diff --git a/etcdserver/server_test.go b/etcdserver/server_test.go
index e3ea0f9250c7..ecc91e06ab7a 100644
--- a/etcdserver/server_test.go
+++ b/etcdserver/server_test.go
@@ -1534,6 +1534,12 @@ func (n *nodeRecorder) Propose(ctx context.Context, data []byte) error {
 	n.Record(testutil.Action{Name: "Propose", Params: []interface{}{data}})
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (n *nodeRecorder) ProposeWithCancel(ctx context.Context, cancel context.CancelFunc, data []byte) error {
+	n.Record(testutil.Action{Name: "ProposeWithCancel", Params: []interface{}{data}})
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (n *nodeRecorder) ProposeConfChange(ctx context.Context, conf raftpb.ConfChange) error {
 	n.Record(testutil.Action{Name: "ProposeConfChange"})
 	return nil
diff --git a/raft/node.go b/raft/node.go
index f3ba250b9af9..e065255b2173 100644
--- a/raft/node.go
+++ b/raft/node.go
@@ -224,10 +224,15 @@ func RestartNode(c *Config) Node {
 	return &n
 }
 
+type proposingMsg struct {
+	m      pb.Message
+	result chan error
+}
+
 // node is the canonical implementation of the Node interface
 type node struct {
-	propc      chan pb.Message
-	recvc      chan pb.Message
+	propc      chan proposingMsg
+	recvc      chan proposingMsg
 	confc      chan pb.ConfChange
 	confstatec chan pb.ConfState
 	readyc     chan Ready
@@ -242,8 +247,8 @@ type node struct {
 
 func newNode() node {
 	return node{
-		propc:      make(chan pb.Message),
-		recvc:      make(chan pb.Message),
+		propc:      make(chan proposingMsg),
+		recvc:      make(chan proposingMsg),
 		confc:      make(chan pb.ConfChange),
 		confstatec: make(chan pb.ConfState),
 		readyc:     make(chan Ready),
@@ -271,7 +276,7 @@ func (n *node) Stop() {
 }
 
 func (n *node) run(r *raft) {
-	var propc chan pb.Message
+	var propc chan proposingMsg
 	var readyc chan Ready
 	var advancec chan struct{}
 	var prevLastUnstablei, prevLastUnstablet uint64
@@ -314,13 +319,27 @@ func (n *node) run(r *raft) {
 		// TODO: maybe buffer the config propose if there exists one (the way
 		// described in raft dissertation)
 		// Currently it is dropped in Step silently.
-		case m := <-propc:
+		case pm := <-propc:
+			m := pm.m
 			m.From = r.id
-			r.Step(m)
-		case m := <-n.recvc:
+			err := r.Step(m)
+			if pm.result != nil {
+				if err == ErrProposalDropped {
+					pm.result <- err
+				}
+				close(pm.result)
+			}
+		case pm := <-n.recvc:
+			m := pm.m
 			// filter out response message from unknown From.
 			if pr := r.getProgress(m.From); pr != nil || !IsResponseMsg(m.Type) {
-				r.Step(m) // raft never returns an error
+				err := r.Step(m) // raft never returns an error
+				if pm.result != nil {
+					if err == ErrProposalDropped {
+						pm.result <- err
+					}
+					close(pm.result)
+				}
 			}
 		case cc := <-n.confc:
 			if cc.NodeID == None {
@@ -408,7 +427,7 @@ func (n *node) Tick() {
 func (n *node) Campaign(ctx context.Context) error { return n.step(ctx, pb.Message{Type: pb.MsgHup}) }
 
 func (n *node) Propose(ctx context.Context, data []byte) error {
-	return n.step(ctx, pb.Message{Type: pb.MsgProp, Entries: []pb.Entry{{Data: data}}})
+	return n.stepWait(ctx, pb.Message{Type: pb.MsgProp, Entries: []pb.Entry{{Data: data}}}, true)
 }
 
 func (n *node) Step(ctx context.Context, m pb.Message) error {
@@ -428,22 +447,46 @@ func (n *node) ProposeConfChange(ctx context.Context, cc pb.ConfChange) error {
 	return n.Step(ctx, pb.Message{Type: pb.MsgProp, Entries: []pb.Entry{{Type: pb.EntryConfChange, Data: data}}})
 }
 
+func (n *node) step(ctx context.Context, m pb.Message) error {
+	return n.stepWait(ctx, m, false)
+}
+
 // Step advances the state machine using msgs. The ctx.Err() will be returned,
 // if any.
-func (n *node) step(ctx context.Context, m pb.Message) error {
+func (n *node) stepWait(ctx context.Context, m pb.Message, wait bool) error {
 	ch := n.recvc
 	if m.Type == pb.MsgProp {
 		ch = n.propc
 	}
 
+	pm := proposingMsg{m: m, result: nil}
+	if wait {
+		pm.result = make(chan error)
+	}
 	select {
-	case ch <- m:
-		return nil
+	case ch <- pm:
+		if !wait {
+			return nil
+		}
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return ctx.Err()
+	case <-n.done:
+		return ErrStopped
+	}
+	select {
+	case rsp, closed := <-pm.result:
+		if rsp != nil {
+			return rsp
+		}
+		if closed {
+			return nil
+		}
 	case <-ctx.Done():
 		return ctx.Err()
 	case <-n.done:
 		return ErrStopped
 	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (n *node) Ready() <-chan Ready { return n.readyc }
@@ -480,7 +523,7 @@ func (n *node) Status() Status {
 
