diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/raft_transport.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/raft_transport.go
index 96e36310f5cd..eea4cdc54ac6 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/raft_transport.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/raft_transport.go
@@ -749,10 +749,6 @@ func (t *RaftTransport) processQueue(
 	maybeAnnotateWithAdmittedStates := func(
 		batch *kvserverpb.RaftMessageRequestBatch, admitted []kvflowcontrolpb.PiggybackedAdmittedState,
 	) {
-		// TODO(pav-kv): send these protos once they are populated correctly.
-		if true {
-			return
-		}
 		batch.AdmittedStates = append(batch.AdmittedStates, admitted...)
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica_raft.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica_raft.go
index d8d2a4950f0b..6e3665831de3 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica_raft.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica_raft.go
@@ -1944,10 +1944,12 @@ func (r *Replica) sendRaftMessage(ctx context.Context, msg raftpb.Message) {
 	// admitted log indices, by priority.
 	if msg.Type == raftpb.MsgAppResp && !msg.Reject {
 		admitted := r.flowControlV2.AdmittedState()
-		// The admitted state must be in the coordinate system of the leader's log.
-		if admitted.Term == msg.Term && false {
-			// TODO(pav-kv): enable this annotation when it is covered with tests, and
-			// the leader knows how to handle it.
+		// If admitted.Term is lagging msg.Term, sending the admitted vector has no
+		// effect on the leader, so skip it.
+		// If msg.Term is lagging the admitted.Term, this is a message to a stale
+		// leader. Sending it allows that leader to release all tokens. It would
+		// otherwise do so soon anyway, upon learning about the new leader.
+		if admitted.Term >= msg.Term {
 			req.AdmittedState = kvflowcontrolpb.AdmittedState{
 				Term:     admitted.Term,
 				Admitted: admitted.Admitted[:],