diff --git a/api/machine/machine.proto b/api/machine/machine.proto
index 31f16655db..fe79019480 100644
--- a/api/machine/machine.proto
+++ b/api/machine/machine.proto
@@ -791,6 +791,8 @@ message EtcdMember {
   repeated string peer_urls = 4;
   // the list of URLs the member exposes to the cluster for communication.
   repeated string client_urls = 5;
+  // learner flag
+  bool is_learner = 6;
 }
 
 // EtcdMembers contains the list of members registered on the host.
diff --git a/cmd/talosctl/cmd/talos/etcd.go b/cmd/talosctl/cmd/talos/etcd.go
index afe5359a23..5a37bcd92b 100644
--- a/cmd/talosctl/cmd/talos/etcd.go
+++ b/cmd/talosctl/cmd/talos/etcd.go
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ var etcdMemberListCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 			w := tabwriter.NewWriter(os.Stdout, 0, 0, 3, ' ', 0)
 			node := ""
-			pattern := "%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\n"
+			pattern := "%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\t%v\n"
 
 			for i, message := range response.Messages {
 				if message.Metadata != nil && message.Metadata.Hostname != "" {
@@ -103,10 +103,10 @@ var etcdMemberListCmd = &cobra.Command{
 				for j, member := range message.Members {
 					if i == 0 && j == 0 {
 						if node != "" {
-							fmt.Fprintln(w, "NODE\tID\tHOSTNAME\tPEER URLS\tCLIENT URLS")
+							fmt.Fprintln(w, "NODE\tID\tHOSTNAME\tPEER URLS\tCLIENT URLS\tLEARNER")
 							pattern = "%s\t" + pattern
 						} else {
-							fmt.Fprintln(w, "ID\tHOSTNAME\tPEER URLS\tCLIENT URLS")
+							fmt.Fprintln(w, "ID\tHOSTNAME\tPEER URLS\tCLIENT URLS\tLEARNER")
 						}
 					}
 
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ var etcdMemberListCmd = &cobra.Command{
 						member.Hostname,
 						strings.Join(member.PeerUrls, ","),
 						strings.Join(member.ClientUrls, ","),
+						member.IsLearner,
 					}
 					if node != "" {
 						args = append([]interface{}{node}, args...)
diff --git a/hack/release.toml b/hack/release.toml
index ce29ae958a..2534ebbff7 100644
--- a/hack/release.toml
+++ b/hack/release.toml
@@ -61,6 +61,13 @@ the default values overwritten by Talos.
 * runc: 1.0.1
 * GRUB: 2.06
 * Talos is built with Go 1.16.6
+"""
+
+    [notes.etcd]
+        title = "etcd"
+        description = """\
+New etcd cluster members are now joined in [learner mode](https://etcd.io/docs/v3.4/learning/design-learner/), which improves cluster resiliency
+to member join issues.
 """
 
     [notes.capi]
diff --git a/internal/app/machined/internal/server/v1alpha1/v1alpha1_server.go b/internal/app/machined/internal/server/v1alpha1/v1alpha1_server.go
index 08d1936e22..a0297a26e0 100644
--- a/internal/app/machined/internal/server/v1alpha1/v1alpha1_server.go
+++ b/internal/app/machined/internal/server/v1alpha1/v1alpha1_server.go
@@ -1712,6 +1712,7 @@ func (s *Server) EtcdMemberList(ctx context.Context, in *machine.EtcdMemberListR
 				Hostname:   member.GetName(),
 				PeerUrls:   member.GetPeerURLs(),
 				ClientUrls: member.GetClientURLs(),
+				IsLearner:  member.GetIsLearner(),
 			},
 		)
 
diff --git a/internal/app/machined/pkg/system/services/etcd.go b/internal/app/machined/pkg/system/services/etcd.go
index 3464579c1a..0e0d0cdfe4 100644
--- a/internal/app/machined/pkg/system/services/etcd.go
+++ b/internal/app/machined/pkg/system/services/etcd.go
@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@ type Etcd struct {
 
 	args   []string
 	client *etcd.Client
+
+	// if the new member was added as a learner during the service start, its ID is kept here
+	learnerMemberID uint64
+
+	promoteCtxCancel context.CancelFunc
 }
 
 // ID implements the Service interface.
@@ -95,6 +100,9 @@ func (e *Etcd) PreFunc(ctx context.Context, r runtime.Runtime) (err error) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to pull image %q: %w", r.Config().Cluster().Etcd().Image(), err)
 	}
 
+	// Clear any previously set learner member ID
+	e.learnerMemberID = 0
+
 	switch t := r.Config().Machine().Type(); t {
 	case machine.TypeInit:
 		return e.argsForInit(ctx, r)
@@ -111,6 +119,10 @@ func (e *Etcd) PreFunc(ctx context.Context, r runtime.Runtime) (err error) {
 
