diff --git a/proxyd/config.go b/proxyd/config.go
index cd0cca135101..3c622f86ddb6 100644
--- a/proxyd/config.go
+++ b/proxyd/config.go
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ type BackendGroupConfig struct {
 	ConsensusHA                  bool         `toml:"consensus_ha"`
 	ConsensusHAHeartbeatInterval TOMLDuration `toml:"consensus_ha_heartbeat_interval"`
 	ConsensusHALockPeriod        TOMLDuration `toml:"consensus_ha_lock_period"`
+	ConsensusHARedis             RedisConfig  `toml:"consensus_ha_redis"`
 }
 
 type BackendGroupsConfig map[string]*BackendGroupConfig
diff --git a/proxyd/proxyd.go b/proxyd/proxyd.go
index 7af47b1a7d20..b85342938590 100644
--- a/proxyd/proxyd.go
+++ b/proxyd/proxyd.go
@@ -335,8 +335,8 @@ func Start(config *Config) (*Server, func(), error) {
 
 			var tracker ConsensusTracker
 			if bgcfg.ConsensusHA {
-				if redisClient == nil {
-					log.Crit("cant start - consensus high availability requires redis")
+				if bgcfg.ConsensusHARedis.URL == "" {
+					log.Crit("must specify a consensus_ha_redis config when consensus_ha is true")
 				}
 				topts := make([]RedisConsensusTrackerOpt, 0)
 				if bgcfg.ConsensusHALockPeriod > 0 {
@@ -345,7 +345,11 @@ func Start(config *Config) (*Server, func(), error) {
 				if bgcfg.ConsensusHAHeartbeatInterval > 0 {
 					topts = append(topts, WithLockPeriod(time.Duration(bgcfg.ConsensusHAHeartbeatInterval)))
 				}
-				tracker = NewRedisConsensusTracker(context.Background(), redisClient, bg, bg.Name, topts...)
+				consensusHARedisClient, err := NewRedisClient(bgcfg.ConsensusHARedis.URL)
+				if err != nil {
+					return nil, nil, err
+				}
+				tracker = NewRedisConsensusTracker(context.Background(), consensusHARedisClient, bg, bg.Name, topts...)
 				copts = append(copts, WithTracker(tracker))
 			}