diff --git a/source/dnode/mgmt/implement/src/dmHandle.c b/source/dnode/mgmt/implement/src/dmHandle.c
index 40eebd883a..ca1b943fb2 100644
--- a/source/dnode/mgmt/implement/src/dmHandle.c
+++ b/source/dnode/mgmt/implement/src/dmHandle.c
@@ -323,8 +323,17 @@ static int32_t dmStartUdfd(SDnode *pDnode) {
   uv_barrier_init(&pData->barrier, 2);
   uv_thread_create(&pData->thread, dmWatchUdfd, pDnode);
   uv_barrier_wait(&pData->barrier);
-  pData->needCleanUp = true;
-  return pData->spawnErr;
+  int32_t err = atomic_load_32(&pData->spawnErr);
+  if (err != 0) {
+    uv_barrier_destroy(&pData->barrier);
+    uv_async_send(&pData->stopAsync);
+    uv_thread_join(&pData->thread);
+    pData->needCleanUp = false;
+    dInfo("dnode-mgmt udfd cleaned up after spawn err");
+  } else {
+    pData->needCleanUp = true;
+  }
+  return err;
 }
 
 static int32_t dmStopUdfd(SDnode *pDnode) {
@@ -339,7 +348,7 @@ static int32_t dmStopUdfd(SDnode *pDnode) {
   uv_barrier_destroy(&pData->barrier);
   uv_async_send(&pData->stopAsync);
   uv_thread_join(&pData->thread);
-
+  dInfo("dnode-mgmt udfd cleaned up");
   return 0;
 }