diff --git a/src/rabbit_autoheal.erl b/src/rabbit_autoheal.erl
index 56551ca88562..9d6bfff5fcf4 100644
--- a/src/rabbit_autoheal.erl
+++ b/src/rabbit_autoheal.erl
@@ -291,6 +291,14 @@ handle_msg({autoheal_finished, Winner}, not_healing, _Partitions)
     %% We are the leader and the winner. The state already transitioned
     %% to "not_healing" at the end of the autoheal process.
     rabbit_log:info("Autoheal finished according to winner ~p~n", [node()]),
+    not_healing;
+
+handle_msg({autoheal_finished, Winner}, not_healing, _Partitions) ->
+    %% We might have seen the winner down during a partial partition and
+    %% transitioned to not_healing. However, the winner was still able
+    %% to finish. Let it pass.
+    rabbit_log:info("Autoheal finished according to winner ~p."
+		    " Unexpected, I might have previously seen the winner down~n", [Winner]),
     not_healing.
 
 %%----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/test/partitions_SUITE.erl b/test/partitions_SUITE.erl
index b99e64b213cd..aa1c1df24fe8 100644
--- a/test/partitions_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/partitions_SUITE.erl
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ groups() ->
               autoheal,
               autoheal_after_pause_if_all_down,
 	      autoheal_multiple_partial_partitions,
+	      autoheal_unexpected_finish,
               ignore,
               pause_if_all_down_on_blocked,
               pause_if_all_down_on_down,
@@ -321,6 +322,14 @@ autoheal_multiple_partial_partitions(Config) ->
     [await_partitions(N, []) || N <- [A, B, C]],
     ok.
 
+autoheal_unexpected_finish(Config) ->
+    set_mode(Config, autoheal),
+    [A, B, _C] = rabbit_ct_broker_helpers:get_node_configs(Config, nodename),
+    Pid = rpc:call(A, erlang, whereis, [rabbit_node_monitor]),
+    Pid ! {autoheal_msg, {autoheal_finished, B}},
+    Pid = rpc:call(A, erlang, whereis, [rabbit_node_monitor]),
+    ok.
+
 partial_false_positive(Config) ->
     [A, B, C] = rabbit_ct_broker_helpers:get_node_configs(Config, nodename),
     block([{A, B}]),