diff --git a/server/grpc_service.go b/server/grpc_service.go
index 7229b085d0b..7f038b55101 100644
--- a/server/grpc_service.go
+++ b/server/grpc_service.go
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ var (
 	ErrNotLeader            = status.Errorf(codes.Unavailable, "not leader")
 	ErrNotStarted           = status.Errorf(codes.Unavailable, "server not started")
 	ErrSendHeartbeatTimeout = status.Errorf(codes.DeadlineExceeded, "send heartbeat timeout")
+	ErrEtcdNotStarted       = status.Errorf(codes.Unavailable, "server is started, but etcd not started")
 )
 
 // GrpcServer wraps Server to provide grpc service.
@@ -1896,6 +1897,9 @@ func checkStream(streamCtx context.Context, cancel context.CancelFunc, done chan
 
 // StoreGlobalConfig store global config into etcd by transaction
 func (s *GrpcServer) StoreGlobalConfig(_ context.Context, request *pdpb.StoreGlobalConfigRequest) (*pdpb.StoreGlobalConfigResponse, error) {
+	if s.client == nil {
+		return nil, ErrEtcdNotStarted
+	}
 	ops := make([]clientv3.Op, len(request.Changes))
 	for i, item := range request.Changes {
 		name := globalConfigPath + item.GetName()
@@ -1915,6 +1919,9 @@ func (s *GrpcServer) StoreGlobalConfig(_ context.Context, request *pdpb.StoreGlo
 
 // LoadGlobalConfig load global config from etcd
 func (s *GrpcServer) LoadGlobalConfig(ctx context.Context, request *pdpb.LoadGlobalConfigRequest) (*pdpb.LoadGlobalConfigResponse, error) {
+	if s.client == nil {
+		return nil, ErrEtcdNotStarted
+	}
 	names := request.Names
 	res := make([]*pdpb.GlobalConfigItem, len(names))
 	for i, name := range names {
@@ -1935,6 +1942,9 @@ func (s *GrpcServer) LoadGlobalConfig(ctx context.Context, request *pdpb.LoadGlo
 // or stoped by whatever reason
 // just reconnect to it.
 func (s *GrpcServer) WatchGlobalConfig(_ *pdpb.WatchGlobalConfigRequest, server pdpb.PD_WatchGlobalConfigServer) error {
+	if s.client == nil {
+		return ErrEtcdNotStarted
+	}
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(s.Context())
 	defer cancel()
 	err := s.sendAllGlobalConfig(ctx, server)
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 1ef364f79ab..ee0359b9f74 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -1770,3 +1770,9 @@ func (s *Server) SetExternalTS(externalTS uint64) error {
 	s.GetRaftCluster().SetExternalTS(externalTS)
 	return nil
 }
+
+// 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/server/global_config/global_config_test.go b/tests/server/global_config/global_config_test.go
index f821d664b7a..83f49165311 100644
--- a/tests/server/global_config/global_config_test.go
+++ b/tests/server/global_config/global_config_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ type globalConfigTestSuite struct {
 	server  *server.GrpcServer
 	client  *grpc.ClientConn
 	cleanup server.CleanupFunc
+	mu      sync.Mutex
 }
 
 func TestGlobalConfigTestSuite(t *testing.T) {
@@ -237,3 +239,27 @@ func (suite *globalConfigTestSuite) TestClientWatch() {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+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{}, testReceiver{re: suite.Require()})
+	suite.Error(err)
+
+	_, err = suite.server.StoreGlobalConfig(suite.server.Context(), &pdpb.StoreGlobalConfigRequest{
+		Changes: []*pdpb.GlobalConfigItem{{Name: "0", Value: "0"}},
+	})
+	suite.Error(err)
+
+	_, err = suite.server.LoadGlobalConfig(suite.server.Context(), &pdpb.LoadGlobalConfigRequest{
+		Names: []string{"test_etcd"},
+	})
+	suite.Error(err)
+}