 func (n *node) ReportUnreachable(id uint64) {
 	select {
-	case n.recvc <- pb.Message{Type: pb.MsgUnreachable, From: id}:
+	case n.recvc <- proposingMsg{m: pb.Message{Type: pb.MsgUnreachable, From: id}, result: nil}:
 	case <-n.done:
 	}
 }
@@ -489,7 +532,7 @@ func (n *node) ReportSnapshot(id uint64, status SnapshotStatus) {
 	rej := status == SnapshotFailure
 
 	select {
-	case n.recvc <- pb.Message{Type: pb.MsgSnapStatus, From: id, Reject: rej}:
+	case n.recvc <- proposingMsg{m: pb.Message{Type: pb.MsgSnapStatus, From: id, Reject: rej}, result: nil}:
 	case <-n.done:
 	}
 }
@@ -497,7 +540,7 @@ func (n *node) ReportSnapshot(id uint64, status SnapshotStatus) {
 func (n *node) TransferLeadership(ctx context.Context, lead, transferee uint64) {
 	select {
 	// manually set 'from' and 'to', so that leader can voluntarily transfers its leadership
-	case n.recvc <- pb.Message{Type: pb.MsgTransferLeader, From: transferee, To: lead}:
+	case n.recvc <- proposingMsg{m: pb.Message{Type: pb.MsgTransferLeader, From: transferee, To: lead}, result: nil}:
 	case <-n.done:
 	case <-ctx.Done():
 	}
diff --git a/raft/node_test.go b/raft/node_test.go
index f884f3319a5f..cee75425b613 100644
--- a/raft/node_test.go
+++ b/raft/node_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"reflect"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -30,8 +31,8 @@ import (
 func TestNodeStep(t *testing.T) {
 	for i, msgn := range raftpb.MessageType_name {
 		n := &node{
-			propc: make(chan raftpb.Message, 1),
-			recvc: make(chan raftpb.Message, 1),
+			propc: make(chan proposingMsg, 1),
+			recvc: make(chan proposingMsg, 1),
 		}
 		msgt := raftpb.MessageType(i)
 		n.Step(context.TODO(), raftpb.Message{Type: msgt})
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ func TestNodeStep(t *testing.T) {
 func TestNodeStepUnblock(t *testing.T) {
 	// a node without buffer to block step
 	n := &node{
-		propc: make(chan raftpb.Message),
+		propc: make(chan proposingMsg),
 		done:  make(chan struct{}),
 	}
 
@@ -433,6 +434,105 @@ func TestBlockProposal(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestNodeProposeWithCancelNormal(t *testing.T) {
+	msgs := []raftpb.Message{}
+	normalMsg := []byte("normal_message")
+	normalDoneCh := make(chan bool)
+	appendStep := func(r *raft, m raftpb.Message) error {
+		if m.Type == raftpb.MsgProp && strings.Contains(m.String(), string(normalMsg)) {
+			close(normalDoneCh)
+		}
+		msgs = append(msgs, m)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	n := newNode()
+	s := NewMemoryStorage()
+	r := newTestRaft(1, []uint64{1}, 10, 1, s)
+	go n.run(r)
+	n.Campaign(context.TODO())
+	for {
+		rd := <-n.Ready()
+		s.Append(rd.Entries)
+		// change the step function to dropStep until this raft becomes leader
+		if rd.SoftState.Lead == r.id {
+			r.step = appendStep
+			n.Advance()
+			break
+		}
+		n.Advance()
+	}
+	proposalTimeout := time.Millisecond * 100
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), proposalTimeout)
+	err := n.Propose(ctx, normalMsg)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("should propose success: %v", err)
+	}
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		t.Errorf("should not fail for normal proposal: %v", ctx.Err())
+	case <-time.After(proposalTimeout):
+		t.Errorf("should return early for normal proposal")
+	case <-normalDoneCh:
+	}
+	cancel()
+
+	n.Stop()
+	if len(msgs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("len(msgs) = %d, want %d", len(msgs), 1)
+	}
+	if msgs[0].Type != raftpb.MsgProp {
+		t.Errorf("msg type = %d, want %d", msgs[0].Type, raftpb.MsgProp)
+	}
+	if !bytes.Equal(msgs[0].Entries[0].Data, normalMsg) {
+		t.Errorf("data = %v, want %v", msgs[0].Entries[0].Data, normalMsg)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNodeProposeWithCancelDropped(t *testing.T) {
+	msgs := []raftpb.Message{}
+	droppingMsg := []byte("test_dropping")
+	dropStep := func(r *raft, m raftpb.Message) error {
+		if m.Type == raftpb.MsgProp && strings.Contains(m.String(), string(droppingMsg)) {
+			t.Logf("dropping message: %v", m.String())
+			return ErrProposalDropped
+		}
+		msgs = append(msgs, m)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	n := newNode()
+	s := NewMemoryStorage()
+	r := newTestRaft(1, []uint64{1}, 10, 1, s)
+	go n.run(r)
+	n.Campaign(context.TODO())
+	for {
+		rd := <-n.Ready()
+		s.Append(rd.Entries)
+		// change the step function to dropStep until this raft becomes leader
+		if rd.SoftState.Lead == r.id {
+			r.step = dropStep
+			n.Advance()
+			break
+		}
+		n.Advance()
+	}
+	proposalTimeout := time.Millisecond * 100
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), proposalTimeout)
+	// propose with cancel should be cancelled earyly if dropped
+	err := n.Propose(ctx, droppingMsg)
+	if err != ErrProposalDropped {
+		t.Errorf("should drop proposal : %v", err)
+	}
+	cancel()
+
+	n.Stop()
+	if len(msgs) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("len(msgs) = %d, want %d", len(msgs), 1)
+	}
+}
+
 // TestNodeTick ensures that node.Tick() will increase the
 // elapsed of the underlying raft state machine.
 func TestNodeTick(t *testing.T) {