 // PostFunc implements the Service interface.
 func (e *Etcd) PostFunc(r runtime.Runtime, state events.ServiceState) (err error) {
+	if e.promoteCtxCancel != nil {
+		e.promoteCtxCancel()
+	}
+
 	if e.client != nil {
 		e.client.Close() //nolint:errcheck
 	}
@@ -157,6 +169,20 @@ func (e *Etcd) Runner(r runtime.Runtime) (runner.Runner, error) {
 
 	env = append(env, "ETCD_CIPHER_SUITES=TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256,TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256,TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384,TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384,TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_CHACHA20_POLY1305,TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_CHACHA20_POLY1305") //nolint:lll
 
+	if e.learnerMemberID != 0 {
+		var promoteCtx context.Context
+
+		promoteCtx, e.promoteCtxCancel = context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+
+		go func() {
+			if err := promoteMember(promoteCtx, r, e.learnerMemberID); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
+				log.Printf("failed promoting member: %s", err)
+			} else if err == nil {
+				log.Printf("successfully promoted etcd member")
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+
 	return restart.New(containerd.NewRunner(
 		r.Config().Debug(),
 		&args,
@@ -304,7 +330,7 @@ func addMember(ctx context.Context, r runtime.Runtime, addrs []string, name stri
 		}
 	}
 
-	add, err := client.MemberAdd(ctx, addrs)
+	add, err := client.MemberAddAsLearner(ctx, addrs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, 0, fmt.Errorf("error adding member: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -317,7 +343,9 @@ func addMember(ctx context.Context, r runtime.Runtime, addrs []string, name stri
 	return list, add.Member.ID, nil
 }
 
-func buildInitialCluster(ctx context.Context, r runtime.Runtime, name, ip string) (initial string, err error) {
+func buildInitialCluster(ctx context.Context, r runtime.Runtime, name, ip string) (initial string, learnerMemberID uint64, err error) {
+	var id uint64
+
 	err = retry.Constant(10*time.Minute,
 		retry.WithUnits(3*time.Second),
 		retry.WithJitter(time.Second),
@@ -326,7 +354,6 @@ func buildInitialCluster(ctx context.Context, r runtime.Runtime, name, ip string
 		var (
 			peerAddrs = []string{"https://" + net.FormatAddress(ip) + ":2380"}
 			resp      *clientv3.MemberListResponse
-			id        uint64
 		)
 
 		attemptCtx, attemptCtxCancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 30*time.Second)
@@ -362,10 +389,10 @@ func buildInitialCluster(ctx context.Context, r runtime.Runtime, name, ip string
 	})
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to build cluster arguments: %w", err)
+		return "", 0, fmt.Errorf("failed to build cluster arguments: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	return initial, nil
+	return initial, id, nil
 }
 
 //nolint:gocyclo
@@ -441,7 +468,7 @@ func (e *Etcd) argsForInit(ctx context.Context, r runtime.Runtime) error {
 			if upgraded {
 				denyListArgs.Set("initial-cluster-state", "existing")
 
