diff --git a/server/grpc_service.go b/server/grpc_service.go
index 48ac9875415..40c36e35ef7 100644
--- a/server/grpc_service.go
+++ b/server/grpc_service.go
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ var (
 	ErrNotStarted           = status.Errorf(codes.Unavailable, "server not started")
 	ErrSendHeartbeatTimeout = status.Errorf(codes.DeadlineExceeded, "send heartbeat timeout")
 	ErrNotFoundTSOAddr      = status.Errorf(codes.NotFound, "not found tso address")
+	ErrEtcdNotStarted       = status.Errorf(codes.Unavailable, "server is started, but etcd not started")
 )
 
 // GrpcServer wraps Server to provide grpc service.
@@ -1835,6 +1836,9 @@ const globalConfigPath = "/global/config/"
 // Since item value needs to support marshal of different struct types,
 // it should be set to `Payload bytes` instead of `Value string`
 func (s *GrpcServer) StoreGlobalConfig(_ context.Context, request *pdpb.StoreGlobalConfigRequest) (*pdpb.StoreGlobalConfigResponse, error) {
+	if s.client == nil {
+		return nil, ErrEtcdNotStarted
+	}
 	configPath := request.GetConfigPath()
 	if configPath == "" {
 		configPath = globalConfigPath
@@ -1869,6 +1873,9 @@ func (s *GrpcServer) StoreGlobalConfig(_ context.Context, request *pdpb.StoreGlo
 // - `Names` iteratively get value from `ConfigPath/Name` but not care about revision
 // - `ConfigPath` if `Names` is nil can get all values and revision of current path
 func (s *GrpcServer) LoadGlobalConfig(ctx context.Context, request *pdpb.LoadGlobalConfigRequest) (*pdpb.LoadGlobalConfigResponse, error) {
+	if s.client == nil {
+		return nil, ErrEtcdNotStarted
+	}
 	configPath := request.GetConfigPath()
 	if configPath == "" {
 		configPath = globalConfigPath
@@ -1905,6 +1912,9 @@ func (s *GrpcServer) LoadGlobalConfig(ctx context.Context, request *pdpb.LoadGlo
 // by Etcd.Watch() as long as the context has not been canceled or timed out.
 // Watch on revision which greater than or equal to the required revision.
 func (s *GrpcServer) WatchGlobalConfig(req *pdpb.WatchGlobalConfigRequest, server pdpb.PD_WatchGlobalConfigServer) error {
+	if s.client == nil {
+		return ErrEtcdNotStarted
+	}
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(s.Context())
 	defer cancel()
 	configPath := req.GetConfigPath()
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 36a3cefd0af..faade6c64f8 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -1961,3 +1961,9 @@ func (s *Server) GetTSOUpdatePhysicalInterval() time.Duration {
 func (s *Server) GetMaxResetTSGap() time.Duration {
 	return s.persistOptions.GetMaxResetTSGap()
 }
+
+// SetClient sets the etcd client.
+// Notes: it is only used for test.
+func (s *Server) SetClient(client *clientv3.Client) {
+	s.client = client
+}
diff --git a/tests/integrations/client/global_config_test.go b/tests/integrations/client/global_config_test.go
index a81e98b9ad2..15034d035a6 100644
--- a/tests/integrations/client/global_config_test.go
+++ b/tests/integrations/client/global_config_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package client_test
 import (
 	"path"
 	"strconv"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ type globalConfigTestSuite struct {
 	server  *server.GrpcServer
 	client  pd.Client
 	cleanup testutil.CleanupFunc
+	mu      sync.Mutex
 }
 
 func TestGlobalConfigTestSuite(t *testing.T) {
@@ -322,3 +324,31 @@ func (suite *globalConfigTestSuite) TestClientWatchWithRevision() {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func (suite *globalConfigTestSuite) TestEtcdNotStart() {
+	cli := suite.server.GetClient()
+	defer func() {
+		suite.mu.Lock()
+		suite.server.SetClient(cli)
+		suite.mu.Unlock()
+	}()
+	suite.mu.Lock()
+	suite.server.SetClient(nil)
+	suite.mu.Unlock()
+	err := suite.server.WatchGlobalConfig(&pdpb.WatchGlobalConfigRequest{
+		ConfigPath: globalConfigPath,
+		Revision:   0,
+	}, nil)
+	suite.Error(err)
+
+	_, err = suite.server.StoreGlobalConfig(suite.server.Context(), &pdpb.StoreGlobalConfigRequest{
+		ConfigPath: globalConfigPath,
+		Changes:    []*pdpb.GlobalConfigItem{{Kind: pdpb.EventType_PUT, Name: "0", Payload: []byte("0")}},
+	})
+	suite.Error(err)
+
+	_, err = suite.server.LoadGlobalConfig(suite.server.Context(), &pdpb.LoadGlobalConfigRequest{
+		Names: []string{"test_etcd"},
+	})
+	suite.Error(err)
+}