diff --git a/app/vmselect/promql/exec_test.go b/app/vmselect/promql/exec_test.go
index 57d381502..8003ba342 100644
--- a/app/vmselect/promql/exec_test.go
+++ b/app/vmselect/promql/exec_test.go
@@ -6132,7 +6132,7 @@ func TestExecSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 		q := `interpolate(time() < 1300)`
 		r1 := netstorage.Result{
 			MetricName: metricNameExpected,
-			Values:     []float64{1000, 1200, 1200, 1200, 1200, 1200},
+			Values:     []float64{1000, 1200, nan, nan, nan, nan},
 			Timestamps: timestampsExpected,
 		}
 		resultExpected := []netstorage.Result{r1}
@@ -6143,7 +6143,18 @@ func TestExecSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 		q := `interpolate(time() > 1500)`
 		r1 := netstorage.Result{
 			MetricName: metricNameExpected,
-			Values:     []float64{1600, 1600, 1600, 1600, 1800, 2000},
+			Values:     []float64{nan, nan, nan, 1600, 1800, 2000},
+			Timestamps: timestampsExpected,
+		}
+		resultExpected := []netstorage.Result{r1}
+		f(q, resultExpected)
+	})
+	t.Run(`interpolate(tail_head_and_middle)`, func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		q := `interpolate(time() > 1100 and time() < 1300 default time() > 1700 and time() < 1900)`
+		r1 := netstorage.Result{
+			MetricName: metricNameExpected,
+			Values:     []float64{nan, 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800, nan},
 			Timestamps: timestampsExpected,
 		}
 		resultExpected := []netstorage.Result{r1}
diff --git a/app/vmselect/promql/transform.go b/app/vmselect/promql/transform.go
index 62e5cd92e..16c6cda2b 100644
--- a/app/vmselect/promql/transform.go
+++ b/app/vmselect/promql/transform.go
@@ -1165,7 +1165,8 @@ func transformInterpolate(tfa *transformFuncArg) ([]*timeseries, error) {
 	}
 	rvs := args[0]
 	for _, ts := range rvs {
-		values := ts.Values
+		values := skipLeadingNaNs(ts.Values)
+		values = skipTrailingNaNs(values)
 		if len(values) == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/docs/CHANGELOG.md b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
index fa6f9c221..76a157f7d 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ The following tip changes can be tested by building VictoriaMetrics components f
 * BUGFIX: [vmagent](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/vmagent.html): fix [Azure service discovery](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/sd_configs.html#azure_sd_configs) inside [Azure Container App](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/container-apps/overview). See [this issue](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/3830). Thanks to @MattiasAng for the fix!
 * BUGFIX: prevent from possible data ingestion slowdown and query performance slowdown during [background merges of big parts](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/#storage) on systems with small number of CPU cores (1 or 2 CPU cores). The issue has been introduced in [v1.85.0](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/CHANGELOG.html#v1850) when implementing [this feature](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/3337). See also [this issue](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/3790).
 * BUGFIX: properly parse timestamps in milliseconds when [ingesting data via OpenTSDB telnet put protocol](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/#sending-data-via-telnet-put-protocol). Previously timestamps in milliseconds were mistakenly multiplied by 1000. Thanks to @Droxenator for the [pull request](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/pull/3810).
+* BUGFIX: [MetricsQL](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/MetricsQL.html): do not add extrapolated points outside the real points when using [interpolate()](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/MetricsQL.html#interpolate) function. See [this issue](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/3816).
 
 ## [v1.87.1](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/releases/tag/v1.87.1)