diff --git a/locator/tablets.cc b/locator/tablets.cc
index 94bee2628f..d944e27082 100644
--- a/locator/tablets.cc
+++ b/locator/tablets.cc
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ write_replica_set_selector get_selector_for_writes(tablet_transition_stage stage
             return write_replica_set_selector::next;
         case tablet_transition_stage::cleanup:
             return write_replica_set_selector::next;
+        case tablet_transition_stage::cleanup_target:
+            return write_replica_set_selector::previous;
         case tablet_transition_stage::revert_migration:
             return write_replica_set_selector::previous;
         case tablet_transition_stage::end_migration:
@@ -61,6 +63,8 @@ read_replica_set_selector get_selector_for_reads(tablet_transition_stage stage)
             return read_replica_set_selector::next;
         case tablet_transition_stage::cleanup:
             return read_replica_set_selector::next;
+        case tablet_transition_stage::cleanup_target:
+            return read_replica_set_selector::previous;
         case tablet_transition_stage::revert_migration:
             return read_replica_set_selector::previous;
         case tablet_transition_stage::end_migration:
@@ -279,6 +283,7 @@ static const std::unordered_map<tablet_transition_stage, sstring> tablet_transit
     {tablet_transition_stage::streaming, "streaming"},
     {tablet_transition_stage::use_new, "use_new"},
     {tablet_transition_stage::cleanup, "cleanup"},
+    {tablet_transition_stage::cleanup_target, "cleanup_target"},
     {tablet_transition_stage::revert_migration, "revert_migration"},
     {tablet_transition_stage::end_migration, "end_migration"},
 };
diff --git a/locator/tablets.hh b/locator/tablets.hh
index f2a6abdce1..85696ba9ab 100644
--- a/locator/tablets.hh
+++ b/locator/tablets.hh
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ enum class tablet_transition_stage {
     write_both_read_new,
     use_new,
     cleanup,
+    cleanup_target,
     revert_migration,
     end_migration,
 };
diff --git a/service/storage_service.cc b/service/storage_service.cc
index a19744d5e1..d772ced8a6 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.cc
+++ b/service/storage_service.cc
@@ -5512,8 +5512,12 @@ future<> storage_service::cleanup_tablet(locator::global_tablet_id tablet) {
                 if (leaving_replica.host != tm->get_my_id()) {
                     throw std::runtime_error(fmt::format("Tablet {} has leaving replica different than this one", tablet));
                 }
+            } else if (trinfo->stage == locator::tablet_transition_stage::cleanup_target) {
+                if (trinfo->pending_replica.host != tm->get_my_id()) {
+                    throw std::runtime_error(fmt::format("Tablet {} has pending replica different than this one", tablet));
+                }
             } else {
-                throw std::runtime_error(fmt::format("Tablet {} stage is not at cleanup", tablet));
+                throw std::runtime_error(fmt::format("Tablet {} stage is not at cleanup/cleanup_target", tablet));
             }
 
             auto shard_opt = tmap.get_shard(tablet.tablet, tm->get_my_id());
diff --git a/service/tablet_allocator.cc b/service/tablet_allocator.cc
index 300384d6a7..0a1d8de37e 100644
--- a/service/tablet_allocator.cc
+++ b/service/tablet_allocator.cc
@@ -425,6 +425,8 @@ private:
                 return false;
             case tablet_transition_stage::cleanup:
                 return false;
+            case tablet_transition_stage::cleanup_target:
+                return false;
             case tablet_transition_stage::revert_migration:
                 return false;
             case tablet_transition_stage::end_migration:
diff --git a/service/topology_coordinator.cc b/service/topology_coordinator.cc
index a37964b0eb..e655b23265 100644
--- a/service/topology_coordinator.cc
+++ b/service/topology_coordinator.cc
@@ -1047,6 +1047,20 @@ class topology_coordinator : public endpoint_lifecycle_subscriber {
                         transition_to(locator::tablet_transition_stage::end_migration);
                     }
                     break;
+                case locator::tablet_transition_stage::cleanup_target:
+                    if (advance_in_background(gid, tablet_state.cleanup, "cleanup_target", [&] {
+                        locator::tablet_replica dst = trinfo.pending_replica;
+                        if (is_excluded(raft::server_id(dst.host.uuid()))) {
+                            rtlogger.info("Tablet cleanup of {} on {} skipped because node is excluded and doesn't need to revert migration", gid, dst);
+                            return make_ready_future<>();
+                        }
+                        rtlogger.info("Initiating tablet cleanup of {} on {} to revert migration", gid, dst);
+                        return ser::storage_service_rpc_verbs::send_tablet_cleanup(&_messaging,
+                                                                                   netw::msg_addr(id2ip(dst.host)), _as, raft::server_id(dst.host.uuid()), gid);
+                    })) {
+                        transition_to(locator::tablet_transition_stage::revert_migration);
+                    }
+                    break;
                 case locator::tablet_transition_stage::revert_migration:
                     // Need a separate stage and a barrier after cleanup RPC to cut off stale RPCs.
                     // See do_tablet_operation() doc.