diff --git a/harness/tests/integration_cases/test_raft_flow_control.rs b/harness/tests/integration_cases/test_raft_flow_control.rs
index bc55583..5f05f27 100644
--- a/harness/tests/integration_cases/test_raft_flow_control.rs
+++ b/harness/tests/integration_cases/test_raft_flow_control.rs
@@ -259,3 +259,34 @@ fn test_msg_app_flow_control_with_freeing_resources() {
     3: cap=256/start=0/count=2/buffer=[2,3]
     */
 }
+
+// Test progress can be disabled with `adjust_max_inflight_msgs(<id>, 0)`.
+#[test]
+fn test_disable_progress() {
+    let l = default_logger();
+    let mut r = new_test_raft(1, vec![1, 2], 5, 1, new_storage(), &l);
+    r.become_candidate();
+    r.become_leader();
+
+    r.mut_prs().get_mut(2).unwrap().become_replicate();
+
+    // Disable the progress 2. Internal `free`s shouldn't fail.
+    r.adjust_max_inflight_msgs(2, 0);
+    r.step(new_message(2, 1, MessageType::MsgHeartbeatResponse, 0))
+        .unwrap();
+    assert!(r.prs().get(2).unwrap().ins.full());
+    assert_eq!(r.prs().get(2).unwrap().ins.count(), 0);
+
+    // Progress 2 is disabled.
+    let msgs = r.read_messages();
+    assert_eq!(msgs.len(), 0);
+
+    // After the progress gets enabled and a heartbeat response is received,
+    // its leader can continue to append entries to it.
+    r.adjust_max_inflight_msgs(2, 10);
+    r.step(new_message(2, 1, MessageType::MsgHeartbeatResponse, 0))
+        .unwrap();
+    let msgs = r.read_messages();
+    assert_eq!(msgs.len(), 1);
+    assert_eq!(msgs[0].get_msg_type(), MessageType::MsgAppend);
+}
diff --git a/src/tracker/inflights.rs b/src/tracker/inflights.rs
index a9626d3..42447fc 100644
--- a/src/tracker/inflights.rs
+++ b/src/tracker/inflights.rs
@@ -154,8 +154,10 @@ impl Inflights {
     /// Frees the first buffer entry.
     #[inline]
     pub fn free_first_one(&mut self) {
-        let start = self.buffer[self.start];
-        self.free_to(start);
+        if self.count > 0 {
+            let start = self.buffer[self.start];
+            self.free_to(start);
+        }
     }
 
     /// Frees all inflights.