diff --git a/pageserver/src/page_service.rs b/pageserver/src/page_service.rs
index e103338c7c35..fbe744cee7c9 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/page_service.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/page_service.rs
@@ -1692,7 +1692,7 @@ impl PageServerHandler {
         // to distinguish a misbehaving client (asking for old LSN) from a storage issue (data missing at a legitimate LSN).
         if request_lsn < **latest_gc_cutoff_lsn && !timeline.is_gc_blocked_by_lsn_lease_deadline() {
             let gc_info = &timeline.gc_info.read().unwrap();
-            if !gc_info.leases.contains_key(&request_lsn) {
+            if !gc_info.lsn_covered_by_lease(request_lsn) {
                 return Err(
                     PageStreamError::BadRequest(format!(
                         "tried to request a page version that was garbage collected. requested at {} gc cutoff {}",
diff --git a/pageserver/src/tenant.rs b/pageserver/src/tenant.rs
index c1b408ed72a4..3c6996dd51f2 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/tenant.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/tenant.rs
@@ -4642,22 +4642,26 @@ impl Tenant {
 
         // check against last actual 'latest_gc_cutoff' first
         let latest_gc_cutoff_lsn = src_timeline.get_latest_gc_cutoff_lsn();
-        src_timeline
-            .check_lsn_is_in_scope(start_lsn, &latest_gc_cutoff_lsn)
-            .context(format!(
-                "invalid branch start lsn: less than latest GC cutoff {}",
-                *latest_gc_cutoff_lsn,
-            ))
-            .map_err(CreateTimelineError::AncestorLsn)?;
-
-        // and then the planned GC cutoff
         {
             let gc_info = src_timeline.gc_info.read().unwrap();
-            let cutoff = gc_info.min_cutoff();
-            if start_lsn < cutoff {
-                return Err(CreateTimelineError::AncestorLsn(anyhow::anyhow!(
-                    "invalid branch start lsn: less than planned GC cutoff {cutoff}"
-                )));
+            let planned_cutoff = gc_info.min_cutoff();
+            if gc_info.lsn_covered_by_lease(start_lsn) {
+                tracing::info!("skipping comparison of {start_lsn} with gc cutoff {} and planned gc cutoff {planned_cutoff} due to lsn lease", *latest_gc_cutoff_lsn);
+            } else {
+                src_timeline
+                    .check_lsn_is_in_scope(start_lsn, &latest_gc_cutoff_lsn)
+                    .context(format!(
+                        "invalid branch start lsn: less than latest GC cutoff {}",
+                        *latest_gc_cutoff_lsn,
+                    ))
+                    .map_err(CreateTimelineError::AncestorLsn)?;
+
+                // and then the planned GC cutoff
+                if start_lsn < planned_cutoff {
+                    return Err(CreateTimelineError::AncestorLsn(anyhow::anyhow!(
+                        "invalid branch start lsn: less than planned GC cutoff {planned_cutoff}"
+                    )));
+                }
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline.rs b/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline.rs
index b6a349a20913..45ddd38f674b 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline.rs
@@ -531,6 +531,9 @@ impl GcInfo {
     pub(super) fn remove_child_offloaded(&mut self, child_id: TimelineId) -> bool {
         self.remove_child_maybe_offloaded(child_id, MaybeOffloaded::Yes)
     }
+    pub(crate) fn lsn_covered_by_lease(&self, lsn: Lsn) -> bool {
+        self.leases.contains_key(&lsn)
+    }
 }
 
 /// The `GcInfo` component describing which Lsns need to be retained.  Functionally, this