-				initialCluster, err = buildInitialCluster(ctx, r, hostname, primaryAddr)
+				initialCluster, e.learnerMemberID, err = buildInitialCluster(ctx, r, hostname, primaryAddr)
 				if err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
@@ -534,7 +561,7 @@ func (e *Etcd) argsForControlPlane(ctx context.Context, r runtime.Runtime) error
 			if e.Bootstrap {
 				initialCluster = fmt.Sprintf("%s=https://%s:2380", hostname, net.FormatAddress(primaryAddr))
 			} else {
-				initialCluster, err = buildInitialCluster(ctx, r, hostname, primaryAddr)
+				initialCluster, e.learnerMemberID, err = buildInitialCluster(ctx, r, hostname, primaryAddr)
 				if err != nil {
 					return fmt.Errorf("failed to build initial etcd cluster: %w", err)
 				}
@@ -591,6 +618,27 @@ func (e *Etcd) recoverFromSnapshot(hostname, primaryAddr string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func promoteMember(ctx context.Context, r runtime.Runtime, memberID uint64) error {
+	// try to promote a member until it succeeds (call might fail until the member catches up with the leader)
+	// promote member call will fail until member catches up with the master
+	return retry.Constant(10*time.Minute,
+		retry.WithUnits(10*time.Second),
+		retry.WithJitter(time.Second),
+		retry.WithErrorLogging(true),
+	).RetryWithContext(ctx, func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		client, err := etcd.NewClientFromControlPlaneIPs(ctx, r.Config().Cluster().CA(), r.Config().Cluster().Endpoint())
+		if err != nil {
+			return retry.ExpectedError(err)
+		}
+
+		defer client.Close() //nolint:errcheck
+
+		_, err = client.MemberPromote(ctx, memberID)
+
+		return retry.ExpectedError(err)
+	})
+}
+
 // IsDirEmpty checks if a directory is empty or not.
 func IsDirEmpty(name string) (bool, error) {
 	f, err := os.Open(name)
diff --git a/pkg/machinery/api/machine/machine.pb.go b/pkg/machinery/api/machine/machine.pb.go
index 9d8e85e884..81ac982454 100644
--- a/pkg/machinery/api/machine/machine.pb.go
+++ b/pkg/machinery/api/machine/machine.pb.go
@@ -7321,6 +7321,8 @@ type EtcdMember struct {
 	PeerUrls []string `protobuf:"bytes,4,rep,name=peer_urls,json=peerUrls,proto3" json:"peer_urls,omitempty"`
 	// the list of URLs the member exposes to the cluster for communication.
 	ClientUrls []string `protobuf:"bytes,5,rep,name=client_urls,json=clientUrls,proto3" json:"client_urls,omitempty"`
+	// learner flag
+	IsLearner bool `protobuf:"varint,6,opt,name=is_learner,json=isLearner,proto3" json:"is_learner,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (x *EtcdMember) Reset() {
@@ -7383,6 +7385,13 @@ func (x *EtcdMember) GetClientUrls() []string {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (x *EtcdMember) GetIsLearner() bool {
+	if x != nil {
+		return x.IsLearner
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 // EtcdMembers contains the list of members registered on the host.
 type EtcdMembers struct {
 	state         protoimpl.MessageState
@@ -9474,15 +9483,17 @@ var file_machine_machine_proto_rawDesc = []byte{
 	0x73, 0x22, 0x38, 0x0a, 0x15, 0x45, 0x74, 0x63, 0x64, 0x4d, 0x65, 0x6d, 0x62, 0x65, 0x72, 0x4c,
 	0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x52, 0x65, 0x71, 0x75, 0x65, 0x73, 0x74, 0x12, 0x1f, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0x71, 0x75,
 	0x65, 0x72, 0x79, 0x5f, 0x6c, 0x6f, 0x63, 0x61, 0x6c, 0x18, 0x01, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x08, 0x52,
-	0x0a, 0x71, 0x75, 0x65, 0x72, 0x79, 0x4c, 0x6f, 0x63, 0x61, 0x6c, 0x22, 0x76, 0x0a, 0x0a, 0x45,
-	0x74, 0x63, 0x64, 0x4d, 0x65, 0x6d, 0x62, 0x65, 0x72, 0x12, 0x0e, 0x0a, 0x02, 0x69, 0x64, 0x18,
-	0x02, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x04, 0x52, 0x02, 0x69, 0x64, 0x12, 0x1a, 0x0a, 0x08, 0x68, 0x6f, 0x73,
-	0x74, 0x6e, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x18, 0x03, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x09, 0x52, 0x08, 0x68, 0x6f, 0x73,
-	0x74, 0x6e, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x12, 0x1b, 0x0a, 0x09, 0x70, 0x65, 0x65, 0x72, 0x5f, 0x75, 0x72,
-	0x6c, 0x73, 0x18, 0x04, 0x20, 0x03, 0x28, 0x09, 0x52, 0x08, 0x70, 0x65, 0x65, 0x72, 0x55, 0x72,
-	0x6c, 0x73, 0x12, 0x1f, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0x63, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x65, 0x6e, 0x74, 0x5f, 0x75, 0x72, 0x6c,
