diff --git a/src/evict.c b/src/evict.c
index 39deb65a..980a91f7 100644
--- a/src/evict.c
+++ b/src/evict.c
@@ -444,9 +444,15 @@ int getMaxmemoryState(size_t *total, size_t *logical, size_t *tofree, float *lev
  * Otehrwise if we are over the memory limit, but not enough memory
  * was freed to return back under the limit, the function returns C_ERR. */
 int freeMemoryIfNeeded(void) {
-    /* By default slaves should ignore maxmemory and just be masters excat
-     * copies. */
-    if (server.masterhost && server.repl_slave_ignore_maxmemory) return C_OK;
+    /* By default replicas should ignore maxmemory
+     * and just be masters exact copies.
+     *
+     * And don't care about mem if loading. */
+    if (server.loading ||
+        (server.masterhost && server.repl_slave_ignore_maxmemory))
+    {
+        return C_OK;
+    }
 
     size_t mem_reported, mem_tofree, mem_freed;
     mstime_t latency, eviction_latency;