diff --git a/include/libs/sync/sync.h b/include/libs/sync/sync.h
index b14b7667d2..b43eafc918 100644
--- a/include/libs/sync/sync.h
+++ b/include/libs/sync/sync.h
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ typedef struct SSyncLogStore {
 } SSyncLogStore;
 
 typedef struct SSyncInfo {
+  bool        isStandBy;
   SyncGroupId vgId;
   SSyncCfg    syncCfg;
   char        path[TSDB_FILENAME_LEN];
@@ -160,7 +161,6 @@ int32_t     syncInit();
 void        syncCleanUp();
 int64_t     syncOpen(const SSyncInfo* pSyncInfo);
 void        syncStart(int64_t rid);
-void        syncStartStandBy(int64_t rid);
 void        syncStop(int64_t rid);
 int32_t     syncReconfig(int64_t rid, const SSyncCfg* pSyncCfg);
 ESyncState  syncGetMyRole(int64_t rid);
@@ -173,6 +173,10 @@ bool        syncEnvIsStart();
 const char* syncStr(ESyncState state);
 bool        syncIsRestoreFinish(int64_t rid);
 
+// to be moved to static
+void syncStartNormal(int64_t rid);
+void syncStartStandBy(int64_t rid);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/source/dnode/mnode/impl/src/mndSync.c b/source/dnode/mnode/impl/src/mndSync.c
index b629a9d487..31ef1d3986 100644
--- a/source/dnode/mnode/impl/src/mndSync.c
+++ b/source/dnode/mnode/impl/src/mndSync.c
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ int32_t mndInitSync(SMnode *pMnode) {
   snprintf(syncInfo.path, sizeof(syncInfo.path), "%s%ssync", pMnode->path, TD_DIRSEP);
   syncInfo.pWal = pMgmt->pWal;
   syncInfo.pFsm = mndSyncMakeFsm(pMnode);
+  syncInfo.isStandBy = pMgmt->standby;
 
   SSyncCfg *pCfg = &syncInfo.syncCfg;
   pCfg->replicaNum = pMnode->replica;
@@ -192,11 +193,17 @@ int32_t mndSyncPropose(SMnode *pMnode, SSdbRaw *pRaw) {
 void mndSyncStart(SMnode *pMnode) {
   SSyncMgmt *pMgmt = &pMnode->syncMgmt;
   syncSetMsgCb(pMgmt->sync, &pMnode->msgCb);
+
+  syncStart(pMgmt->sync);
+
+#if 0
   if (pMgmt->standby) {
     syncStartStandBy(pMgmt->sync);
   } else {
     syncStart(pMgmt->sync);
   }
+#endif
+
   mDebug("sync:%" PRId64 " is started", pMgmt->sync);
 }
 
diff --git a/source/libs/sync/inc/syncRaftCfg.h b/source/libs/sync/inc/syncRaftCfg.h
index bfc64cb7b6..f4c857bb06 100644
--- a/source/libs/sync/inc/syncRaftCfg.h
+++ b/source/libs/sync/inc/syncRaftCfg.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ typedef struct SRaftCfg {
   SSyncCfg  cfg;
   TdFilePtr pFile;
   char      path[TSDB_FILENAME_LEN * 2];
+  int8_t    isStandBy;
 } SRaftCfg;
 
 SRaftCfg *raftCfgOpen(const char *path);
@@ -42,10 +43,12 @@ char *  syncCfg2Str(SSyncCfg *pSyncCfg);
 int32_t syncCfgFromJson(const cJSON *pRoot, SSyncCfg *pSyncCfg);
 int32_t syncCfgFromStr(const char *s, SSyncCfg *pSyncCfg);
 
-cJSON *raftCfg2Json(SRaftCfg *pRaftCfg);
-char * raftCfg2Str(SRaftCfg *pRaftCfg);
+cJSON * raftCfg2Json(SRaftCfg *pRaftCfg);
+char *  raftCfg2Str(SRaftCfg *pRaftCfg);
+int32_t raftCfgFromJson(const cJSON *pRoot, SRaftCfg *pRaftCfg);
+int32_t raftCfgFromStr(const char *s, SRaftCfg *pRaftCfg);
 
-int32_t syncCfgCreateFile(SSyncCfg *pCfg, const char *path);
+int32_t raftCfgCreateFile(SSyncCfg *pCfg, int8_t isStandBy, const char *path);
 
 // for debug ----------------------
 void syncCfgPrint(SSyncCfg *pCfg);
diff --git a/source/libs/sync/src/syncMain.c b/source/libs/sync/src/syncMain.c
index e4b6fc215f..914ce68245 100644
--- a/source/libs/sync/src/syncMain.c
+++ b/source/libs/sync/src/syncMain.c
@@ -100,6 +100,21 @@ void syncStart(int64_t rid) {
   if (pSyncNode == NULL) {
     return;
   }
+
+  if (pSyncNode->pRaftCfg->isStandBy) {
+    syncNodeStartStandBy(pSyncNode);
+  } else {
+    syncNodeStart(pSyncNode);
+  }
+
+  taosReleaseRef(tsNodeRefId, pSyncNode->rid);
+}
+
+void syncStartNormal(int64_t rid) {
+  SSyncNode* pSyncNode = (SSyncNode*)taosAcquireRef(tsNodeRefId, rid);
+  if (pSyncNode == NULL) {
+    return;
+  }
   syncNodeStart(pSyncNode);
 
