diff --git a/lib/charms/opensearch/v0/opensearch_base_charm.py b/lib/charms/opensearch/v0/opensearch_base_charm.py
index 56081f80d..df4a536f8 100644
--- a/lib/charms/opensearch/v0/opensearch_base_charm.py
+++ b/lib/charms/opensearch/v0/opensearch_base_charm.py
@@ -428,6 +428,7 @@ def _on_peer_relation_joined(self, event: RelationJoinedEvent):
 
     def _on_peer_relation_changed(self, event: RelationChangedEvent):
         """Handle peer relation changes."""
+        logger.warning(f"FOO: {event.relation.data=}")
         if (
             self.unit.is_leader()
             and self.opensearch.is_node_up()
@@ -810,6 +811,10 @@ def _handle_change_to_main_orchestrator_if_needed(
 
     def _start_opensearch(self, event: _StartOpenSearch) -> None:  # noqa: C901
         """Start OpenSearch, with a generated or passed conf, if all resources configured."""
+        if not self._can_service_start():
+            self.node_lock.release()
+            event.defer()
+            return
         if not self.node_lock.acquired:
             # (Attempt to acquire lock even if `event.ignore_lock`)
             if event.ignore_lock:
@@ -827,11 +832,6 @@ def _start_opensearch(self, event: _StartOpenSearch) -> None:  # noqa: C901
                 event.defer()
             return
 
-        if not self._can_service_start():
-            self.node_lock.release()
-            event.defer()
-            return
-
         if self.opensearch.is_failed():
             self.node_lock.release()
             self.status.set(BlockedStatus(ServiceStartError))
@@ -1287,7 +1287,13 @@ def _recompute_roles_if_needed(self, event: RelationChangedEvent):
         try:
             nodes = self._get_nodes(self.opensearch.is_node_up())
             if len(nodes) < self.app.planned_units():
+                if self._is_peer_rel_changed_deferred:
+                    # We already deferred this event during this Juju event. Retry on the next
+                    # Juju event.
+                    return
                 event.defer()
+                # If the handler is called again within this Juju hook, we will abandon the event
+                self._is_peer_rel_changed_deferred = True
                 return
 
             self._compute_and_broadcast_updated_topology(nodes)
diff --git a/lib/charms/opensearch/v0/opensearch_locking.py b/lib/charms/opensearch/v0/opensearch_locking.py
index ab2763d36..450538aba 100644
--- a/lib/charms/opensearch/v0/opensearch_locking.py
+++ b/lib/charms/opensearch/v0/opensearch_locking.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 import typing
 
 import ops
+from charms.opensearch.v0.constants_charm import PeerRelationName
 from charms.opensearch.v0.helper_cluster import ClusterTopology
 from charms.opensearch.v0.opensearch_exceptions import OpenSearchHttpError
 
@@ -221,6 +222,26 @@ def acquired(self) -> bool:  # noqa: C901
             host = self._charm.unit_ip
         else:
             host = None
+        if (
+            self._charm.app.planned_units() > 1
+            and (relation := self._charm.model.get_relation(PeerRelationName))
+            and not relation.units
+        ):
+            # On initial startup (e.g. scaling up, on the new unit), `self._charm.alt_hosts` will
+            # be empty since it uses `Relation.units` on the `PeerRelationName`.
+            # Initial startup event sequence (some events omitted for brevity):
+            # - install
+            # - peer-relation-created
+            # - start
+            # - peer-relation-joined (e.g. for unit 2)
+            # - peer-relation-changed
+            # - peer-relation-joined (e.g. for unit 0)
+            # Until the peer relation joined event, `Relation.units` will be empty
+            # Therefore, before the first peer relation joined event, we should avoid acquiring the
+            # lock since otherwise we would fall back to the peer databag lock even if OpenSearch
+            # nodes were online.
+            logger.debug("[Node lock] Waiting for peer units before acquiring lock")
+            return False
         alt_hosts = [host for host in self._charm.alt_hosts if self._opensearch.is_node_up(host)]
         if host or alt_hosts:
             logger.debug("[Node lock] 1+ opensearch nodes online")