diff --git a/workflow/common/common.go b/workflow/common/common.go
index 1838972cc49a..df259f50674e 100644
--- a/workflow/common/common.go
+++ b/workflow/common/common.go
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ const (
 	// AnnotationKeyArtifactGCStrategy is listed as an annotation on the Artifact GC Pod to identify
 	// the strategy whose artifacts are being deleted
 	AnnotationKeyArtifactGCStrategy = workflow.WorkflowFullName + "/artifact-gc-strategy"
+
+	// AnnotationKeyLastSeenVersion stores the last seen version of the workflow when it was last successfully processed by the controller
+	AnnotationKeyLastSeenVersion = workflow.WorkflowFullName + "/last-seen-version"
+
 	// AnnotationKeyPodGCStrategy is listed as an annotation on the Pod
 	// the strategy for the pod, in case the pod is orphaned from its workflow
 	AnnotationKeyPodGCStrategy = workflow.WorkflowFullName + "/pod-gc-strategy"
diff --git a/workflow/controller/controller.go b/workflow/controller/controller.go
index 211b8f4a3089..66d57f282d5c 100644
--- a/workflow/controller/controller.go
+++ b/workflow/controller/controller.go
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ type recentCompletions struct {
 	mutex       gosync.RWMutex
 }
 
+type lastSeenVersions struct {
+	versions map[string]string
+	mutex    gosync.RWMutex
+}
+
 // WorkflowController is the controller for workflow resources
 type WorkflowController struct {
 	// namespace of the workflow controller
@@ -148,6 +153,8 @@ type WorkflowController struct {
 	executorPlugins          map[string]map[string]*spec.Plugin // namespace -> name -> plugin
 
 	recentCompletions recentCompletions
+
+	lastSeenVersions lastSeenVersions // key: workflow UID, value: resource version
 }
 
 const (
@@ -201,6 +208,10 @@ func NewWorkflowController(ctx context.Context, restConfig *rest.Config, kubecli
 		eventRecorderManager:       events.NewEventRecorderManager(kubeclientset),
 		progressPatchTickDuration:  env.LookupEnvDurationOr(common.EnvVarProgressPatchTickDuration, 1*time.Minute),
 		progressFileTickDuration:   env.LookupEnvDurationOr(common.EnvVarProgressFileTickDuration, 3*time.Second),
+		lastSeenVersions: lastSeenVersions{
+			versions: make(map[string]string),
+			mutex:    gosync.RWMutex{},
+		},
 	}
 
 	if executorPlugins {
@@ -687,6 +698,12 @@ func (wfc *WorkflowController) processNextItem(ctx context.Context) bool {
 		return true
 	}
 
