error {
+	// ignore unexpected local messages receiving over network
+	if m.Type == msgHup || m.Type == msgBeat {
+		// TODO: return an error?
+		return nil
+	}
+	return n.step(ctx, m)
 }
 
 func (n *node) ProposeConfChange(ctx context.Context, cc pb.ConfChange) error {
@@ -248,7 +257,7 @@ func (n *node) ProposeConfChange(ctx context.Context, cc pb.ConfChange) error {
 
 // Step advances the state machine using msgs. The ctx.Err() will be returned,
 // if any.
-func (n *node) Step(ctx context.Context, m pb.Message) error {
+func (n *node) step(ctx context.Context, m pb.Message) error {
 	ch := n.recvc
 	if m.Type == msgProp {
 		ch = n.propc
diff --git a/raft/node_test.go b/raft/node_test.go
index a3f2470ce..782653aab 100644
--- a/raft/node_test.go
+++ b/raft/node_test.go
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ func TestNodeStep(t *testing.T) {
 			propc: make(chan raftpb.Message, 1),
 			recvc: make(chan raftpb.Message, 1),
 		}
-		n.Step(context.TODO(), raftpb.Message{Type: int64(i)})
+		msgt := int64(i)
+		n.Step(context.TODO(), raftpb.Message{Type: msgt})
 		// Proposal goes to proc chan. Others go to recvc chan.
 		if int64(i) == msgProp {
 			select {
@@ -27,10 +28,18 @@ func TestNodeStep(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Errorf("%d: cannot receive %s on propc chan", i, mtmap[i])
 			}
 		} else {
-			select {
-			case <-n.recvc:
-			default:
-				t.Errorf("%d: cannot receive %s on recvc chan", i, mtmap[i])
+			if msgt == msgBeat || msgt == msgHup {
+				select {
+				case <-n.recvc:
+					t.Errorf("%d: step should ignore msgHub/msgBeat", i, mtmap[i])
+				default:
+				}
+			} else {
+				select {
+				case <-n.recvc:
+				default:
+					t.Errorf("%d: cannot receive %s on recvc chan", i, mtmap[i])
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}