diff --git a/patroni/ha.py b/patroni/ha.py
index 5d106512..26565f2f 100644
--- a/patroni/ha.py
+++ b/patroni/ha.py
@@ -238,10 +238,12 @@ class Ha(object):
                 return True
             elif self.is_paused():
                 # Remove failover key if the node to failover has terminated to avoid waiting for it indefinitely
-                # In order to avoid race conditions only the master is allowed to do so.
+                # In order to avoid attempts to delete this key from all nodes only the master is allowed to do it.
                 if (not self.cluster.get_member(failover.candidate, fallback_to_leader=False) and
-                   (self.state_handler.is_leader() or self.state_handler.role == 'master')):
+                   self.state_handler.is_leader()):
+                    logger.warning("manual failover: removing failover key because failover candidate is not running")
                     self.dcs.manual_failover('', '', index=self.cluster.failover.index)
+                    return None
                 return False
 
             # find specific node and check that it is healthy
@@ -281,7 +283,9 @@ class Ha(object):
     def is_healthiest_node(self):
         if self.is_paused() and not self.patroni.nofailover and \
                 self.cluster.failover and not self.cluster.failover.scheduled_at:
-            return self.manual_failover_process_no_leader()
+            ret = self.manual_failover_process_no_leader()
+            if ret is not None:  # continue if we just deleted the stale failover key as a master
+                return ret
 
         if self.state_handler.is_leader():  # leader is always the healthiest
             return True
@@ -377,6 +381,7 @@ class Ha(object):
 
     def process_unhealthy_cluster(self):
         """Cluster has no leader key"""
+
         if self.is_healthiest_node():
             if self.acquire_lock():
                 if self.cluster.failover:
diff --git a/tests/test_ha.py b/tests/test_ha.py
index 52b7af18..dd717771 100644
--- a/tests/test_ha.py
+++ b/tests/test_ha.py
@@ -394,6 +394,9 @@ class TestHa(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEquals(self.ha.run_cycle(), 'PAUSE: continue to run as master without lock')
         self.ha.cluster = get_cluster_initialized_without_leader(failover=Failover(0, 'leader', '', None))
         self.assertEquals(self.ha.run_cycle(), 'PAUSE: continue to run as master without lock')
+        self.ha.cluster = get_cluster_initialized_without_leader(failover=Failover(0, 'leader', 'blabla', None))
+        self.p.is_leader = true
+        self.assertEquals('PAUSE: acquired session lock as a leader', self.ha.run_cycle())
 
     def test_is_healthiest_node(self):
         self.ha.state_handler.is_leader = false