diff --git a/clients/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/clients/NetworkClient.java b/clients/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/clients/NetworkClient.java
index db3c283fbe643..1743003d4917e 100644
--- a/clients/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/clients/NetworkClient.java
+++ b/clients/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/clients/NetworkClient.java
@@ -1556,15 +1556,27 @@ public void close() {
         }
 
         /**
-         * Return true if there's at least one connection establishment is currently underway
+         * Checks current connection states (connected and connecting) against the least loaded node algorithm to
+         * determine if a new connection should be established.
+         *
+         * @return true if a new connection should be established.
          */
-        private boolean isAnyNodeConnecting() {
+        private boolean shouldCreateNewConnection() {
+            // When the least loaded node algorithm is AT_LEAST_THREE, we require at least three connections to be established.
+            int requiredCount = leastLoadedNodeAlgorithm == LeastLoadedNodeAlgorithm.AT_LEAST_THREE ? 3 : 1;
+            boolean hasConnectingNode = false;
             for (Node node : fetchNodes()) {
                 if (connectionStates.isConnecting(node.idString())) {
-                    return true;
+                    --requiredCount;
+                    hasConnectingNode = true;
+                } else if (connectionStates.isConnected(node.idString())) {
+                    --requiredCount;
+                }
+                if (hasConnectingNode && requiredCount <= 0) {
+                    return false;
                 }
             }
-            return false;
+            return true;
         }
 
         /**
@@ -1583,10 +1595,10 @@ private long maybeUpdate(long now, Node node) {
                 return defaultRequestTimeoutMs;
             }
 
-            // If there's any connection establishment underway, wait until it completes. This prevents
-            // the client from unnecessarily connecting to additional nodes while a previous connection
-            // attempt has not been completed.
-            if (isAnyNodeConnecting()) {
+            // If there are already established and establishing connections satisfies the least loaded node algorithm,
+            // wait until they complete. This prevents the client from unnecessarily connecting to additional nodes
+            // before previous connection attempts to complete.
+            if (!shouldCreateNewConnection()) {
                 // Strictly the timeout we should return here is "connect timeout", but as we don't
                 // have such application level configuration, using reconnect backoff instead.
                 return reconnectBackoffMs;