diff --git a/tools/cluster-merge b/tools/cluster-merge
index 9b62f6f87d36155fdddcef6ecf9d7d06cdab7cfd..d2c72cf69060bc8b6d4a69a997c7ed82972aafd8 100755
--- a/tools/cluster-merge
+++ b/tools/cluster-merge
@@ -316,6 +316,10 @@ class Merger(object):
 
       for node in other_config.GetNodeList():
         node_info = other_config.GetNodeInfo(node)
+        # Offline the node, it will be reonlined later at node readd
+        node_info.master_candidate = False
+        node_info.drained = False
+        node_info.offline = True
         my_config.AddNode(node_info, _CLUSTERMERGE_ECID + str(fake_ec_id))
         fake_ec_id += 1