diff --git a/cloud/replication_test.cc b/cloud/replication_test.cc
index 74028e09291..e8a3c766f25 100644
--- a/cloud/replication_test.cc
+++ b/cloud/replication_test.cc
@@ -274,7 +274,8 @@ class ReplicationTest : public testing::Test {
   void verifyLSMTEqual(ColumnFamilyHandle* h1, ColumnFamilyHandle* h2) {
     auto cf1 = static_cast_with_check<ColumnFamilyHandleImpl>(h1)->cfd(),
          cf2 = static_cast_with_check<ColumnFamilyHandleImpl>(h2)->cfd();
-    ASSERT_EQ(cf1->NumberLevels(), cf2->NumberLevels());
+    ASSERT_EQ(cf1->NumberLevels(), cf2->NumberLevels())
+        << h1->GetName() << ", " << h2->GetName();
 
     for (int level = 0; level < cf1->NumberLevels(); level++) {
         auto files1 = cf1->current()->storage_info()->LevelFiles(level),
@@ -1191,10 +1192,18 @@ TEST_P(ReplicationTestWithParam, Stress) {
       leaderFull()->TEST_WaitForBackgroundWork());
   };
 
+  auto verifyNextEpochNumber = [&]() {
+    for (int i = 0; i < kColumnFamilyCount; i++) {
+      auto cf1 = leaderCFD(cf(i)), cf2 = followerCFD(cf(i));
+      ASSERT_EQ(cf1->GetNextEpochNumber(), cf2->GetNextEpochNumber());
+    }
+  };
+
   do_writes();
 
   catchUpFollower();
   verifyEqual();
+  verifyNextEpochNumber();
 
   ROCKS_LOG_INFO(info_log_, "reopen leader");
 
@@ -1218,6 +1227,7 @@ TEST_P(ReplicationTestWithParam, Stress) {
   catchUpFollower();
 
   verifyEqual();
+  verifyNextEpochNumber();
 }
 
 INSTANTIATE_TEST_CASE_P(ReplicationTest, ReplicationTestWithParam,
diff --git a/db/db_impl/db_impl.cc b/db/db_impl/db_impl.cc
index 6e37fe68ea4..3bb2b590c60 100644
--- a/db/db_impl/db_impl.cc
+++ b/db/db_impl/db_impl.cc
@@ -1428,6 +1428,8 @@ Status DBImpl::ApplyReplicationLogRecord(ReplicationLogRecord record,
           ROCKS_LOG_INFO(immutable_db_options_.info_log, "%s",
                          DescribeVersionEdit(e, cfd).c_str());
           auto& newFiles = e.GetNewFiles();
+          bool epoch_recovery_succeeded = true;
+          std::ostringstream err_oss;
           if (!(flags & AR_REPLICATE_EPOCH_NUM)) {
             // Epoch number calculation on the fly.
             // There are two cases in which we need to calculate epoch number
@@ -1438,8 +1440,6 @@ Status DBImpl::ApplyReplicationLogRecord(ReplicationLogRecord record,
             // 2. compaction which merges files in lower levels to higher
             // levels. epoch number = min epoch number of input files.
             const auto& deletedFiles = e.GetDeletedFiles();
-            bool epoch_recovery_succeeded = true;
-            std::ostringstream err_oss;
             if (deletedFiles.empty() && !newFiles.empty()) {
               // case 1: flush into L0 files. New files must be level 0
 
@@ -1487,6 +1487,17 @@ Status DBImpl::ApplyReplicationLogRecord(ReplicationLogRecord record,
                                  cfd->GetNextEpochNumber(),
                                  first_file->epoch_number);
                   cfd->SetNextEpochNumber(first_file->epoch_number);
+                } else {
+                  ROCKS_LOG_ERROR(immutable_db_options_.info_log,
+                                  "[%s] unexpected epoch number: %" PRIu64
+                                  " for file: %" PRIu64
+                                  " ; max epoch number: %" PRIu64,
+                                  cfd->GetName().c_str(),
+                                  first_file->epoch_number,
+                                  first_file->fd.GetNumber(),
+                                  max_epoch_number);
+                  s = Status::Corruption("unexpected epoch number for added file");
+                  break;
                 }
               }
 
@@ -1521,11 +1532,24 @@ Status DBImpl::ApplyReplicationLogRecord(ReplicationLogRecord record,
                 }
               }
             }
-
-            if (!epoch_recovery_succeeded) {
-              s = Status::Corruption(err_oss.str());
-              break;
+          } else if (newFiles.size() > 0) {
+            // Maintain next epoch number on follower
+            auto next_epoch_number = cfd->GetNextEpochNumber();
+            for (auto& p : newFiles) {
+              auto epoch_number = p.second.epoch_number;
+              // advance next epoch number. next_epoch_number never goes
+              // backwards
+              if (epoch_number != kUnknownEpochNumber &&
+                  (epoch_number >= next_epoch_number)) {
+                next_epoch_number = epoch_number + 1;
+              }
             }
+            cfd->SetNextEpochNumber(next_epoch_number);
+          }
+
+          if (!epoch_recovery_succeeded) {
+            s = Status::Corruption(err_oss.str());
+            break;
           }
         }
         if (!s.ok()) {