-	0x73, 0x18, 0x05, 0x20, 0x03, 0x28, 0x09, 0x52, 0x0a, 0x63, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x65, 0x6e, 0x74, 0x55,
-	0x72, 0x6c, 0x73, 0x22, 0x91, 0x01, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0x45, 0x74, 0x63, 0x64, 0x4d, 0x65, 0x6d, 0x62,
+	0x0a, 0x71, 0x75, 0x65, 0x72, 0x79, 0x4c, 0x6f, 0x63, 0x61, 0x6c, 0x22, 0x95, 0x01, 0x0a, 0x0a,
+	0x45, 0x74, 0x63, 0x64, 0x4d, 0x65, 0x6d, 0x62, 0x65, 0x72, 0x12, 0x0e, 0x0a, 0x02, 0x69, 0x64,
+	0x18, 0x02, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x04, 0x52, 0x02, 0x69, 0x64, 0x12, 0x1a, 0x0a, 0x08, 0x68, 0x6f,
+	0x73, 0x74, 0x6e, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x18, 0x03, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x09, 0x52, 0x08, 0x68, 0x6f,
+	0x73, 0x74, 0x6e, 0x61, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x12, 0x1b, 0x0a, 0x09, 0x70, 0x65, 0x65, 0x72, 0x5f, 0x75,
+	0x72, 0x6c, 0x73, 0x18, 0x04, 0x20, 0x03, 0x28, 0x09, 0x52, 0x08, 0x70, 0x65, 0x65, 0x72, 0x55,
+	0x72, 0x6c, 0x73, 0x12, 0x1f, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0x63, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x65, 0x6e, 0x74, 0x5f, 0x75, 0x72,
+	0x6c, 0x73, 0x18, 0x05, 0x20, 0x03, 0x28, 0x09, 0x52, 0x0a, 0x63, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x65, 0x6e, 0x74,
+	0x55, 0x72, 0x6c, 0x73, 0x12, 0x1d, 0x0a, 0x0a, 0x69, 0x73, 0x5f, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x61, 0x72, 0x6e,
+	0x65, 0x72, 0x18, 0x06, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x08, 0x52, 0x09, 0x69, 0x73, 0x4c, 0x65, 0x61, 0x72,
+	0x6e, 0x65, 0x72, 0x22, 0x91, 0x01, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0x45, 0x74, 0x63, 0x64, 0x4d, 0x65, 0x6d, 0x62,
 	0x65, 0x72, 0x73, 0x12, 0x2c, 0x0a, 0x08, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x74, 0x61, 0x64, 0x61, 0x74, 0x61, 0x18,
 	0x01, 0x20, 0x01, 0x28, 0x0b, 0x32, 0x10, 0x2e, 0x63, 0x6f, 0x6d, 0x6d, 0x6f, 0x6e, 0x2e, 0x4d,
 	0x65, 0x74, 0x61, 0x64, 0x61, 0x74, 0x61, 0x52, 0x08, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x74, 0x61, 0x64, 0x61, 0x74,
diff --git a/pkg/machinery/api/machine/machine_vtproto.pb.go b/pkg/machinery/api/machine/machine_vtproto.pb.go
index 1cacb516dd..5176b0049e 100644
--- a/pkg/machinery/api/machine/machine_vtproto.pb.go
+++ b/pkg/machinery/api/machine/machine_vtproto.pb.go
@@ -6600,6 +6600,16 @@ func (m *EtcdMember) MarshalToSizedBufferVT(dAtA []byte) (int, error) {
 		i -= len(m.unknownFields)
 		copy(dAtA[i:], m.unknownFields)
 	}
+	if m.IsLearner {
+		i--
+		if m.IsLearner {
+			dAtA[i] = 1
+		} else {
+			dAtA[i] = 0
+		}
+		i--
+		dAtA[i] = 0x30
+	}
 	if len(m.ClientUrls) > 0 {
 		for iNdEx := len(m.ClientUrls) - 1; iNdEx >= 0; iNdEx-- {
 			i -= len(m.ClientUrls[iNdEx])
@@ -10642,6 +10652,9 @@ func (m *EtcdMember) SizeVT() (n int) {
 			n += 1 + l + sov(uint64(l))
 		}
 	}
+	if m.IsLearner {
+		n += 2
+	}
 	if m.unknownFields != nil {
 		n += len(m.unknownFields)
 	}
@@ -26123,6 +26136,26 @@ func (m *EtcdMember) UnmarshalVT(dAtA []byte) error {
 			}
 			m.ClientUrls = append(m.ClientUrls, string(dAtA[iNdEx:postIndex]))
 			iNdEx = postIndex
+		case 6:
+			if wireType != 0 {
+				return fmt.Errorf("proto: wrong wireType = %d for field IsLearner", wireType)
+			}
+			var v int
+			for shift := uint(0); ; shift += 7 {
+				if shift >= 64 {
+					return ErrIntOverflow
+				}
+				if iNdEx >= l {
+					return io.ErrUnexpectedEOF
+				}
+				b := dAtA[iNdEx]
+				iNdEx++
+				v |= int(b&0x7F) << shift
+				if b < 0x80 {
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			m.IsLearner = bool(v != 0)
 		default:
 			iNdEx = preIndex
 			skippy, err := skip(dAtA[iNdEx:])
diff --git a/website/content/docs/v0.12/Reference/api.md b/website/content/docs/v0.12/Reference/api.md
index 0927672621..10bf5942ab 100644
--- a/website/content/docs/v0.12/Reference/api.md
+++ b/website/content/docs/v0.12/Reference/api.md
@@ -1023,6 +1023,7 @@ EtcdMember describes a single etcd member.
 | hostname | [string](#string) |  | human-readable name of the member. |
 | peer_urls | [string](#string) | repeated | the list of URLs the member exposes to clients for communication. |
 | client_urls | [string](#string) | repeated | the list of URLs the member exposes to the cluster for communication. |
+| is_learner | [bool](#bool) |  | learner flag |