diff --git a/pkg/cache/priority_queue.go b/pkg/cache/priority_queue.go
index 8598c15820d..de209f94e06 100644
--- a/pkg/cache/priority_queue.go
+++ b/pkg/cache/priority_queue.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ package cache
 
 import (
 	"github.com/tikv/pd/pkg/btree"
-	"github.com/tikv/pd/pkg/utils/syncutil"
 )
 
 // defaultDegree default btree degree, the depth is h<log(degree)(capacity+1)/2
@@ -27,7 +26,6 @@ type PriorityQueue struct {
 	items    map[uint64]*Entry
 	btree    *btree.BTreeG[*Entry]
 	capacity int
-	mutex    syncutil.RWMutex
 }
 
 // NewPriorityQueue construct of priority queue
@@ -46,8 +44,6 @@ type PriorityQueueItem interface {
 
 // Put put value with priority into queue
 func (pq *PriorityQueue) Put(priority int, value PriorityQueueItem) bool {
-	pq.mutex.Lock()
-	defer pq.mutex.Unlock()
 	id := value.ID()
 	entry, ok := pq.items[id]
 	if !ok {
@@ -58,9 +54,7 @@ func (pq *PriorityQueue) Put(priority int, value PriorityQueueItem) bool {
 			if !found || !min.Less(entry) {
 				return false
 			}
-			pq.mutex.Unlock()
 			pq.Remove(min.Value.ID())
-			pq.mutex.Lock()
 		}
 	} else if entry.Priority != priority { // delete before update
 		pq.btree.Delete(entry)
@@ -74,8 +68,6 @@ func (pq *PriorityQueue) Put(priority int, value PriorityQueueItem) bool {
 
 // Get find entry by id from queue
 func (pq *PriorityQueue) Get(id uint64) *Entry {
-	pq.mutex.RLock()
-	defer pq.mutex.RUnlock()
 	return pq.items[id]
 }
 
@@ -92,7 +84,6 @@ func (pq *PriorityQueue) GetAndCheckPriority(id uint64, priority int) *Entry {
 }
 
 // peek return the highest priority entry
-// It is used test only
 func (pq *PriorityQueue) peek() *Entry {
 	if max, ok := pq.btree.Max(); ok {
 		return max
@@ -110,8 +101,6 @@ func (pq *PriorityQueue) tail() *Entry {
 
 // Elems return all elements in queue
 func (pq *PriorityQueue) Elems() []*Entry {
-	pq.mutex.RLock()
-	defer pq.mutex.RUnlock()
 	rs := make([]*Entry, pq.Len())
 	count := 0
 	pq.btree.Descend(func(i *Entry) bool {
@@ -124,8 +113,6 @@ func (pq *PriorityQueue) Elems() []*Entry {
 
 // Remove remove value from queue
 func (pq *PriorityQueue) Remove(id uint64) {
-	pq.mutex.Lock()
-	defer pq.mutex.Unlock()
 	if v, ok := pq.items[id]; ok {
 		pq.btree.Delete(v)
 		delete(pq.items, id)
diff --git a/pkg/schedule/checker/priority_inspector.go b/pkg/schedule/checker/priority_inspector.go
index cb7b1abb0df..50b8bc7d857 100644
--- a/pkg/schedule/checker/priority_inspector.go
+++ b/pkg/schedule/checker/priority_inspector.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ const defaultPriorityQueueSize = 1280
 
 // PriorityInspector ensures high priority region should run first
 type PriorityInspector struct {
+	syncutil.Mutex
 	cluster sche.CheckerCluster
 	conf    config.CheckerConfigProvider
 	queue   *cache.PriorityQueue
@@ -103,6 +104,8 @@ func (p *PriorityInspector) inspectRegionInReplica(region *core.RegionInfo) (mak
 // it will remove if region's priority equal 0
 // it's Attempt will increase if region's priority equal last
 func (p *PriorityInspector) addOrRemoveRegion(priority int, regionID uint64) {
+	p.Lock()
+	defer p.Unlock()
 	if priority < 0 {
 		if entry := p.queue.GetAndCheckPriority(regionID, priority); entry != nil {
 			e := entry.Value.(*RegionPriorityEntry)
@@ -122,6 +125,9 @@ func (p *PriorityInspector) addOrRemoveRegion(priority int, regionID uint64) {
 
