diff --git a/src/cluster.c b/src/cluster.c
index 490f25b5b..54e58e28b 100644
--- a/src/cluster.c
+++ b/src/cluster.c
@@ -6702,7 +6702,7 @@ clusterNode *getNodeByQuery(client *c, struct redisCommand *cmd, robj **argv, in
              * slot migration, the channel will be served from the source
              * node until the migration completes with CLUSTER SETSLOT <slot>
              * NODE <node-id>. */
-            int flags = LOOKUP_NOTOUCH | LOOKUP_NOSTATS | LOOKUP_NONOTIFY;
+            int flags = LOOKUP_NOTOUCH | LOOKUP_NOSTATS | LOOKUP_NONOTIFY | LOOKUP_NOEXPIRE;
             if ((migrating_slot || importing_slot) && !is_pubsubshard)
             {
                 if (lookupKeyReadWithFlags(&server.db[0], thiskey, flags) == NULL) missing_keys++;
diff --git a/src/db.c b/src/db.c
index 36de2aa0a..3fd4938af 100644
--- a/src/db.c
+++ b/src/db.c
@@ -41,7 +41,11 @@
  * C-level DB API
  *----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-int expireIfNeeded(redisDb *db, robj *key, int force_delete_expired);
+/* Flags for expireIfNeeded */
+#define EXPIRE_FORCE_DELETE_EXPIRED 1
+#define EXPIRE_AVOID_DELETE_EXPIRED 2
+
+int expireIfNeeded(redisDb *db, robj *key, int flags);
 int keyIsExpired(redisDb *db, robj *key);
 
 /* Update LFU when an object is accessed.
@@ -72,6 +76,8 @@ void updateLFU(robj *val) {
  *  LOOKUP_NOSTATS: Don't increment key hits/misses counters.
  *  LOOKUP_WRITE: Prepare the key for writing (delete expired keys even on
  *                replicas, use separate keyspace stats and events (TODO)).
+ *  LOOKUP_NOEXPIRE: Perform expiration check, but avoid deleting the key,
+ *                   so that we don't have to propagate the deletion.
  *
  * Note: this function also returns NULL if the key is logically expired but
  * still existing, in case this is a replica and the LOOKUP_WRITE is not set.
@@ -92,8 +98,12 @@ robj *lookupKey(redisDb *db, robj *key, int flags) {
          * command, since the command may trigger events that cause modules to
          * perform additional writes. */
         int is_ro_replica = server.masterhost && server.repl_slave_ro;
-        int force_delete_expired = flags & LOOKUP_WRITE && !is_ro_replica;
-        if (expireIfNeeded(db, key, force_delete_expired)) {
+        int expire_flags = 0;
+        if (flags & LOOKUP_WRITE && !is_ro_replica)
+            expire_flags |= EXPIRE_FORCE_DELETE_EXPIRED;
+        if (flags & LOOKUP_NOEXPIRE)
+            expire_flags |= EXPIRE_AVOID_DELETE_EXPIRED;
+        if (expireIfNeeded(db, key, expire_flags)) {
             /* The key is no longer valid. */
             val = NULL;
         }
@@ -1657,13 +1667,17 @@ int keyIsExpired(redisDb *db, robj *key) {
  *
  * On replicas, this function does not delete expired keys by default, but
  * it still returns 1 if the key is logically expired. To force deletion
- * of logically expired keys even on replicas, set force_delete_expired to
- * a non-zero value. Note though that if the current client is executing
+ * of logically expired keys even on replicas, use the EXPIRE_FORCE_DELETE_EXPIRED
+ * flag. Note though that if the current client is executing
  * replicated commands from the master, keys are never considered expired.
  *
+ * On the other hand, if you just want expiration check, but need to avoid
+ * the actual key deletion and propagation of the deletion, use the
+ * EXPIRE_AVOID_DELETE_EXPIRED flag.
+ *
  * The return value of the function is 0 if the key is still valid,
  * otherwise the function returns 1 if the key is expired. */
-int expireIfNeeded(redisDb *db, robj *key, int force_delete_expired) {
+int expireIfNeeded(redisDb *db, robj *key, int flags) {
     if (!keyIsExpired(db,key)) return 0;
 
     /* If we are running in the context of a replica, instead of
@@ -1681,9 +1695,14 @@ int expireIfNeeded(redisDb *db, robj *key, int force_delete_expired) {
      * expired. */
     if (server.masterhost != NULL) {
         if (server.current_client == server.master) return 0;
-        if (!force_delete_expired) return 1;
+        if (!(flags & EXPIRE_FORCE_DELETE_EXPIRED)) return 1;
     }
 
+    /* In some cases we're explicitly instructed to return an indication of a
+     * missing key without actually deleting it, even on masters. */
+    if (flags & EXPIRE_AVOID_DELETE_EXPIRED)
+        return 1;
+
     /* If clients are paused, we keep the current dataset constant,
      * but return to the client what we believe is the right state. Typically,
      * at the end of the pause we will properly expire the key OR we will
diff --git a/src/server.h b/src/server.h
index f33eaa5ce..bac67fe97 100644
--- a/src/server.h
+++ b/src/server.h
@@ -3099,6 +3099,7 @@ int objectSetLRUOrLFU(robj *val, long long lfu_freq, long long lru_idle,
 #define LOOKUP_NONOTIFY (1<<1) /* Don't trigger keyspace event on key misses. */
 #define LOOKUP_NOSTATS (1<<2)  /* Don't update keyspace hits/misses counters. */
 #define LOOKUP_WRITE (1<<3)    /* Delete expired keys even in replicas. */
+#define LOOKUP_NOEXPIRE (1<<4) /* Avoid deleting lazy expired keys. */
 
 void dbAdd(redisDb *db, robj *key, robj *val);
 int dbAddRDBLoad(redisDb *db, sds key, robj *val);
diff --git a/tests/test_helper.tcl b/tests/test_helper.tcl
index 2dcccb8cf..f6b04c89c 100644
--- a/tests/test_helper.tcl
+++ b/tests/test_helper.tcl
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ set ::all_tests {
     unit/violations
     unit/replybufsize
     unit/cluster-scripting
+    unit/cluster/misc
 }
 # Index to the next test to run in the ::all_tests list.
 set ::next_test 0
diff --git a/tests/unit/cluster/misc.tcl b/tests/unit/cluster/misc.tcl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..35308b81a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/cluster/misc.tcl
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+start_cluster 2 2 {tags {external:skip cluster}} {
+    test {Key lazy expires during key migration} {
+        R 0 DEBUG SET-ACTIVE-EXPIRE 0
+
+        set key_slot [R 0 CLUSTER KEYSLOT FOO]
+        R 0 set FOO BAR PX 10
+        set src_id [R 0 CLUSTER MYID]
+        set trg_id [R 1 CLUSTER MYID]
+        R 0 CLUSTER SETSLOT $key_slot MIGRATING $trg_id
+        R 1 CLUSTER SETSLOT $key_slot IMPORTING $src_id
+        after 11
+        assert_error {ASK*} {R 0 GET FOO}
+        R 0 ping
+    } {PONG}
+}
+