diff --git a/pkg/kv/kvserver/raft_transport.go b/pkg/kv/kvserver/raft_transport.go
index ff92d4ede2e8..7eb0bb452be6 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/kvserver/raft_transport.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/kvserver/raft_transport.go
@@ -614,11 +614,15 @@ func (t *RaftTransport) startProcessNewQueue(
 		}
 		defer cleanup(ch)
 		defer t.queues[class].Delete(int64(toNodeID))
-		conn, err := t.dialer.Dial(ctx, toNodeID, class)
+		// NB: we dial without a breaker here because the caller has already
+		// checked the breaker. Checking it again can cause livelock, see:
+		// https://github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/issues/68419
+		conn, err := t.dialer.DialNoBreaker(ctx, toNodeID, class)
 		if err != nil {
 			// DialNode already logs sufficiently, so just return.
 			return
 		}
+
 		client := NewMultiRaftClient(conn)
 		batchCtx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 		defer cancel()
diff --git a/pkg/rpc/nodedialer/nodedialer.go b/pkg/rpc/nodedialer/nodedialer.go
index 1d42d308d557..9ebc40e2e3d0 100644
--- a/pkg/rpc/nodedialer/nodedialer.go
+++ b/pkg/rpc/nodedialer/nodedialer.go
@@ -88,11 +88,12 @@ func (n *Dialer) Dial(
 		breaker.Fail(err)
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return n.dial(ctx, nodeID, addr, breaker, class)
+	return n.dial(ctx, nodeID, addr, breaker, true /* checkBreaker */, class)
 }
 
 // DialNoBreaker ignores the breaker if there is an error dialing. This function
 // should only be used when there is good reason to believe that the node is reachable.
+// The result of the dial will be announced to the breaker.
 func (n *Dialer) DialNoBreaker(
 	ctx context.Context, nodeID roachpb.NodeID, class rpc.ConnectionClass,
 ) (_ *grpc.ClientConn, err error) {
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ func (n *Dialer) DialNoBreaker(
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return n.dial(ctx, nodeID, addr, nil /* breaker */, class)
+	return n.dial(ctx, nodeID, addr, n.getBreaker(nodeID, class), false /* checkBreaker */, class)
 }
 
 // DialInternalClient is a specialization of DialClass for callers that
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@ func (n *Dialer) DialInternalClient(
 		return localCtx, localClient, nil
 	}
 	log.VEventf(ctx, 2, "sending request to %s", addr)
-	conn, err := n.dial(ctx, nodeID, addr, n.getBreaker(nodeID, class), class)
+	conn, err := n.dial(ctx, nodeID, addr, n.getBreaker(nodeID, class), true /* checkBreaker */, class)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
@@ -145,13 +146,14 @@ func (n *Dialer) dial(
 	nodeID roachpb.NodeID,
 	addr net.Addr,
 	breaker *wrappedBreaker,
+	checkBreaker bool,
 	class rpc.ConnectionClass,
 ) (_ *grpc.ClientConn, err error) {
 	// Don't trip the breaker if we're already canceled.
 	if ctxErr := ctx.Err(); ctxErr != nil {
 		return nil, ctxErr
 	}
-	if breaker != nil && !breaker.Ready() {
+	if checkBreaker && !breaker.Ready() {
 		err = errors.Wrapf(circuit.ErrBreakerOpen, "unable to dial n%d", nodeID)
 		return nil, err
 	}