diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/AllocationService.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/AllocationService.java
index eb139589724..b238946e0f6 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/AllocationService.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/AllocationService.java
@@ -396,11 +396,9 @@ public class AllocationService {
         assert AutoExpandReplicas.getAutoExpandReplicaChanges(allocation.metaData(), allocation.nodes()).isEmpty() :
             "auto-expand replicas out of sync with number of nodes in the cluster";
 
-        // now allocate all the unassigned to available nodes
-        if (allocation.routingNodes().unassigned().size() > 0) {
-            removeDelayMarkers(allocation);
-            gatewayAllocator.allocateUnassigned(allocation);
-        }
+        removeDelayMarkers(allocation);
+        // try to allocate existing shard copies first
+        gatewayAllocator.allocateUnassigned(allocation);
 
         shardsAllocator.allocate(allocation);
         assert RoutingNodes.assertShardStats(allocation.routingNodes());
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayAllocator.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayAllocator.java
index 62ef18d20d2..adbbe9ee32f 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayAllocator.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayAllocator.java
@@ -117,7 +117,10 @@ public class GatewayAllocator {
         unassigned.sort(PriorityComparator.getAllocationComparator(allocation)); // sort for priority ordering
 
         primaryShardAllocator.allocateUnassigned(allocation);
-        replicaShardAllocator.processExistingRecoveries(allocation);
+        if (allocation.routingNodes().hasInactiveShards()) {
+            // cancel existing recoveries if we have a better match
+            replicaShardAllocator.processExistingRecoveries(allocation);
+        }
         replicaShardAllocator.allocateUnassigned(allocation);
     }
 
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/recovery/IndexRecoveryIT.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/recovery/IndexRecoveryIT.java
index d3110461e37..5ebf84a8911 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/recovery/IndexRecoveryIT.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/recovery/IndexRecoveryIT.java
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.IndexMetaData;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNode;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNodes;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.IndexShardRoutingTable;
+import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.ShardRoutingState;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.RecoverySource;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.RecoverySource.PeerRecoverySource;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.RecoverySource.SnapshotRecoverySource;
@@ -324,6 +325,86 @@ public class IndexRecoveryIT extends ESIntegTestCase {
         assertHitCount(client().prepareSearch(INDEX_NAME).setSize(0).get(), numOfDocs);
     }
 
+    public void testCancelNewShardRecoveryAndUsesExistingShardCopy() throws Exception {
+        logger.info("--> start node A");
+        final String nodeA = internalCluster().startNode();
+
+        logger.info("--> create index on node: {}", nodeA);
+        createAndPopulateIndex(INDEX_NAME, 1, SHARD_COUNT, REPLICA_COUNT)
+            .getShards()[0].getStats().getStore().size();
+
+        logger.info("--> start node B");
+        // force a shard recovery from nodeA to nodeB
+        final String nodeB = internalCluster().startNode();
+
+        logger.info("--> add replica for {} on node: {}", INDEX_NAME, nodeB);
+        assertAcked(client().admin().indices().prepareUpdateSettings(INDEX_NAME)
+            .setSettings(Settings.builder()
+                .put(IndexMetaData.SETTING_NUMBER_OF_REPLICAS, 1)
+                .put(UnassignedInfo.INDEX_DELAYED_NODE_LEFT_TIMEOUT_SETTING.getKey(), 0)));
+        ensureGreen(INDEX_NAME);
+
+        logger.info("--> start node C");
+        final String nodeC = internalCluster().startNode();
+
+        // do sync flush to gen sync id
+        assertThat(client().admin().indices().prepareSyncedFlush(INDEX_NAME).get().failedShards(), equalTo(0));
+
+        // hold peer recovery on phase 2 after nodeB down
+        CountDownLatch phase1ReadyBlocked = new CountDownLatch(1);
+        CountDownLatch allowToCompletePhase1Latch = new CountDownLatch(1);
+        MockTransportService transportService = (MockTransportService) internalCluster().getInstance(TransportService.class, nodeA);
+        transportService.addSendBehavior((connection, requestId, action, request, options) -> {
+            if (PeerRecoveryTargetService.Actions.CLEAN_FILES.equals(action)) {
+                phase1ReadyBlocked.countDown();
+                try {
+                    allowToCompletePhase1Latch.await();
+                } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+                    throw new AssertionError(e);
+                }
+            }
+            connection.sendRequest(requestId, action, request, options);
+        });
+
+        logger.info("--> restart node B");
+        internalCluster().restartNode(nodeB,
+            new InternalTestCluster.RestartCallback() {
+                @Override
+                public Settings onNodeStopped(String nodeName) throws Exception {
+                    phase1ReadyBlocked.await();
+                    // nodeB stopped, peer recovery from nodeA to nodeC, it will be cancelled after nodeB get started.
+                    RecoveryResponse response = client().admin().indices().prepareRecoveries(INDEX_NAME).execute().actionGet();
+
+                    List<RecoveryState> recoveryStates = response.shardRecoveryStates().get(INDEX_NAME);
+                    List<RecoveryState> nodeCRecoveryStates = findRecoveriesForTargetNode(nodeC, recoveryStates);
+                    assertThat(nodeCRecoveryStates.size(), equalTo(1));
+
+                    assertOnGoingRecoveryState(nodeCRecoveryStates.get(0), 0, PeerRecoverySource.INSTANCE,
+                        false, nodeA, nodeC);
+                    validateIndexRecoveryState(nodeCRecoveryStates.get(0).getIndex());
+
+                    return super.onNodeStopped(nodeName);
+                }
+            });
+
+        // wait for peer recovery from nodeA to nodeB which is a no-op recovery so it skips the CLEAN_FILES stage and hence is not blocked
+        ensureGreen();
+        allowToCompletePhase1Latch.countDown();
+        transportService.clearAllRules();
+
+        // make sure nodeA has primary and nodeB has replica
+        ClusterState state = client().admin().cluster().prepareState().get().getState();
+        List<ShardRouting> startedShards = state.routingTable().shardsWithState(ShardRoutingState.STARTED);
+        assertThat(startedShards.size(), equalTo(2));
+        for (ShardRouting shardRouting : startedShards) {
+            if (shardRouting.primary()) {
+                assertThat(state.nodes().get(shardRouting.currentNodeId()).getName(), equalTo(nodeA));
+            } else {
+                assertThat(state.nodes().get(shardRouting.currentNodeId()).getName(), equalTo(nodeB));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     public void testRerouteRecovery() throws Exception {
         logger.info("--> start node A");
         final String nodeA = internalCluster().startNode();