diff --git a/pgdog/src/backend/pool/lb/mod.rs b/pgdog/src/backend/pool/lb/mod.rs
index 819a068a8..8f0a8fed8 100644
--- a/pgdog/src/backend/pool/lb/mod.rs
+++ b/pgdog/src/backend/pool/lb/mod.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 use std::{
     cmp::Reverse,
+    future::pending,
     sync::{
         Arc,
         atomic::{AtomicBool, AtomicI64, AtomicUsize, Ordering},
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ use std::{
 };
 
 use rand::seq::SliceRandom;
+use tokio::select;
 use tokio::sync::watch;
 use tokio_util::sync::CancellationToken;
 use tracing::warn;
@@ -199,8 +201,6 @@ impl LoadBalancer {
             .iter()
             .position(|target| !target.0.replica && target.0.valid());
 
-        self.elected_primary.send_replace(None);
-
         if let Some(primary) = primary {
             promoted = targets[primary].1.set_role(Role::Primary);
 
@@ -223,11 +223,25 @@ impl LoadBalancer {
             });
         }
 
-        self.elected_primary.send_replace(self.primary().cloned());
+        self.publish_primary();
 
         promoted
     }
 
+    /// Tell writes waiting in [`Self::get_primary`] which pool is the primary.
+    /// Only a change wakes them up.
+    fn publish_primary(&self) {
+        let elected = self.primary().cloned();
+
+        self.elected_primary.send_if_modified(|current| {
+            let changed = current.as_ref().map(Pool::id) != elected.as_ref().map(Pool::id);
+            if changed {
+                *current = elected;
+            }
+            changed
+        });
+    }
+
     /// Launch replica pools and start the monitor.
     pub(crate) fn launch(&self) {
         self.targets.iter().for_each(|target| target.pool.launch());
@@ -285,6 +299,7 @@ impl LoadBalancer {
             }
         }
         destination.require_healthcheck_for_new_targets(&self.targets);
+        destination.publish_primary();
 
         Ok(moved)
     }
@@ -332,34 +347,51 @@ impl LoadBalancer {
         result
     }
 
-    /// Wait until automatic role detection elects a primary.
+    /// Check out a connection from the primary.
     ///
-    /// Fails with [`Error::CheckoutTimeout`] if no election happens in time.
-    async fn wait_primary(&self) -> Result<Pool, Error> {
-        let mut receiver = self.elected_primary.subscribe();
+    /// Static replica-only configurations fail immediately with
+    /// [`Error::NoPrimary`]. With automatic roles, the caller follows the
+    /// election for up to `checkout_timeout`: it waits while there is no
+    /// primary, and a checkout waiting on a primary that loses the election
+    /// moves to the new one.
+    pub(super) async fn get_primary(&self, request: &Request) -> Result<Guard, Error> {
+        if !self.role_detection_enabled() {
+            return match self.primary() {
+                Some(pool) => pool.get(request).await,
+                None => Err(Error::NoPrimary),
+            };
+        }
 
-        safe_timeout(self.checkout_timeout, receiver.wait_for(|p| p.is_some()))
+        safe_timeout(self.checkout_timeout, self.follow_election(request))
             .await
             .map_err(|_| Error::CheckoutTimeout)?
-            .ok()
-            .and_then(|elected| elected.as_ref().cloned())
-            .ok_or(Error::NoPrimary)
     }
 
-    /// Check out a connection from the primary.
-    ///
-    /// In automatic mode, the caller waits for an election. Static
-    /// replica-only configurations fail immediately with [`Error::NoPrimary`].
-    pub(super) async fn get_primary(&self, request: &Request) -> Result<Guard, Error> {
-        if let Some(pool) = self.primary() {
-            return pool.get(request).await;
-        }
+    /// Check out a connection from the elected primary, starting over on
+    /// the new primary whenever the election changes.
+    async fn follow_election(&self, request: &Request) -> Result<Guard, Error> {
+        let mut elections = self.elected_primary.subscribe();
 
-        if !self.role_detection_enabled() {
-            return Err(Error::NoPrimary);
-        }
+        loop {
+            let elected = elections.borrow_and_update().clone();
+            let elected_id = elected.as_ref().map(Pool::id);
 
-        self.wait_primary().await?.get(request).await
+            let checkout = async {
+                match &elected {
+                    Some(pool) => pool.get(request).await,
+                    None => pending().await,
+                }
+            };
+            let new_election =
+                elections.wait_for(|primary| primary.as_ref().map(Pool::id) != elected_id);
+
+            select! {
+                result = checkout => return result,
+                changed = new_election => {
+                    changed.map_err(|_| Error::NoPrimary)?;
+                }
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     async fn get_internal(&self, request: &Request) -> Result<Guard, Error> {
diff --git a/pgdog/src/backend/pool/lb/test/mod.rs b/pgdog/src/backend/pool/lb/test/mod.rs
index 473857e5a..2bfa8fe13 100644
--- a/pgdog/src/backend/pool/lb/test/mod.rs
+++ b/pgdog/src/backend/pool/lb/test/mod.rs
@@ -1592,19 +1592,130 @@ async fn test_election_channel_no_race_condition() {
     // make sure there is no primary
     assert!(lb.primary().is_none());
 
