diff --git a/weed/server/master_grpc_server_admin.go b/weed/server/master_grpc_server_admin.go
index a374c3530..194ff5708 100644
--- a/weed/server/master_grpc_server_admin.go
+++ b/weed/server/master_grpc_server_admin.go
@@ -170,10 +170,17 @@ func (ms *MasterServer) isKnownPingTarget(ctx context.Context, target string, ta
 	case cluster.FilerType, cluster.BrokerType, cluster.S3Type:
 		return ms.Cluster.IsKnownNode(targetType, addr)
 	case cluster.VolumeServerType:
-		if ms.Topo == nil {
-			return false
+		if ms.Topo != nil && ms.Topo.LookupDataNodeByAddress(addr) != nil {
+			return true
 		}
-		return ms.Topo.LookupDataNodeByAddress(addr) != nil
+		// Only the leader receives volume-server heartbeats, so a follower's
+		// topology is empty. Fall back to the volume-server set the master
+		// learns over its own MasterClient subscription to the leader, the
+		// same source the filer gate trusts.
+		if ms.MasterClient != nil {
+			return ms.MasterClient.HasVolumeServer(addr)
+		}
+		return false
 	case cluster.MasterType:
 		if ms.option != nil && ms.option.Master.Equals(addr) {
 			return true
diff --git a/weed/server/master_grpc_server_admin_ping_test.go b/weed/server/master_grpc_server_admin_ping_test.go
index 5c8de4325..dd31f0b0d 100644
--- a/weed/server/master_grpc_server_admin_ping_test.go
+++ b/weed/server/master_grpc_server_admin_ping_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/sequence"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/topology"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/wdclient"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 )
 
 func TestMasterIsKnownPingTarget(t *testing.T) {
@@ -62,6 +64,36 @@ func TestMasterIsKnownPingTarget(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// On a follower master the topology is empty because only the leader receives
+// volume-server heartbeats. The gate must then fall back to the volume-server
+// set learned over the MasterClient subscription instead of rejecting every
+// volume-server target. The positive MasterClient.HasVolumeServer lookup is
+// covered by wdclient.TestHasVolumeServer; here we lock in that an empty
+// topology no longer short-circuits to false and that the fallback is
+// nil-safe.
+func TestMasterIsKnownPingTargetFollowerEmptyTopology(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	vs := "10.0.0.10:8080.18080"
+
+	// No topology and no MasterClient: nothing to consult, so reject.
+	bare := &MasterServer{option: &MasterOption{Master: pb.ServerAddress("10.0.0.1:9333")}}
+	if bare.isKnownPingTarget(ctx, vs, cluster.VolumeServerType) {
+		t.Fatalf("volume server must be unknown without topology or MasterClient")
+	}
+
+	// Empty topology plus a MasterClient that has not learned this volume
+	// server yet: still reject, but exercise the MasterClient fallback path.
+	mc := wdclient.NewMasterClient(grpc.EmptyDialOption{}, "", cluster.MasterType, "", "", "", pb.ServerDiscovery{})
+	follower := &MasterServer{
+		option:       &MasterOption{Master: pb.ServerAddress("10.0.0.1:9333")},
+		Topo:         topology.NewTopology("test", sequence.NewMemorySequencer(), 32*1024, 5, false),
+		MasterClient: mc,
+	}
+	if follower.isKnownPingTarget(ctx, vs, cluster.VolumeServerType) {
+		t.Fatalf("volume server must be unknown until the MasterClient learns it")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestVolumeServerIsKnownPingTarget(t *testing.T) {
 	seed := pb.ServerAddress("10.0.0.1:9333")
 	vs := &VolumeServer{