 // GetPriorityRegions returns all regions in priority queue that needs rerun
 func (p *PriorityInspector) GetPriorityRegions() (ids []uint64) {
+	// we modify the queue entry in this function, so we need to lock it
+	p.Lock()
+	defer p.Unlock()
 	entries := p.queue.Elems()
 	for _, e := range entries {
 		re := e.Value.(*RegionPriorityEntry)
@@ -138,5 +144,7 @@ func (p *PriorityInspector) GetPriorityRegions() (ids []uint64) {
 
 // RemovePriorityRegion removes priority region from priority queue
 func (p *PriorityInspector) RemovePriorityRegion(regionID uint64) {
+	p.Lock()
+	defer p.Unlock()
 	p.queue.Remove(regionID)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/schedule/coordinator.go b/pkg/schedule/coordinator.go
index 939fbe1a198..62cac40b171 100644
--- a/pkg/schedule/coordinator.go
+++ b/pkg/schedule/coordinator.go
@@ -160,10 +160,15 @@ func (c *Coordinator) PatrolRegions() {
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(c.cluster.GetCheckerConfig().GetPatrolRegionInterval())
 	defer ticker.Stop()
 
-	workersCount := c.cluster.GetCheckerConfig().GetPatrolRegionConcurrency()
 	regionChan := make(chan *core.RegionInfo, patrolRegionChanLen)
 	quit := make(chan bool)
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	defer func() {
+		close(regionChan)
+		close(quit)
+		wg.Wait()
+	}()
+	workersCount := c.cluster.GetCheckerConfig().GetPatrolRegionConcurrency()
 	c.startPatrolRegionWorkers(workersCount, regionChan, quit, &wg)
 
 	log.Info("coordinator starts patrol regions")
@@ -219,15 +224,12 @@ func (c *Coordinator) PatrolRegions() {
 				start = time.Now()
 			}
 			failpoint.Inject("break-patrol", func() {
-				failpoint.Break()
+				failpoint.Return()
 			})
 		case <-c.ctx.Done():
 			patrolCheckRegionsGauge.Set(0)
 			c.setPatrolRegionsDuration(0)
 			log.Info("patrol regions has been stopped")
-			close(regionChan)
-			close(quit)
-			wg.Wait()
 			return
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/server/cluster/cluster_test.go b/server/cluster/cluster_test.go
index 945e354bb6c..220b37c7dfc 100644
--- a/server/cluster/cluster_test.go
+++ b/server/cluster/cluster_test.go
@@ -2833,6 +2833,7 @@ func TestCheckCache(t *testing.T) {
 		cfg.ReplicaScheduleLimit = 0
 	}, nil, nil, re)
 	defer cleanup()
+	oc := co.GetOperatorController()
 
 	re.NoError(tc.addRegionStore(1, 0))
 	re.NoError(tc.addRegionStore(2, 0))
@@ -2845,6 +2846,7 @@ func TestCheckCache(t *testing.T) {
 	// case 1: operator cannot be created due to replica-schedule-limit restriction
 	co.GetWaitGroup().Add(1)
 	co.PatrolRegions()
+	re.Empty(oc.GetOperators())
 	re.Len(co.GetCheckerController().GetWaitingRegions(), 1)
 
 	// cancel the replica-schedule-limit restriction
@@ -2853,7 +2855,6 @@ func TestCheckCache(t *testing.T) {
 	tc.SetScheduleConfig(cfg)
 	co.GetWaitGroup().Add(1)
 	co.PatrolRegions()
-	oc := co.GetOperatorController()
 	re.Len(oc.GetOperators(), 1)
 	re.Empty(co.GetCheckerController().GetWaitingRegions())
 
diff --git a/tools/pd-simulator/main.go b/tools/pd-simulator/main.go
index 955c0d8361e..73f4a0bba12 100644
--- a/tools/pd-simulator/main.go
+++ b/tools/pd-simulator/main.go
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ var (
 	serverLogLevel              = flag.String("serverLog", "info", "pd server log level")
 	simLogLevel                 = flag.String("simLog", "info", "simulator log level")
 	simLogFile                  = flag.String("log-file", "", "simulator log file")
-	regionNum                   = flag.Int("regionNum", 50000, "regionNum of one store")
-	storeNum                    = flag.Int("storeNum", 20, "storeNum")
+	regionNum                   = flag.Int("regionNum", 0, "regionNum of one store")
+	storeNum                    = flag.Int("storeNum", 0, "storeNum")
 	enableTransferRegionCounter = flag.Bool("enableTransferRegionCounter", false, "enableTransferRegionCounter")
 	statusAddress               = flag.String("status-addr", "0.0.0.0:20180", "status address")
 )