diff --git a/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar.go b/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar.go
index 37cacb8c7ef..bee0c1f5053 100644
--- a/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar.go
+++ b/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar.go
@@ -303,7 +303,10 @@ func (r *Registrar) CreateChain(chainName string) {
 	if chain != nil {
 		logger.Infof("A chain of type %T for channel %s already exists. "+
 			"Halting it.", chain.Chain, chainName)
+		r.lock.Lock()
 		chain.Halt()
+		delete(r.chains, chainName)
+		r.lock.Unlock()
 	}
 	r.newChain(configTx(lf))
 }
@@ -312,10 +315,26 @@ func (r *Registrar) newChain(configtx *cb.Envelope) {
 	r.lock.Lock()
 	defer r.lock.Unlock()
 
+	channelName, err := channelNameFromConfigTx(configtx)
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Warnf("Failed extracting channel name: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// fixes https://github.com/hyperledger/fabric/issues/2931
+	if existingChain, exists := r.chains[channelName]; exists {
+		if raftChain, isRaftChain := existingChain.Chain.(RaftChain); isRaftChain && raftChain.IsRaft() {
+			logger.Infof("Channel %s already created, skipping its creation", channelName)
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
 	ledgerResources := r.newLedgerResources(configtx)
 	// If we have no blocks, we need to create the genesis block ourselves.
 	if ledgerResources.Height() == 0 {
-		ledgerResources.Append(blockledger.CreateNextBlock(ledgerResources, []*cb.Envelope{configtx}))
+		if err := ledgerResources.Append(blockledger.CreateNextBlock(ledgerResources, []*cb.Envelope{configtx})); err != nil {
+			logger.Panicf("Error appending genesis block to ledger: %s", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Copy the map to allow concurrent reads from broadcast/deliver while the new chainSupport is
@@ -352,3 +371,25 @@ func (r *Registrar) NewChannelConfig(envConfigUpdate *cb.Envelope) (channelconfi
 func (r *Registrar) CreateBundle(channelID string, config *cb.Config) (channelconfig.Resources, error) {
 	return channelconfig.NewBundle(channelID, config)
 }
+
+type RaftChain interface {
+	IsRaft() bool
+}
+
+func channelNameFromConfigTx(configtx *cb.Envelope) (string, error) {
+	payload, err := utils.UnmarshalPayload(configtx.Payload)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", errors.WithMessage(err, "error umarshaling envelope to payload")
+	}
+
+	if payload.Header == nil {
+		return "", errors.New("missing channel header")
+	}
+
+	chdr, err := utils.UnmarshalChannelHeader(payload.Header.ChannelHeader)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", errors.WithMessage(err, "error unmarshalling channel header")
+	}
+
+	return chdr.ChannelId, nil
+}
diff --git a/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar_test.go b/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar_test.go
index 1321866df92..5ff0a2c2c65 100644
--- a/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar_test.go
+++ b/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 package multichannel
 
 import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/golang/protobuf/proto"
@@ -295,6 +297,33 @@ func TestCreateChain(t *testing.T) {
 		rcs := newChainSupport(manager, chainSupport.ledgerResources, consenters, mockCrypto(), blockcutter.NewMetrics(&disabled.Provider{}))
 		assert.Equal(t, expectedLastConfigSeq, rcs.lastConfigSeq, "On restart, incorrect lastConfigSeq")
 	})
+
+	t.Run("chain of type etcdraft.Chain is already created", func(t *testing.T) {
+		tmpdir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "registrar_test-")
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		defer os.RemoveAll(tmpdir)
+
+		ledgerFactory, _ := newRAMLedgerAndFactory(10, genesisconfig.TestChainID, genesisBlockSys)
+		mockConsenters := map[string]consensus.Consenter{confSys.Orderer.OrdererType: &mockConsenter{}, "etcdraft": &mockConsenter{}}
+
+		registrar := NewRegistrar(conf, ledgerFactory, mockCrypto(), &disabled.Provider{})
+		registrar.Initialize(mockConsenters)
+
+		testChainSupport := &ChainSupport{Chain: &mockRaftChain{}}
+		registrar.chains["test"] = testChainSupport
+
+		orglessChannelConf := configtxgentest.Load(genesisconfig.SampleSingleMSPChannelProfile)
+		orglessChannelConf.Application.Organizations = nil
+		envConfigUpdate, err := encoder.MakeChannelCreationTransaction("test", mockCrypto(), orglessChannelConf)
+		assert.NoError(t, err, "Constructing chain creation tx")
+
+		registrar.newChain(envConfigUpdate)
+
+		testChainSupport2 := registrar.GetChain("test")
+		assert.NotNil(t, testChainSupport2)
+
+		assert.True(t, testChainSupport == testChainSupport2)
+	})
 }
 
 func testLastConfigBlockNumber(t *testing.T, block *cb.Block, expectedBlockNumber uint64) {
@@ -390,3 +419,32 @@ func TestBroadcastChannelSupportRejection(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Error(t, err, "Messages of type HeaderType_CONFIG should return an error.")
 	})
 }
+
+type mockRaftChain struct {
+}
+
+func (c *mockRaftChain) Order(env *cb.Envelope, configSeq uint64) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *mockRaftChain) Configure(config *cb.Envelope, configSeq uint64) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *mockRaftChain) WaitReady() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *mockRaftChain) Errored() <-chan struct{} {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *mockRaftChain) Start() {
+}
+
+func (c *mockRaftChain) Halt() {
+}
+
+func (c *mockRaftChain) IsRaft() bool {
+	return true
+}
diff --git a/orderer/consensus/etcdraft/chain.go b/orderer/consensus/etcdraft/chain.go
index 6fbe5324904..1b78e45f1c1 100644
--- a/orderer/consensus/etcdraft/chain.go
+++ b/orderer/consensus/etcdraft/chain.go
@@ -1362,3 +1362,7 @@ func (c *Chain) triggerCatchup(sn *raftpb.Snapshot) {
 	case <-c.doneC:
 	}
 }
+
+func (c *Chain) IsRaft() bool {
+	return true
+}