diff --git a/go.etcd.io/etcd/raft/raft.go b/go.etcd.io/etcd/raft/raft.go
index bf0a8983c4..b76b9a942d 100644
--- a/go.etcd.io/etcd/raft/raft.go
+++ b/go.etcd.io/etcd/raft/raft.go
@@ -635,17 +635,27 @@ func (r *raft) reset(term uint64) {
 	r.readOnly = newReadOnly(r.readOnly.option)
 }
 
-func (r *raft) appendEntry(es ...pb.Entry) {
+func (r *raft) appendEntry(es ...pb.Entry) (accepted bool) {
 	li := r.raftLog.lastIndex()
 	for i := range es {
 		es[i].Term = r.Term
 		es[i].Index = li + 1 + uint64(i)
 	}
+	// Track the size of this uncommitted proposal.
+	if !r.increaseUncommittedSize(es) {
+		r.logger.Debugf(
+			"%x appending new entries to log would exceed uncommitted entry size limit; dropping proposal",
+			r.id,
+		)
+		// Drop the proposal.
+		return false
+	}
 	// use latest "last" index after truncate/append
 	li = r.raftLog.append(es...)
 	r.getProgress(r.id).maybeUpdate(li)
 	// Regardless of maybeCommit's return, our caller will call bcastAppend.
 	r.maybeCommit()
+	return true
 }
 
 // tickElection is run by followers and candidates after r.electionTimeout.
@@ -739,7 +749,16 @@ func (r *raft) becomeLeader() {
 	// could be expensive.
 	r.pendingConfIndex = r.raftLog.lastIndex()
 
-	r.appendEntry(pb.Entry{Data: nil})
+	emptyEnt := pb.Entry{Data: nil}
+	if !r.appendEntry(emptyEnt) {
+		// This won't happen because we just called reset() above.
+		r.logger.Panic("empty entry was dropped")
+	}
+	// As a special case, don't count the initial empty entry towards the
+	// uncommitted log quota. This is because we want to preserve the
+	// behavior of allowing one entry larger than quota if the current
+	// usage is zero.
+	r.reduceUncommittedSize([]pb.Entry{emptyEnt})
 	r.logger.Infof("%x became leader at term %d", r.id, r.Term)
 }
 
@@ -970,10 +989,6 @@ func stepLeader(r *raft, m pb.Message) error {
 			r.logger.Debugf("%x [term %d] transfer leadership to %x is in progress; dropping proposal", r.id, r.Term, r.leadTransferee)
 			return ErrProposalDropped
 		}
-		if !r.increaseUncommittedSize(m.Entries) {
-			r.logger.Debugf("%x appending new entries to log would exceed uncommitted entry size limit; dropping proposal", r.id)
-			return ErrProposalDropped
-		}
 
 		for i, e := range m.Entries {
 			if e.Type == pb.EntryConfChange {
@@ -986,7 +1001,10 @@ func stepLeader(r *raft, m pb.Message) error {
 				}
 			}
 		}
-		r.appendEntry(m.Entries...)
+
+		if !r.appendEntry(m.Entries...) {
+			return ErrProposalDropped
+		}
 		r.bcastAppend()
 		return nil
 	case pb.MsgReadIndex:
@@ -1490,7 +1508,7 @@ func (r *raft) abortLeaderTransfer() {
 func (r *raft) increaseUncommittedSize(ents []pb.Entry) bool {
 	var s uint64
 	for _, e := range ents {
-		s += uint64(e.Size())
+		s += uint64(PayloadSize(e))
 	}
 
 	if r.uncommittedSize > 0 && r.uncommittedSize+s > r.maxUncommittedSize {
@@ -1513,7 +1531,7 @@ func (r *raft) reduceUncommittedSize(ents []pb.Entry) {
 
 	var s uint64
 	for _, e := range ents {
-		s += uint64(e.Size())
+		s += uint64(PayloadSize(e))
 	}
 	if s > r.uncommittedSize {
 		// uncommittedSize may underestimate the size of the uncommitted Raft
diff --git a/go.etcd.io/etcd/raft/util.go b/go.etcd.io/etcd/raft/util.go
index 1a7a1e9ac3..79eaa0c626 100644
--- a/go.etcd.io/etcd/raft/util.go
+++ b/go.etcd.io/etcd/raft/util.go
@@ -101,6 +101,12 @@ func DescribeMessage(m pb.Message, f EntryFormatter) string {
 	return buf.String()
 }
 
+// PayloadSize is the size of the payload of this Entry. Notably, it does not
+// depend on its Index or Term.
+func PayloadSize(e pb.Entry) int {
+	return len(e.Data)
+}
+
 // DescribeEntry returns a concise human-readable description of an
 // Entry for debugging.
 func DescribeEntry(e pb.Entry, f EntryFormatter) string {