diff --git a/src/v/cluster/config_manager.cc b/src/v/cluster/config_manager.cc
index 14e3670b851b..756e929ea2bc 100644
--- a/src/v/cluster/config_manager.cc
+++ b/src/v/cluster/config_manager.cc
@@ -516,12 +516,14 @@ ss::future<> config_manager::reconcile_status() {
     }
 
     try {
-        if (failed) {
-            // If we were dirty & failed to send our update, sleep until retry
+        if (failed || should_send_status()) {
+            // * we were dirty & failed to send our update, sleep until retry
+            // OR
+            // * our status updated while we were sending, wait a short time
+            //   before sending our next update to avoid spamming the leader
+            //   with too many set_status RPCs if we are behind on seeing
+            //   updates to the controller log.
             co_await ss::sleep_abortable(status_retry, _as.local());
-        } else if (should_send_status()) {
-            // Our status updated while we were sending, proceed
-            // immediately to next iteration of loop.
         } else {
             // We are clean: sleep until signalled.
             co_await _reconcile_wait.wait();
diff --git a/src/v/cluster/config_manager.h b/src/v/cluster/config_manager.h
index bd029d56d7b0..db583deabd12 100644
--- a/src/v/cluster/config_manager.h
+++ b/src/v/cluster/config_manager.h
@@ -71,6 +71,14 @@ class config_manager final {
 
     config_version get_version() const noexcept { return _seen_version; }
 
+    bool needs_update(const config_status& new_status) {
+        if (auto s = status.find(new_status.node); s != status.end()) {
+            return s->second != new_status;
+        } else {
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+
 private:
     void merge_apply_result(
       config_status&,
diff --git a/src/v/cluster/fwd.h b/src/v/cluster/fwd.h
index 105e9ea267fc..6c3fa4c896ae 100644
--- a/src/v/cluster/fwd.h
+++ b/src/v/cluster/fwd.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class security_frontend;
 class controller_api;
 class members_frontend;
 class config_frontend;
+class config_manager;
 class members_backend;
 class data_policy_frontend;
 class tx_gateway;
diff --git a/src/v/cluster/service.cc b/src/v/cluster/service.cc
index c18db7431c5a..3166d2e5485e 100644
--- a/src/v/cluster/service.cc
+++ b/src/v/cluster/service.cc
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ service::service(
   ss::sharded<controller_api>& api,
   ss::sharded<members_frontend>& members_frontend,
   ss::sharded<config_frontend>& config_frontend,
+  ss::sharded<config_manager>& config_manager,
   ss::sharded<feature_manager>& feature_manager,
   ss::sharded<feature_table>& feature_table,
   ss::sharded<health_monitor_frontend>& hm_frontend,
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ service::service(
   , _api(api)
   , _members_frontend(members_frontend)
   , _config_frontend(config_frontend)
+  , _config_manager(config_manager)
   , _feature_manager(feature_manager)
   , _feature_table(feature_table)
   , _hm_frontend(hm_frontend)
@@ -355,6 +357,10 @@ service::hello(hello_request&& req, rpc::streaming_context&) {
 
 ss::future<config_status_reply>
 service::config_status(config_status_request&& req, rpc::streaming_context&) {
+    if (!_config_manager.local().needs_update(req.status)) {
+        co_return config_status_reply{.error = errc::success};
+    }
+
     auto ec = co_await _config_frontend.local().set_status(
       req.status,
       config::shard_local_cfg().replicate_append_timeout_ms()
diff --git a/src/v/cluster/service.h b/src/v/cluster/service.h
index fd4dc17984e3..e324bcb99a8f 100644
--- a/src/v/cluster/service.h
+++ b/src/v/cluster/service.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ class service : public controller_service {
       ss::sharded<controller_api>&,
       ss::sharded<members_frontend>&,
       ss::sharded<config_frontend>&,
+      ss::sharded<config_manager>&,
       ss::sharded<feature_manager>&,
       ss::sharded<feature_table>&,
       ss::sharded<health_monitor_frontend>&,
@@ -130,6 +131,7 @@ class service : public controller_service {
     ss::sharded<controller_api>& _api;
     ss::sharded<members_frontend>& _members_frontend;
     ss::sharded<config_frontend>& _config_frontend;
+    ss::sharded<config_manager>& _config_manager;
     ss::sharded<feature_manager>& _feature_manager;
     ss::sharded<feature_table>& _feature_table;
     ss::sharded<health_monitor_frontend>& _hm_frontend;
diff --git a/src/v/redpanda/application.cc b/src/v/redpanda/application.cc
index 6f59434159ea..6490f8e91459 100644
--- a/src/v/redpanda/application.cc
+++ b/src/v/redpanda/application.cc
@@ -1204,6 +1204,7 @@ void application::start_redpanda(::stop_signal& app_signal) {
             std::ref(controller->get_api()),
             std::ref(controller->get_members_frontend()),
             std::ref(controller->get_config_frontend()),
+            std::ref(controller->get_config_manager()),
             std::ref(controller->get_feature_manager()),
             std::ref(controller->get_feature_table()),
             std::ref(controller->get_health_monitor()),