diff --git a/dm/worker/relay.go b/dm/worker/relay.go
index 1ef228b09..c34e41f40 100644
--- a/dm/worker/relay.go
+++ b/dm/worker/relay.go
@@ -130,19 +130,17 @@ func (h *realRelayHolder) Close() {
 }
 
 func (h *realRelayHolder) run() {
+	if !h.setStageIfNot(pb.Stage_Running, pb.Stage_Running) {
+		return
+	}
 	h.ctx, h.cancel = context.WithCancel(context.Background())
-	pr := make(chan pb.ProcessResult, 1)
 	h.setResult(nil) // clear previous result
-	h.setStage(pb.Stage_Running)
 
-	h.relay.Process(h.ctx, pr)
+	r := h.relay.Process(h.ctx)
 
-	for len(pr) > 0 {
-		r := <-pr
-		h.setResult(&r)
-		for _, err := range r.Errors {
-			h.l.Error("process error", zap.Stringer("type", err))
-		}
+	h.setResult(&r)
+	for _, err := range r.Errors {
+		h.l.Error("process error", zap.Stringer("type", err))
 	}
 
 	h.setStageIfNot(pb.Stage_Stopped, pb.Stage_Paused)
@@ -243,12 +241,6 @@ func (h *realRelayHolder) Stage() pb.Stage {
 	return h.stage
 }
 
-func (h *realRelayHolder) setStage(stage pb.Stage) {
-	h.Lock()
-	defer h.Unlock()
-	h.stage = stage
-}
-
 // setStageIfNot sets stage to newStage if its current value is not oldStage, similar to CAS.
 func (h *realRelayHolder) setStageIfNot(oldStage, newStage pb.Stage) bool {
 	h.Lock()
diff --git a/dm/worker/relay_test.go b/dm/worker/relay_test.go
index cccc9649b..bd51d24ef 100644
--- a/dm/worker/relay_test.go
+++ b/dm/worker/relay_test.go
@@ -63,9 +63,9 @@ func (d *DummyRelay) InjectInitError(err error) {
 }
 
 // Process implements Process interface.
-func (d *DummyRelay) Process(ctx context.Context, pr chan pb.ProcessResult) {
+func (d *DummyRelay) Process(ctx context.Context) pb.ProcessResult {
 	<-ctx.Done()
-	pr <- d.processResult
+	return d.processResult
 }
 
 // InjectProcessResult injects process result.
diff --git a/relay/relay.go b/relay/relay.go
index 12cdf3a62..db40f900c 100644
--- a/relay/relay.go
+++ b/relay/relay.go
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pingcap/dm/pkg/binlog/common"
 	binlogReader "github.com/pingcap/dm/pkg/binlog/reader"
 	"github.com/pingcap/dm/pkg/conn"
-	fr "github.com/pingcap/dm/pkg/func-rollback"
 	"github.com/pingcap/dm/pkg/gtid"
 	"github.com/pingcap/dm/pkg/log"
 	pkgstreamer "github.com/pingcap/dm/pkg/streamer"
@@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ type Process interface {
 	// Init initial relat log unit
 	Init(ctx context.Context) (err error)
 	// Process run background logic of relay log unit
-	Process(ctx context.Context, pr chan pb.ProcessResult)
+	Process(ctx context.Context) pb.ProcessResult
 	// ActiveRelayLog returns the earliest active relay log info in this operator
 	ActiveRelayLog() *pkgstreamer.RelayLogInfo
 	// Reload reloads config
@@ -129,41 +128,13 @@ func NewRealRelay(cfg *Config) Process {
 }
 
 // Init implements the dm.Unit interface.
+// NOTE when Init encounters an error, it will make DM-worker exit when it boots up and assigned relay.
 func (r *Relay) Init(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
-	rollbackHolder := fr.NewRollbackHolder("relay")
-	defer func() {
-		if err != nil {
-			rollbackHolder.RollbackReverseOrder()
-		}
-	}()
-
-	err = r.setSyncConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	db, err := conn.DefaultDBProvider.Apply(r.cfg.From)
-	if err != nil {
-		return terror.WithScope(err, terror.ScopeUpstream)
-	}
-
-	r.db = db
-	rollbackHolder.Add(fr.FuncRollback{Name: "close-DB", Fn: r.closeDB})
-
-	if err2 := os.MkdirAll(r.cfg.RelayDir, 0o755); err2 != nil {
-		return terror.ErrRelayMkdir.Delegate(err2)
-	}
-
-	err = r.meta.Load()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	return reportRelayLogSpaceInBackground(ctx, r.cfg.RelayDir)
 }
 
