diff --git a/weed/command/master.go b/weed/command/master.go
index 3ea8c96fc..189a38a35 100644
--- a/weed/command/master.go
+++ b/weed/command/master.go
@@ -224,8 +224,13 @@ func startMaster(masterOption MasterOptions, masterWhiteList []string) {
 		if raftServer == nil {
 			glog.Fatalf("please verify %s is writable, see https://github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/issues/717: %s", *masterOption.metaFolder, err)
 		}
-		// For single-master mode, initialize cluster immediately without waiting
-		if isSingleMaster {
+		// For single-master mode with a fresh log, initialize cluster immediately.
+		// When resuming with existing state, the server is already a member and
+		// will self-elect via fastResume — sending another JoinCommand would block
+		// because goraft's setCommitIndex returns early on JoinCommand entries,
+		// preventing the new entry's event from being notified when old uncommitted
+		// JoinCommands exist in the log.
+		if isSingleMaster && !raftServer.HasExistingState() {
 			glog.V(0).Infof("Single-master mode: initializing cluster immediately")
 			raftServer.DoJoinCommand()
 		}
diff --git a/weed/server/raft_server.go b/weed/server/raft_server.go
index b42ac0671..f3b84c690 100644
--- a/weed/server/raft_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/raft_server.go
@@ -290,6 +290,19 @@ func recoverTopologyIdFromSnapshot(dataDir string, topo *topology.Topology) {
 	recoverTopologyIdFromState(snap.State, topo)
 }
 
+// HasExistingState returns true when the raft log already contains entries,
+// indicating this server was previously joined and does not need a new
+// JoinCommand on startup.
+func (s *RaftServer) HasExistingState() bool {
+	if s.raftServer != nil {
+		return !s.raftServer.IsLogEmpty()
+	}
+	if s.RaftHashicorp != nil {
+		return s.RaftHashicorp.LastIndex() > 0
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 func (s *RaftServer) DoJoinCommand() {
 
 	glog.V(0).Infoln("Initializing new cluster")