diff --git a/changelog/15519.txt b/changelog/15519.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d0ec744075
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/15519.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+storage/raft: joining a node to a cluster now ignores any VAULT_NAMESPACE environment variable set on the server process
+```
diff --git a/vault/raft.go b/vault/raft.go
index daa919ea34..bffab8a69a 100644
--- a/vault/raft.go
+++ b/vault/raft.go
@@ -777,6 +777,8 @@ func (c *Core) getRaftChallenge(leaderInfo *raft.LeaderJoinInfo) (*raftInformati
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create api client: %w", err)
 	}
+	// Clearing namespace, as this client should only ever be using the root namespace
+	apiClient.ClearNamespace()
 
 	// Attempt to join the leader by requesting for the bootstrap challenge
 	secret, err := apiClient.Logical().Write("sys/storage/raft/bootstrap/challenge", map[string]interface{}{