diff --git a/raft/node.go b/raft/node.go
index ab6185b99..28579c9ca 100644
--- a/raft/node.go
+++ b/raft/node.go
@@ -168,7 +168,9 @@ type Node interface {
 	Advance()
 	// ApplyConfChange applies a config change (previously passed to
 	// ProposeConfChange) to the node. This must be called whenever a config
-	// change is observed in Ready.CommittedEntries.
+	// change is observed in Ready.CommittedEntries, except when the app decides
+	// to reject the configuration change (i.e. treats it as a noop instead), in
+	// which case it must not be called.
 	//
 	// Returns an opaque non-nil ConfState protobuf which must be recorded in
 	// snapshots.
diff --git a/raft/raft.go b/raft/raft.go
index 90eedfe44..d63ee7f03 100644
--- a/raft/raft.go
+++ b/raft/raft.go
@@ -1606,7 +1606,9 @@ func (r *raft) abortLeaderTransfer() {
 // If the new entries would exceed the limit, the method returns false. If not,
 // the increase in uncommitted entry size is recorded and the method returns
 // true.
-// Configuration changes are never refused.
+//
+// Empty payloads are never refused. This is used both for appending an empty
+// entry at a new leader's term, as well as leaving a joint configuration.
 func (r *raft) increaseUncommittedSize(ents []pb.Entry) bool {
 	var s uint64
 	for _, e := range ents {
diff --git a/raft/rafttest/interaction_env_handler_deliver_msgs.go b/raft/rafttest/interaction_env_handler_deliver_msgs.go
index 2f59df9bf..82a5af36d 100644
--- a/raft/rafttest/interaction_env_handler_deliver_msgs.go
+++ b/raft/rafttest/interaction_env_handler_deliver_msgs.go
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func (env *InteractionEnv) DeliverMsgs(rs ...Recipient) int {
 			}
 			toIdx := int(msg.To - 1)
 			if err := env.Nodes[toIdx].Step(msg); err != nil {
-				env.Output.WriteString(err.Error())
+				fmt.Fprintln(env.Output, err)
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/raft/rawnode.go b/raft/rawnode.go
index 90eb69493..3ee52e0bb 100644
--- a/raft/rawnode.go
+++ b/raft/rawnode.go
@@ -98,7 +98,9 @@ func (rn *RawNode) ProposeConfChange(cc pb.ConfChangeI) error {
 	return rn.raft.Step(m)
 }
 
-// ApplyConfChange applies a config change to the local node.
+// ApplyConfChange applies a config change to the local node. The app must call
+// this when it applies a configuration change, except when it decides to reject
+// the configuration change, in which case no call must take place.
 func (rn *RawNode) ApplyConfChange(cc pb.ConfChangeI) *pb.ConfState {
 	cs := rn.raft.applyConfChange(cc.AsV2())
 	return &cs
diff --git a/raft/testdata/confchange_v2_add_double_auto.txt b/raft/testdata/confchange_v2_add_double_auto.txt
index 9583102ed..4a58e5f0a 100644
--- a/raft/testdata/confchange_v2_add_double_auto.txt
+++ b/raft/testdata/confchange_v2_add_double_auto.txt
@@ -403,5 +403,6 @@ stabilize
   INFO 3 switched to configuration voters=(1)
 > 1 receiving messages
   2->1 MsgAppResp Term:1 Log:0/9
-  raft: cannot step as peer not found3->1 MsgAppResp Term:1 Log:0/9
+  raft: cannot step as peer not found
+  3->1 MsgAppResp Term:1 Log:0/9
   raft: cannot step as peer not found