diff --git a/src/replica/duplication/load_from_private_log.cpp b/src/replica/duplication/load_from_private_log.cpp
index 16cdcb9239..6b0af82251 100644
--- a/src/replica/duplication/load_from_private_log.cpp
+++ b/src/replica/duplication/load_from_private_log.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "replica/replica.h"
 #include "replica_duplicator.h"
 #include "utils/autoref_ptr.h"
+#include "utils/defer.h"
 #include "utils/error_code.h"
 #include "utils/errors.h"
 #include "utils/fail_point.h"
@@ -146,6 +147,9 @@ void load_from_private_log::run()
 
 void load_from_private_log::find_log_file_to_start()
 {
+    _duplicator->set_duplication_plog_checking(true);
+    auto cleanup = dsn::defer([this]() { _duplicator->set_duplication_plog_checking(false); });
+
     // `file_map` has already excluded the useless log files during replica init.
     const auto &file_map = _private_log->get_log_file_map();
 
diff --git a/src/replica/duplication/load_from_private_log.h b/src/replica/duplication/load_from_private_log.h
index 314951354a..bf288ec545 100644
--- a/src/replica/duplication/load_from_private_log.h
+++ b/src/replica/duplication/load_from_private_log.h
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ class load_from_private_log final : public replica_base,
 
     /// Find the log file that contains `_start_decree`.
     void find_log_file_to_start();
-    void find_log_file_to_start(const mutation_log::log_file_map_by_index &log_files);
 
     void replay_log_block();
 
@@ -82,6 +81,9 @@ class load_from_private_log final : public replica_base,
     static constexpr int MAX_ALLOWED_BLOCK_REPEATS{3};
     static constexpr int MAX_ALLOWED_FILE_REPEATS{10};
 
+private:
+    void find_log_file_to_start(const mutation_log::log_file_map_by_index &log_files);
+
 private:
     friend class load_from_private_log_test;
     friend class load_fail_mode_test;
diff --git a/src/replica/duplication/replica_duplicator.cpp b/src/replica/duplication/replica_duplicator.cpp
index 01c01b4059..10e3964468 100644
--- a/src/replica/duplication/replica_duplicator.cpp
+++ b/src/replica/duplication/replica_duplicator.cpp
@@ -262,5 +262,10 @@ uint64_t replica_duplicator::get_pending_mutations_count() const
     return cnt > 0 ? static_cast<uint64_t>(cnt) : 0;
 }
 
+void replica_duplicator::set_duplication_plog_checking(bool checking)
+{
+    _replica->set_duplication_plog_checking(checking);
+}
+
 } // namespace replication
 } // namespace dsn
diff --git a/src/replica/duplication/replica_duplicator.h b/src/replica/duplication/replica_duplicator.h
index 7de9a5f199..78e6497840 100644
--- a/src/replica/duplication/replica_duplicator.h
+++ b/src/replica/duplication/replica_duplicator.h
@@ -137,7 +137,9 @@ class replica_duplicator : public replica_base, public pipeline::base
     // For metric "dup.pending_mutations_count"
     uint64_t get_pending_mutations_count() const;
 
-    duplication_status::type status() const { return _status; };
+    duplication_status::type status() const { return _status; }
+
+    void set_duplication_plog_checking(bool checking);
 
 private:
     friend class duplication_test_base;
diff --git a/src/replica/replica.h b/src/replica/replica.h
index e552a33b0b..5e0d107d8c 100644
--- a/src/replica/replica.h
+++ b/src/replica/replica.h
@@ -245,6 +245,11 @@ class replica : public serverlet<replica>, public ref_counter, public replica_ba
     replica_duplicator_manager *get_duplication_manager() const { return _duplication_mgr.get(); }
     bool is_duplication_master() const { return _is_duplication_master; }
     bool is_duplication_follower() const { return _is_duplication_follower; }
+    bool is_duplication_plog_checking() const { return _is_duplication_plog_checking.load(); }
+    void set_duplication_plog_checking(bool checking)
+    {
+        _is_duplication_plog_checking.store(checking);
+    }
 
     //
     // Backup
@@ -625,6 +630,9 @@ class replica : public serverlet<replica>, public ref_counter, public replica_ba
     bool _is_manual_emergency_checkpointing{false};
     bool _is_duplication_master{false};
     bool _is_duplication_follower{false};
+    // Indicate whether the replica is during finding out some private logs to
+    // load for duplication. It useful to prevent plog GCed unexpectedly.
+    std::atomic<bool> _is_duplication_plog_checking{false};
 
     // backup
     std::unique_ptr<replica_backup_manager> _backup_mgr;
diff --git a/src/replica/replica_chkpt.cpp b/src/replica/replica_chkpt.cpp
index d255573dd9..ab22ad9f21 100644
--- a/src/replica/replica_chkpt.cpp
+++ b/src/replica/replica_chkpt.cpp
@@ -146,6 +146,12 @@ void replica::on_checkpoint_timer()
             return;
         }
 
+        if (is_duplication_plog_checking()) {
+            LOG_DEBUG_PREFIX("gc_private {}: skip gc because duplication is checking plog files",
+                             enum_to_string(status()));
+            return;
+        }
+
         tasking::enqueue(LPC_GARBAGE_COLLECT_LOGS_AND_REPLICAS,
                          &_tracker,
                          [this, plog, cleanable_decree, valid_start_offset] {