diff --git a/client/v3/retry_interceptor.go b/client/v3/retry_interceptor.go
index 7dc5ddae0fd..8c50dcfa93d 100644
--- a/client/v3/retry_interceptor.go
+++ b/client/v3/retry_interceptor.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package clientv3
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"io"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ func (c *Client) unaryClientInterceptor(optFuncs ...retryOption) grpc.UnaryClien
 				}
 				continue
 			}
-			if !isSafeRetry(c.lg, lastErr, callOpts) {
+			if !isSafeRetry(c, lastErr, callOpts) {
 				return lastErr
 			}
 		}
@@ -279,7 +280,7 @@ func (s *serverStreamingRetryingStream) receiveMsgAndIndicateRetry(m interface{}
 		return true, err
 
 	}
-	return isSafeRetry(s.client.lg, err, s.callOpts), err
+	return isSafeRetry(s.client, err, s.callOpts), err
 }
 
 func (s *serverStreamingRetryingStream) reestablishStreamAndResendBuffer(callCtx context.Context) (grpc.ClientStream, error) {
@@ -319,17 +320,28 @@ func waitRetryBackoff(ctx context.Context, attempt uint, callOpts *options) erro
 }
 
 // isSafeRetry returns "true", if request is safe for retry with the given error.
-func isSafeRetry(lg *zap.Logger, err error, callOpts *options) bool {
+func isSafeRetry(c *Client, err error, callOpts *options) bool {
 	if isContextError(err) {
 		return false
 	}
+
+	// Situation when learner refuses RPC it is supposed to not serve is from the server
+	// perspective not retryable.
+	// But for backward-compatibility reasons we need  to support situation that
+	// customer provides mix of learners (not yet voters) and voters with an
+	// expectation to pick voter in the next attempt.
+	// TODO: Ideally client should be 'aware' which endpoint represents: leader/voter/learner with high probability.
+	if errors.Is(err, rpctypes.ErrGPRCNotSupportedForLearner) && len(c.Endpoints()) > 1 {
+		return true
+	}
+
 	switch callOpts.retryPolicy {
 	case repeatable:
 		return isSafeRetryImmutableRPC(err)
 	case nonRepeatable:
 		return isSafeRetryMutableRPC(err)
 	default:
-		lg.Warn("unrecognized retry policy", zap.String("retryPolicy", callOpts.retryPolicy.String()))
+		c.lg.Warn("unrecognized retry policy", zap.String("retryPolicy", callOpts.retryPolicy.String()))
 		return false
 	}
 }