diff --git a/controllers/evacuation_controller.go b/controllers/evacuation_controller.go
index 81f43e0b..b1863d17 100644
--- a/controllers/evacuation_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/evacuation_controller.go
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ func (h *EvacuationController) EvacuateClaimedActualLRP(ctx context.Context, log
 	}
 
 	// this is an ordinary LRP
-	before, after, err := h.actualLRPDB.UnclaimActualLRP(ctx, logger, actualLRPKey)
+	before, after, err := h.actualLRPDB.UnclaimActualLRP(ctx, logger, false, actualLRPKey)
 	bbsErr := models.ConvertError(err)
 	if bbsErr != nil {
 		if bbsErr.Type == models.Error_ResourceNotFound {
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ func (h *EvacuationController) evacuateInstance(ctx context.Context, logger lage
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	_, after, err := h.actualLRPDB.UnclaimActualLRP(ctx, logger, &actualLRP.ActualLRPKey)
+	_, after, err := h.actualLRPDB.UnclaimActualLRP(ctx, logger, false, &actualLRP.ActualLRPKey)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/controllers/lrp_convergence_controller.go b/controllers/lrp_convergence_controller.go
index bb1c7878..835fafd3 100644
--- a/controllers/lrp_convergence_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/lrp_convergence_controller.go
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ func (h *LRPConvergenceController) ConvergeLRPs(ctx context.Context) {
 	for _, lrpKey := range convergenceResult.UnstartedLRPKeys {
 		dereferencedKey := *lrpKey
 		works = append(works, func() {
-			before, after, err := h.lrpDB.UnclaimActualLRP(ctx, logger, dereferencedKey.Key)
+			before, after, err := h.lrpDB.UnclaimActualLRP(ctx, logger, true, dereferencedKey.Key)
 			if err != nil && err != models.ErrActualLRPCannotBeUnclaimed {
 				logger.Error("cannot-unclaim-lrp", err, lager.Data{"key": dereferencedKey})
 				return
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ func (h *LRPConvergenceController) ConvergeLRPs(ctx context.Context) {
 				// there is a Suspect LRP already, unclaim this previously created
 				// replacement and reauction it
 				logger.Debug("found-suspect-lrp-unclaiming", lager.Data{"key": dereferencedKey.Key})
-				before, after, err := h.lrpDB.UnclaimActualLRP(ctx, logger, dereferencedKey.Key)
+				before, after, err := h.lrpDB.UnclaimActualLRP(ctx, logger, false, dereferencedKey.Key)
 				if err != nil {
 					logger.Error("failed-unclaiming-lrp", err)
 					return
diff --git a/db/actual_lrp_db.go b/db/actual_lrp_db.go
index f2ef593c..a40c6f4c 100644
--- a/db/actual_lrp_db.go
+++ b/db/actual_lrp_db.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ type ActualLRPDB interface {
 	ActualLRPs(ctx context.Context, logger lager.Logger, filter models.ActualLRPFilter) ([]*models.ActualLRP, error)
 	ActualLRPsByProcessGuids(ctx context.Context, logger lager.Logger, filter models.ActualLRPsByProcessGuidsFilter) ([]*models.ActualLRP, error)
 	CreateUnclaimedActualLRP(ctx context.Context, logger lager.Logger, key *models.ActualLRPKey) (after *models.ActualLRP, err error)
-	UnclaimActualLRP(ctx context.Context, logger lager.Logger, key *models.ActualLRPKey) (before *models.ActualLRP, after *models.ActualLRP, err error)
+	UnclaimActualLRP(ctx context.Context, logger lager.Logger, isStaleUnclaimed bool, key *models.ActualLRPKey) (before *models.ActualLRP, after *models.ActualLRP, err error)
 	ClaimActualLRP(ctx context.Context, logger lager.Logger, processGuid string, index int32, instanceKey *models.ActualLRPInstanceKey) (before *models.ActualLRP, after *models.ActualLRP, err error)
 	StartActualLRP(ctx context.Context,
 		logger lager.Logger,
diff --git a/db/sqldb/actual_lrp_db.go b/db/sqldb/actual_lrp_db.go
index f46e77da..ba7cba37 100644
--- a/db/sqldb/actual_lrp_db.go
+++ b/db/sqldb/actual_lrp_db.go
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ func (db *SQLDB) CreateUnclaimedActualLRP(ctx context.Context, logger lager.Logg
 	return lrp, nil
 }
 
-func (db *SQLDB) UnclaimActualLRP(ctx context.Context, logger lager.Logger, key *models.ActualLRPKey) (*models.ActualLRP, *models.ActualLRP, error) {
+func (db *SQLDB) UnclaimActualLRP(ctx context.Context, logger lager.Logger, isStaleUnclaimed bool, key *models.ActualLRPKey) (*models.ActualLRP, *models.ActualLRP, error) {
 	logger = logger.Session("db-unclaim-actual-lrp", lager.Data{"key": key})
 	logger.Info("starting")
 	defer logger.Info("complete")
@@ -213,7 +213,11 @@ func (db *SQLDB) UnclaimActualLRP(ctx context.Context, logger lager.Logger, key
 		beforeActualLRP = *actualLRP
 
 		if actualLRP.State == models.ActualLRPStateUnclaimed {
-			logger.Debug("already-unclaimed")
+			logger.Debug("already-" + actualLRP.State)
+			return models.ErrActualLRPCannotBeUnclaimed
+		}
+		if isStaleUnclaimed && actualLRP.State == models.ActualLRPStateClaimed {
+			logger.Debug("a stale unstarted claim already-" + actualLRP.State + " by another cell.")
 			return models.ErrActualLRPCannotBeUnclaimed
 		}