diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica_raft.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica_raft.go
index a956398e5546..b507b1141138 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica_raft.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/replica_raft.go
@@ -1795,39 +1795,10 @@ func (r *Replica) deliverLocalRaftMsgsRaftMuLockedReplicaMuLocked(
 // When calling this method, the raftMu may be held, but it does not need to be.
 // The Replica mu must not be held.
 func (r *Replica) sendRaftMessage(ctx context.Context, msg raftpb.Message) {
-	lastToReplica, lastFromReplica := r.getLastReplicaDescriptors()
-
-	r.mu.RLock()
-	fromReplica, fromErr := r.getReplicaDescriptorByIDRLocked(roachpb.ReplicaID(msg.From), lastToReplica)
-	toReplica, toErr := r.getReplicaDescriptorByIDRLocked(roachpb.ReplicaID(msg.To), lastFromReplica)
-	var startKey roachpb.RKey
-	if msg.Type == raftpb.MsgApp {
-		// When the follower is potentially an uninitialized replica waiting for
-		// a split trigger, send the replica's StartKey along. See the method
-		// below for more context:
-		_ = maybeDropMsgApp
-		// NB: this code is allocation free.
-		r.mu.internalRaftGroup.WithProgress(func(id uint64, _ raft.ProgressType, pr tracker.Progress) {
-			if id == msg.To && pr.State == tracker.StateProbe {
-				// It is moderately expensive to attach a full key to the message, but note that
-				// a probing follower will only be appended to once per heartbeat interval (i.e.
-				// on the order of seconds). See:
-				//
-				// https://github.com/etcd-io/etcd/blob/7f450bf6967638673dd88fd4e730b01d1303d5ff/raft/progress.go#L41
-				startKey = r.descRLocked().StartKey
-			}
-		})
-	}
-	r.mu.RUnlock()
-
-	if fromErr != nil {
-		log.Warningf(ctx, "failed to look up sender replica %d in r%d while sending %s: %s",
-			msg.From, r.RangeID, msg.Type, fromErr)
-		return
-	}
-	if toErr != nil {
-		log.Warningf(ctx, "failed to look up recipient replica %d in r%d while sending %s: %s",
-			msg.To, r.RangeID, msg.Type, toErr)
+	startKey, toReplica, fromReplica, err := r.lookupLatestDescriptors(msg.To, msg.From, msg.Type)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warningf(ctx, "failed to look up replica %d in r%d while sending %s: %s",
+			msg.From, r.RangeID, msg.Type, err)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -1857,6 +1828,45 @@ func (r *Replica) sendRaftMessage(ctx context.Context, msg raftpb.Message) {
 	}
 }
 
+// lookupLatestDescriptors loads the latest descriptors for the given raft
+// message. It can fall back to a prior descriptor as long as the replica id
+// matches the one provided in the msg.
+func (r *Replica) lookupLatestDescriptors(
+	To, From uint64, Type raftpb.MessageType,
+) (roachpb.RKey, roachpb.ReplicaDescriptor, roachpb.ReplicaDescriptor, error) {
+	lastToReplica, lastFromReplica := r.getLastReplicaDescriptors()
+	r.mu.RLock()
+	defer r.mu.RUnlock()
+	toReplica, err := r.getReplicaDescriptorByIDRLocked(roachpb.ReplicaID(To), lastToReplica)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, roachpb.ReplicaDescriptor{}, roachpb.ReplicaDescriptor{}, err
+	}
+	fromReplica, err := r.getReplicaDescriptorByIDRLocked(roachpb.ReplicaID(From), lastFromReplica)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, roachpb.ReplicaDescriptor{}, roachpb.ReplicaDescriptor{}, err
+	}
+	var startKey roachpb.RKey
+	if Type == raftpb.MsgApp {
+		// When the follower is potentially an uninitialized replica waiting for
+		// a split trigger, send the replica's StartKey along. See the method
+		// below for more context:
+		_ = maybeDropMsgApp
+		// NB: this code is allocation free.
+		r.mu.internalRaftGroup.WithProgress(func(id uint64, _ raft.ProgressType, pr tracker.Progress) {
+			if id == To && pr.State == tracker.StateProbe {
+				// It is moderately expensive to attach a full key to the message, but note that
+				// a probing follower will only be appended to once per heartbeat interval (i.e.
+				// on the order of seconds). See:
+				//
+				// https://github.com/etcd-io/etcd/blob/7f450bf6967638673dd88fd4e730b01d1303d5ff/raft/progress.go#L41
+				startKey = r.Desc().StartKey
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
+	return startKey, toReplica, fromReplica, nil
+}
+
 // addUnreachableRemoteReplica adds the given remote ReplicaID to be reported
 // as unreachable on the next tick.
 func (r *Replica) addUnreachableRemoteReplica(remoteReplica roachpb.ReplicaID) {