 // Process implements the dm.Unit interface.
-func (r *Relay) Process(ctx context.Context, pr chan pb.ProcessResult) {
+func (r *Relay) Process(ctx context.Context) pb.ProcessResult {
 	errs := make([]*pb.ProcessError, 0, 1)
 	err := r.process(ctx)
 	if err != nil && errors.Cause(err) != replication.ErrSyncClosed {
@@ -181,13 +152,33 @@ func (r *Relay) Process(ctx context.Context, pr chan pb.ProcessResult) {
 		default:
 		}
 	}
-	pr <- pb.ProcessResult{
+	return pb.ProcessResult{
 		IsCanceled: isCanceled,
 		Errors:     errs,
 	}
 }
 
 func (r *Relay) process(ctx context.Context) error {
+	err := r.setSyncConfig()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	db, err := conn.DefaultDBProvider.Apply(r.cfg.From)
+	if err != nil {
+		return terror.WithScope(err, terror.ScopeUpstream)
+	}
+	r.db = db
+
+	if err2 := os.MkdirAll(r.cfg.RelayDir, 0o755); err2 != nil {
+		return terror.ErrRelayMkdir.Delegate(err2)
+	}
+
+	err = r.meta.Load()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	parser2, err := utils.GetParser(ctx, r.db.DB) // refine to use user config later
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/tests/new_relay/run.sh b/tests/new_relay/run.sh
index 6e987f67c..e25fff145 100755
--- a/tests/new_relay/run.sh
+++ b/tests/new_relay/run.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,39 @@ SQL_RESULT_FILE="$TEST_DIR/sql_res.$TEST_NAME.txt"
 
 API_VERSION="v1alpha1"
 
+function test_cant_dail_upstream() {
+	cleanup_data $TEST_NAME
+	cleanup_process
+
+	run_dm_master $WORK_DIR/master $MASTER_PORT $cur/conf/dm-master.toml
+	check_rpc_alive $cur/../bin/check_master_online 127.0.0.1:$MASTER_PORT
+	run_dm_worker $WORK_DIR/worker1 $WORKER1_PORT $cur/conf/dm-worker1.toml
+	check_rpc_alive $cur/../bin/check_worker_online 127.0.0.1:$WORKER1_PORT
+
+	cp $cur/conf/source1.yaml $WORK_DIR/source1.yaml
+	dmctl_operate_source create $WORK_DIR/source1.yaml $SOURCE_ID1
+
+	run_dm_ctl_with_retry $WORK_DIR "127.0.0.1:$MASTER_PORT" \
+		"start-relay -s $SOURCE_ID1 worker1" \
+		"\"result\": true" 1
+
+	kill_dm_worker
+
+	export GO_FAILPOINTS="github.com/pingcap/dm/pkg/conn/failDBPing=return()"
+	run_dm_worker $WORK_DIR/worker1 $WORKER1_PORT $cur/conf/dm-worker1.toml
+	check_rpc_alive $cur/../bin/check_worker_online 127.0.0.1:$WORKER1_PORT
+
+	# make sure DM-worker doesn't exit
+	sleep 2
+	run_dm_ctl_with_retry $WORK_DIR "127.0.0.1:$MASTER_PORT" \
+		"query-status -s $SOURCE_ID1" \
+		"injected error" 1
+
+	export GO_FAILPOINTS=""
+	cleanup_process
+	cleanup_data $TEST_NAME
+}
+
 function test_kill_dump_connection() {
 	cleanup_data $TEST_NAME
 	cleanup_process
@@ -50,6 +83,8 @@ function test_kill_dump_connection() {
 }
 
 function run() {
+	test_cant_dail_upstream
+
 	export GO_FAILPOINTS="github.com/pingcap/dm/relay/ReportRelayLogSpaceInBackground=return(1)"
 
 	run_sql_file $cur/data/db1.prepare.sql $MYSQL_HOST1 $MYSQL_PORT1 $MYSQL_PASSWORD1