+	if wfc.isOutdated(un) {
+		log.WithField("key", key).Debug("Skipping outdated workflow event")
+		wfc.wfQueue.AddRateLimited(key)
+		return true
+	}
+
 	if !reconciliationNeeded(un) {
 		log.WithFields(log.Fields{"key": key}).Debug("Won't process Workflow since it's completed")
 		return true
@@ -903,6 +920,7 @@ func (wfc *WorkflowController) addWorkflowInformerHandlers(ctx context.Context)
 				if !needed {
 					key, _ := cache.MetaNamespaceKeyFunc(un)
 					wfc.recordCompletedWorkflow(key)
+					wfc.deleteLastSeenVersionKey(wfc.getLastSeenVersionKey(un))
 				}
 				return needed
 			},
@@ -960,6 +978,7 @@ func (wfc *WorkflowController) addWorkflowInformerHandlers(ctx context.Context)
 						// no need to add to the queue - this workflow is done
 						wfc.throttler.Remove(key)
 					}
+					wfc.deleteLastSeenVersionKey(wfc.getLastSeenVersionKey(obj.(*unstructured.Unstructured)))
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -1300,3 +1319,25 @@ func (wfc *WorkflowController) IsLeader() bool {
 	// the wfc.wfInformer is nil if it is not the leader
 	return wfc.wfInformer != nil
 }
+
+func (wfc *WorkflowController) isOutdated(wf metav1.Object) bool {
+	wfc.lastSeenVersions.mutex.RLock()
+	defer wfc.lastSeenVersions.mutex.RUnlock()
+	lastSeenRV, ok := wfc.lastSeenVersions.versions[wfc.getLastSeenVersionKey(wf)]
+	// always process if not seen before
+	if !ok || lastSeenRV == "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	annotations := wf.GetAnnotations()[common.AnnotationKeyLastSeenVersion]
+	return annotations != lastSeenRV
+}
+
+func (wfc *WorkflowController) getLastSeenVersionKey(wf metav1.Object) string {
+	return string(wf.GetUID())
+}
+
+func (wfc *WorkflowController) deleteLastSeenVersionKey(key string) {
+	wfc.lastSeenVersions.mutex.Lock()
+	defer wfc.lastSeenVersions.mutex.Unlock()
+	delete(wfc.lastSeenVersions.versions, key)
+}
diff --git a/workflow/controller/operator.go b/workflow/controller/operator.go
index 9a63b32c2e71..c410baf2c74e 100644
--- a/workflow/controller/operator.go
+++ b/workflow/controller/operator.go
@@ -758,6 +758,8 @@ func (woc *wfOperationCtx) persistUpdates(ctx context.Context) {
 		woc.log.WithError(err).Warn("error updating taskset")
 	}
 
+	oldRV := woc.wf.ResourceVersion
+	woc.updateLastSeenVersionAnnotation(oldRV)
 	wf, err := wfClient.Update(ctx, woc.wf, metav1.UpdateOptions{})
 	if err != nil {
 		woc.log.Warnf("Error updating workflow: %v %s", err, apierr.ReasonForError(err))
@@ -780,6 +782,7 @@ func (woc *wfOperationCtx) persistUpdates(ctx context.Context) {
 		woc.controller.hydrator.HydrateWithNodes(woc.wf, nodes)
 	}
 
+	woc.updateLastSeenVersion(oldRV)
 	// The workflow returned from wfClient.Update doesn't have a TypeMeta associated
 	// with it, so copy from the original workflow.
 	woc.wf.TypeMeta = woc.orig.TypeMeta
@@ -861,9 +864,13 @@ func (woc *wfOperationCtx) writeBackToInformer() error {
 func (woc *wfOperationCtx) persistWorkflowSizeLimitErr(ctx context.Context, wfClient v1alpha1.WorkflowInterface, err error) {
 	woc.wf = woc.orig.DeepCopy()
 	woc.markWorkflowError(ctx, err)
+	oldRV := woc.wf.ResourceVersion
+	woc.updateLastSeenVersionAnnotation(oldRV)
 	_, err = wfClient.Update(ctx, woc.wf, metav1.UpdateOptions{})
 	if err != nil {
 		woc.log.Warnf("Error updating workflow with size error: %v", err)
+	} else {
+		woc.updateLastSeenVersion(oldRV)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -4291,3 +4298,19 @@ func getChildNodeIdsRetried(node *wfv1.NodeStatus, nodes wfv1.Nodes) []string {
 	}
 	return childrenIds
 }
+
+func (woc *wfOperationCtx) updateLastSeenVersionAnnotation(value string) {
+	if woc.wf.GetAnnotations() == nil {
+		woc.wf.SetAnnotations(make(map[string]string))
+	}
+	woc.wf.GetAnnotations()[common.AnnotationKeyLastSeenVersion] = value
+}
+
+func (woc *wfOperationCtx) updateLastSeenVersion(value string) {
+	woc.controller.lastSeenVersions.mutex.Lock()
+	defer woc.controller.lastSeenVersions.mutex.Unlock()
+	if woc.controller.lastSeenVersions.versions == nil {
+		woc.controller.lastSeenVersions.versions = make(map[string]string)
+	}
+	woc.controller.lastSeenVersions.versions[woc.controller.getLastSeenVersionKey(woc.wf)] = value
+}