-    // initialize the primary before the wait_primary is called
+    // initialize the primary before get_primary is called
     set_lsn_stats(&lb.targets[0], false, 100);
     assert!(lb.redetect_roles());
 
-    let elected = timeout(Duration::ZERO, lb.wait_primary())
+    let primary = timeout(Duration::from_secs(1), lb.get_primary(&Request::default()))
         .await
-        .expect("wait_primary should resolve")
+        .expect("an election that already happened is not waited for")
         .expect("primary should be elected");
-    assert_eq!(elected.addr().host, "127.0.0.1");
+    assert_eq!(primary.pool.addr().host, "127.0.0.1");
+    drop(primary);
 
     lb.shutdown();
 }
 
+/// Auto targets that wait up to 2s for a connection. Port 1 refuses
+/// connections: a primary that went down.
+fn auto_lb_with_checkout_timeout(ports: &[u16]) -> LoadBalancer {
+    let configs: Vec<_> = ports
+        .iter()
+        .map(|port| {
+            let mut config = create_auto_test_pool_config("127.0.0.1", *port);
+            config.config.checkout_timeout = Duration::from_secs(2);
+            config.config.connect_timeout = Duration::from_millis(100);
+            config
+        })
+        .collect();
+
+    LoadBalancer::new(
+        &None,
+        &configs,
+        LoadBalancingStrategy::Random,
+        ReadWriteSplit::IncludePrimary,
+        Default::default(),
+    )
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_waiting_write_moves_to_new_primary() {
+    let lb = auto_lb_with_checkout_timeout(&[1, 5432]);
+    lb.launch();
+
+    // The elected primary is down: a write waits on its pool.
+    set_lsn_stats(&lb.targets[0], false, 500);
+    set_lsn_stats(&lb.targets[1], true, 500);
+    assert!(lb.redetect_roles());
+
+    let started = Instant::now();
+    let write = {
+        let lb = lb.clone();
+        tokio::spawn(async move { lb.get_primary(&Request::default()).await })
+    };
+
+    sleep(Duration::from_millis(300)).await;
+    assert!(!write.is_finished(), "the write waits for the primary");
+
+    // Failover: the replica is promoted.
+    set_lsn_stats(&lb.targets[1], false, 600);
+    set_lsn_stats(&lb.targets[0], true, 500);
+    assert!(lb.redetect_roles());
+
+    let primary = timeout(Duration::from_secs(1), write)
+        .await
+        .expect("the write moves to the new primary at once")
+        .unwrap()
+        .expect("a connection to the new primary");
+    assert_eq!(primary.pool.addr().port, 5432);
+    assert!(started.elapsed() < Duration::from_secs(2));
+    drop(primary);
+
+    lb.shutdown();
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_unchanged_election_does_not_wake_waiting_writes() {
+    let lb = auto_lb_with_checkout_timeout(&[5432, 1]);
+    set_lsn_stats(&lb.targets[0], false, 500);
+    set_lsn_stats(&lb.targets[1], true, 500);
+
+    let mut elections = lb.elected_primary.subscribe();
+    assert!(lb.redetect_roles());
+    assert!(
+        elections.has_changed().unwrap(),
+        "a new primary is published"
+    );
+    elections.borrow_and_update();
+
+    // The LSN check runs again and nothing changed. Waiting writes keep
+    // their place in the primary's queue.
+    set_lsn_stats(&lb.targets[0], false, 700);
+    assert!(!lb.redetect_roles());
+    assert!(!elections.has_changed().unwrap());
+
+    // The primary is gone: that is a change.
+    set_lsn_stats(&lb.targets[0], true, 700);
+    lb.redetect_roles();
+    assert!(elections.has_changed().unwrap());
+    assert!(elections.borrow_and_update().is_none());
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_write_after_reload_goes_to_elected_primary() {
+    let old = auto_lb_with_checkout_timeout(&[5432, 1]);
+    set_lsn_stats(&old.targets[0], false, 500);
+    set_lsn_stats(&old.targets[1], true, 500);
+    assert!(old.redetect_roles());
+
+    let new = auto_lb_with_checkout_timeout(&[5432, 1]);
+    old.move_conns_to(&new).unwrap();
+    new.launch();
+
+    // The new load balancer knows the primary before its first election.
+    let primary = timeout(
+        Duration::from_millis(500),
+        new.get_primary(&Request::default()),
+    )
+    .await
+    .expect("no wait for an election after a reload")
+    .expect("a connection to the primary");
+    assert_eq!(primary.pool.addr().port, 5432);
+    drop(primary);
+
+    new.shutdown();
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn test_static_replica_only_does_not_wait_for_primary() {
     let config = create_test_pool_config("127.0.0.1", 5432);