diff --git a/x/ibc/light-clients/07-tendermint/types/upgrade.go b/x/ibc/light-clients/07-tendermint/types/upgrade.go
index 3f2f31e7b174..42f6ea31f00f 100644
--- a/x/ibc/light-clients/07-tendermint/types/upgrade.go
+++ b/x/ibc/light-clients/07-tendermint/types/upgrade.go
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ func (cs ClientState) VerifyUpgrade(
 		return sdkerrors.Wrap(err, "could not retrieve latest consensus state")
 	}
 
+	if cs.IsExpired(consState.Timestamp, ctx.BlockTime()) {
+		return sdkerrors.Wrap(clienttypes.ErrInvalidClient, "cannot upgrade an expired client")
+	}
+
 	tmCommittedClient, ok := committedClient.(*ClientState)
 	if !ok {
 		return sdkerrors.Wrapf(clienttypes.ErrInvalidClientType, "upgraded client must be Tendermint client. expected: %T got: %T",
diff --git a/x/ibc/light-clients/07-tendermint/types/upgrade_test.go b/x/ibc/light-clients/07-tendermint/types/upgrade_test.go
index e69d7b111f6e..7ba1ea6ac7ae 100644
--- a/x/ibc/light-clients/07-tendermint/types/upgrade_test.go
+++ b/x/ibc/light-clients/07-tendermint/types/upgrade_test.go
@@ -191,6 +191,30 @@ func (suite *TendermintTestSuite) TestVerifyUpgrade() {
 			},
 			expPass: false,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "unsuccessful upgrade: client is expired",
+			setup: func() {
+
+				upgradedClient = types.NewClientState("newChainId", types.DefaultTrustLevel, trustingPeriod, ubdPeriod+trustingPeriod, maxClockDrift, upgradeHeight, commitmenttypes.GetSDKSpecs(), &upgradePath, false, false)
+				// zero custom fields and store in upgrade store
+				suite.chainB.App.UpgradeKeeper.SetUpgradedClient(suite.chainB.GetContext(), upgradedClient)
+
+				// commit upgrade store changes and update clients
+
+				suite.coordinator.CommitBlock(suite.chainB)
+				err := suite.coordinator.UpdateClient(suite.chainA, suite.chainB, clientA, ibctesting.Tendermint)
+				suite.Require().NoError(err)
+
+				// expire chainB's client
+				suite.chainA.ExpireClient(ubdPeriod)
+
+				cs, found := suite.chainA.App.IBCKeeper.ClientKeeper.GetClientState(suite.chainA.GetContext(), clientA)
+				suite.Require().True(found)
+
+				proofUpgrade, _ = suite.chainB.QueryUpgradeProof(upgradetypes.UpgradedClientKey(), cs.GetLatestHeight().GetEpochHeight())
+			},
+			expPass: false,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range testCases {