Methods for assisting data forwarding during convergence in a multi-homed network are disclosed. In one aspect, a first leaf node is configured to detect when a second leaf node advertises a set of Ethernet segments which are local to the first leaf and advertise reachability information for the second leaf, indicating itself as a backup for the second leaf during convergence. A spine node that receives advertisement messages from such first and second leaf nodes programs its routing table to indicate the direct route to the second leaf as the primary path and the route to the second leaf via the first leaf as a backup path to forward encapsulated packets destined to the second leaf. Upon failure of the second leaf, when the spine node receives data packets destined to the second leaf, the spine node sends the packets to the first leaf instead of the second leaf.