diff --git a/src/evict.cpp b/src/evict.cpp
index 04fd7a7d6..f21ee0ea7 100644
--- a/src/evict.cpp
+++ b/src/evict.cpp
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ int freeMemoryIfNeeded(void) {
     serverAssert(GlobalLocksAcquired());
     /* By default replicas should ignore maxmemory
      * and just be masters exact copies. */
-    if (listLength(g_pserver->masters) && g_pserver->repl_slave_ignore_maxmemory) return C_OK;
+    if (listLength(g_pserver->masters) && g_pserver->repl_slave_ignore_maxmemory && !g_pserver->fActiveReplica) return C_OK;
 
     size_t mem_reported, mem_tofree, mem_freed;
     mstime_t latency, eviction_latency;