diff --git a/src/system/detail/src/vnodeShell.c b/src/system/detail/src/vnodeShell.c
index 9b35686576..6d5fe3aa0d 100644
--- a/src/system/detail/src/vnodeShell.c
+++ b/src/system/detail/src/vnodeShell.c
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ int vnodeProcessQueryRequest(char *pMsg, int msgLen, SShellObj *pObj) {
   assert(incNumber <= pQueryMsg->numOfSids);
   pthread_mutex_unlock(&pVnode->vmutex);
 
-  if (code != TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS) {
+  if (code != TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS || pQueryMsg->numOfSids == 0) { // all the meters may have been dropped.
     goto _query_over;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/system/detail/src/vnodeUtil.c b/src/system/detail/src/vnodeUtil.c
index c28bd31f77..e2055b6709 100644
--- a/src/system/detail/src/vnodeUtil.c
+++ b/src/system/detail/src/vnodeUtil.c
@@ -539,10 +539,12 @@ bool vnodeIsProjectionQuery(SSqlFunctionExpr* pExpr, int32_t numOfOutput) {
  * 3. insert has nothing to do with the query processing.
  */
 int32_t vnodeIncQueryRefCount(SQueryMeterMsg* pQueryMsg, SMeterSidExtInfo** pSids, SMeterObj** pMeterObjList,
-                              int32_t* numOfInc) {
+                              int32_t* numOfIncTables) {
   SVnodeObj* pVnode = &vnodeList[pQueryMsg->vnode];
 
   int32_t num = 0;
+  int32_t index = 0;
+  
   int32_t code = TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS;
 
   for (int32_t i = 0; i < pQueryMsg->numOfSids; ++i) {
@@ -551,6 +553,7 @@ int32_t vnodeIncQueryRefCount(SQueryMeterMsg* pQueryMsg, SMeterSidExtInfo** pSid
     /*
      * If table is missing or is in dropping status, config it from management node, and ignore it
      * during query processing. The error code of TSDB_CODE_NOT_ACTIVE_TABLE will never return to client.
+     * The missing table needs to be removed from pSids list
      */
     if (pMeter == NULL || vnodeIsMeterState(pMeter, TSDB_METER_STATE_DROPPING)) {
       dWarn("qmsg:%p, vid:%d sid:%d, not there or will be dropped, ignore this table in query", pQueryMsg,
@@ -576,9 +579,11 @@ int32_t vnodeIncQueryRefCount(SQueryMeterMsg* pQueryMsg, SMeterSidExtInfo** pSid
      * vnodeIsSafeToDeleteMeter will wait for this function complete, and then it can
      * check if the numOfQueries is 0 or not.
      */
-    pMeterObjList[(*numOfInc)++] = pMeter;
+    pMeterObjList[(*numOfIncTables)++] = pMeter;
     atomic_fetch_add_32(&pMeter->numOfQueries, 1);
-
+    
+    pSids[index++] = pSids[i];
+    
     // output for meter more than one query executed
     if (pMeter->numOfQueries > 1) {
       dTrace("qmsg:%p, vid:%d sid:%d id:%s, inc query ref, numOfQueries:%d", pQueryMsg, pMeter->vnode, pMeter->sid,
@@ -587,16 +592,19 @@ int32_t vnodeIncQueryRefCount(SQueryMeterMsg* pQueryMsg, SMeterSidExtInfo** pSid
     }
   }
 
-  dTrace("qmsg:%p, query meters: %d, inc query ref %d, numOfQueries on %d meters are 1", pQueryMsg,
-         pQueryMsg->numOfSids, *numOfInc, (*numOfInc) - num);
+  dTrace("qmsg:%p, query meters: %d, inc query ref %d, numOfQueries on %d meters are 1, queried meters:%d after "
+         "filter missing meters", pQueryMsg, pQueryMsg->numOfSids, *numOfIncTables, (*numOfIncTables) - num, index);
 
+  assert(pQueryMsg->numOfSids >= (*numOfIncTables) && pQueryMsg->numOfSids >= index);
+  
+  pQueryMsg->numOfSids = index;
   return code;
 }
 
-void vnodeDecQueryRefCount(SQueryMeterMsg* pQueryMsg, SMeterObj** pMeterObjList, int32_t numOfInc) {
+void vnodeDecQueryRefCount(SQueryMeterMsg* pQueryMsg, SMeterObj** pMeterObjList, int32_t numOfIncTables) {
   int32_t num = 0;
 
-  for (int32_t i = 0; i < numOfInc; ++i) {
+  for (int32_t i = 0; i < numOfIncTables; ++i) {
     SMeterObj* pMeter = pMeterObjList[i];
 
     if (pMeter != NULL) {  // here, do not need to lock to perform operations
@@ -610,7 +618,7 @@ void vnodeDecQueryRefCount(SQueryMeterMsg* pQueryMsg, SMeterObj** pMeterObjList,
     }
   }
 
-  dTrace("qmsg:%p, dec query ref for %d meters, numOfQueries on %d meters are 0", pQueryMsg, numOfInc, numOfInc - num);
+  dTrace("qmsg:%p, dec query ref for %d meters, numOfQueries on %d meters are 0", pQueryMsg, numOfIncTables, numOfIncTables - num);
 }
 
 void vnodeUpdateQueryColumnIndex(SQuery* pQuery, SMeterObj* pMeterObj) {