diff --git a/source/libs/sync/src/syncMain.c b/source/libs/sync/src/syncMain.c
index 3089e9b39b12a740943e64c56a1bf9ac6d738b54..4a05176b7844cd8c8d042fb49ed8f899fc67ca21 100644
--- a/source/libs/sync/src/syncMain.c
+++ b/source/libs/sync/src/syncMain.c
@@ -2157,7 +2157,13 @@ void syncNodeUpdateTermWithoutStepDown(SSyncNode* pSyncNode, SyncTerm term) {
 }
 
 void syncNodeStepDown(SSyncNode* pSyncNode, SyncTerm newTerm) {
-  ASSERT(pSyncNode->pRaftStore->currentTerm <= newTerm);
+  if (pSyncNode->pRaftStore->currentTerm > newTerm) {
+    char logBuf[128];
+    snprintf(logBuf, sizeof(logBuf), "step down, ignore, new-term:%" PRIu64 ", current-term:%" PRIu64, newTerm,
+             pSyncNode->pRaftStore->currentTerm);
+    syncNodeEventLog(pSyncNode, logBuf);
+    return;
+  }
 
   do {
     char logBuf[128];