diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardChangesAction.java b/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardChangesAction.java
index 165625844c371..e59c51d29217c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardChangesAction.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ccr/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ccr/action/ShardChangesAction.java
@@ -235,9 +235,14 @@ public TransportAction(Settings settings,
         protected Response shardOperation(Request request, ShardId shardId) throws IOException {
             IndexService indexService = indicesService.indexServiceSafe(request.getShard().getIndex());
             IndexShard indexShard = indexService.getShard(request.getShard().id());
-
             final long indexMetaDataVersion = clusterService.state().metaData().index(shardId.getIndex()).getVersion();
-            request.maxSeqNo = Math.min(request.maxSeqNo, indexShard.getGlobalCheckpoint());
+            // The following shard generates the request based on the global checkpoint which may not be synced to all leading copies.
+            // However, this guarantees that the requesting range always be below the local-checkpoint of any leading copies.
+            final long localCheckpoint = indexShard.getLocalCheckpoint();
+            if (localCheckpoint < request.minSeqNo || localCheckpoint < request.maxSeqNo) {
+                throw new IllegalStateException("invalid request from_seqno=[" + request.minSeqNo + "], " +
+                    "to_seqno=[" + request.maxSeqNo + "], local_checkpoint=[" + localCheckpoint + "], shardId=[" + shardId + "]");
+            }
             final Translog.Operation[] operations =
                 getOperationsBetween(indexShard, request.minSeqNo, request.maxSeqNo, request.maxTranslogsBytes);
             return new Response(indexMetaDataVersion, operations);