diff --git a/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar.go b/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar.go
index af068479317..88e52da37bb 100644
--- a/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar.go
+++ b/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/orderer/common/msgprocessor"
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/orderer/common/types"
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/orderer/consensus"
+	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/orderer/consensus/etcdraft"
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/protoutil"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
@@ -537,7 +538,10 @@ func (r *Registrar) CreateChain(chainName string) {
 	if chain != nil {
 		logger.Infof("A chain of type %T for channel %s already exists. "+
 			"Halting it.", chain.Chain, chainName)
+		r.lock.Lock()
 		chain.Halt()
+		delete(r.chains, chainName)
+		r.lock.Unlock()
 	}
 	r.newChain(configTx(lf))
 }
@@ -546,6 +550,20 @@ func (r *Registrar) newChain(configtx *cb.Envelope) {
 	r.lock.Lock()
 	defer r.lock.Unlock()
 
+	channelName, err := channelNameFromConfigTx(configtx)
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Warnf("Failed extracting channel name: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// fixes https://github.com/hyperledger/fabric/issues/2931
+	if existingChain, exists := r.chains[channelName]; exists {
+		if _, isRaftChain := existingChain.Chain.(*etcdraft.Chain); isRaftChain {
+			logger.Infof("Channel %s already created, skipping its creation", channelName)
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
 	cs := r.createNewChain(configtx)
 	cs.start()
 	logger.Infof("Created and started new channel %s", cs.ChannelID())
@@ -1113,3 +1131,21 @@ func (r *Registrar) ReportConsensusRelationAndStatusMetrics(channelID string, re
 	r.channelParticipationMetrics.reportConsensusRelation(channelID, relation)
 	r.channelParticipationMetrics.reportStatus(channelID, status)
 }
+
+func channelNameFromConfigTx(configtx *cb.Envelope) (string, error) {
+	payload, err := protoutil.UnmarshalPayload(configtx.Payload)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", errors.WithMessage(err, "error umarshaling envelope to payload")
+	}
+
+	if payload.Header == nil {
+		return "", errors.New("missing channel header")
+	}
+
+	chdr, err := protoutil.UnmarshalChannelHeader(payload.Header.ChannelHeader)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", errors.WithMessage(err, "error unmarshalling channel header")
+	}
+
+	return chdr.ChannelId, nil
+}
diff --git a/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar_test.go b/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar_test.go
index 9c09cea0d4c..cea2c7a65f2 100644
--- a/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar_test.go
+++ b/orderer/common/multichannel/registrar_test.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/orderer/common/multichannel/mocks"
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/orderer/common/types"
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/orderer/consensus"
+	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/orderer/consensus/etcdraft"
 	"github.com/hyperledger/fabric/protoutil"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
@@ -661,6 +662,35 @@ func TestCreateChain(t *testing.T) {
 		close(chain2.Chain.(*mockChainCluster).queue)
 	})
 
+	t.Run("chain of type etcdraft.Chain is already created", func(t *testing.T) {
+		tmpdir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "registrar_test-")
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		defer os.RemoveAll(tmpdir)
+
+		lf, _ := newLedgerAndFactory(tmpdir, "testchannelid", genesisBlockSys)
+
+		consenter := &mocks.Consenter{}
+		consenter.HandleChainCalls(handleChain)
+		consenters := map[string]consensus.Consenter{confSys.Orderer.OrdererType: consenter}
+
+		manager := NewRegistrar(localconfig.TopLevel{}, lf, mockCrypto(), &disabled.Provider{}, cryptoProvider, nil)
+		manager.Initialize(consenters)
+
+		testChainSupport := &ChainSupport{Chain: &etcdraft.Chain{}}
+		manager.chains["test"] = testChainSupport
+
+		orglessChannelConf := genesisconfig.Load(genesisconfig.SampleSingleMSPChannelProfile, configtest.GetDevConfigDir())
+		envConfigUpdate, err := encoder.MakeChannelCreationTransaction("test", mockCrypto(), orglessChannelConf)
+		require.NoError(t, err, "Constructing chain creation tx")
+
+		manager.newChain(envConfigUpdate)
+
+		testChainSupport2 := manager.GetChain("test")
+		require.NotNil(t, testChainSupport2)
+
+		assert.Same(t, testChainSupport, testChainSupport2)
+	})
+
 	// This test brings up the entire system, with the mock consenter, including the broadcasters etc. and creates a new chain
 	t.Run("New chain", func(t *testing.T) {
 		expectedLastConfigSeq := uint64(1)