   taosReleaseRef(tsNodeRefId, pSyncNode->rid);
@@ -368,7 +383,7 @@ SSyncNode* syncNodeOpen(const SSyncInfo* pOldSyncInfo) {
   snprintf(pSyncNode->configPath, sizeof(pSyncNode->configPath), "%s/raft_config.json", pSyncInfo->path);
   if (!taosCheckExistFile(pSyncNode->configPath)) {
     // create raft config file
-    ret = syncCfgCreateFile((SSyncCfg*)&(pSyncInfo->syncCfg), pSyncNode->configPath);
+    ret = raftCfgCreateFile((SSyncCfg*)&(pSyncInfo->syncCfg), pSyncInfo->isStandBy, pSyncNode->configPath);
     assert(ret == 0);
 
   } else {
@@ -979,6 +994,9 @@ void syncNodeUpdateConfig(SSyncNode* pSyncNode, SSyncCfg* newConfig) {
   voteGrantedUpdate(pSyncNode->pVotesGranted, pSyncNode);
   votesRespondUpdate(pSyncNode->pVotesRespond, pSyncNode);
 
+  pSyncNode->pRaftCfg->isStandBy = 0;
+  raftCfgPersist(pSyncNode->pRaftCfg);
+
   syncNodeLog2("==syncNodeUpdateConfig==", pSyncNode);
 }
 
diff --git a/source/libs/sync/src/syncRaftCfg.c b/source/libs/sync/src/syncRaftCfg.c
index dc540424ec..daf7992d43 100644
--- a/source/libs/sync/src/syncRaftCfg.c
+++ b/source/libs/sync/src/syncRaftCfg.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ SRaftCfg *raftCfgOpen(const char *path) {
   int  len = taosReadFile(pCfg->pFile, buf, sizeof(buf));
   assert(len > 0);
 
-  int32_t ret = syncCfgFromStr(buf, &(pCfg->cfg));
+  int32_t ret = raftCfgFromStr(buf, pCfg);
   assert(ret == 0);
 
   return pCfg;
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ int32_t raftCfgClose(SRaftCfg *pRaftCfg) {
 int32_t raftCfgPersist(SRaftCfg *pRaftCfg) {
   assert(pRaftCfg != NULL);
 
-  char *s = syncCfg2Str(&(pRaftCfg->cfg));
+  char *s = raftCfg2Str(pRaftCfg);
   taosLSeekFile(pRaftCfg->pFile, 0, SEEK_SET);
   int64_t ret = taosWriteFile(pRaftCfg->pFile, s, strlen(s) + 1);
   assert(ret == strlen(s) + 1);
@@ -76,9 +76,12 @@ cJSON *syncCfg2Json(SSyncCfg *pSyncCfg) {
     }
   }
 
+  return pRoot;
+  /*
   cJSON *pJson = cJSON_CreateObject();
   cJSON_AddItemToObject(pJson, "SSyncCfg", pRoot);
   return pJson;
+  */
 }
 
 char *syncCfg2Str(SSyncCfg *pSyncCfg) {
@@ -90,7 +93,8 @@ char *syncCfg2Str(SSyncCfg *pSyncCfg) {
 
 int32_t syncCfgFromJson(const cJSON *pRoot, SSyncCfg *pSyncCfg) {
   memset(pSyncCfg, 0, sizeof(SSyncCfg));
-  cJSON *pJson = cJSON_GetObjectItem(pRoot, "SSyncCfg");
+  // cJSON *pJson = cJSON_GetObjectItem(pRoot, "SSyncCfg");
+  const cJSON *pJson = pRoot;
 
   cJSON *pReplicaNum = cJSON_GetObjectItem(pJson, "replicaNum");
   assert(cJSON_IsNumber(pReplicaNum));
@@ -133,22 +137,32 @@ int32_t syncCfgFromStr(const char *s, SSyncCfg *pSyncCfg) {
 }
 
 cJSON *raftCfg2Json(SRaftCfg *pRaftCfg) {
-  cJSON *pJson = syncCfg2Json(&(pRaftCfg->cfg));
+  cJSON *pRoot = cJSON_CreateObject();
+  cJSON_AddItemToObject(pRoot, "SSyncCfg", syncCfg2Json(&(pRaftCfg->cfg)));
+  cJSON_AddNumberToObject(pRoot, "isStandBy", pRaftCfg->isStandBy);
+
+  cJSON *pJson = cJSON_CreateObject();
+  cJSON_AddItemToObject(pJson, "RaftCfg", pRoot);
   return pJson;
 }
 
 char *raftCfg2Str(SRaftCfg *pRaftCfg) {
-  char *s = syncCfg2Str(&(pRaftCfg->cfg));
-  return s;
+  cJSON *pJson = raftCfg2Json(pRaftCfg);
+  char * serialized = cJSON_Print(pJson);
+  cJSON_Delete(pJson);
+  return serialized;
 }
 
-int32_t syncCfgCreateFile(SSyncCfg *pCfg, const char *path) {
+int32_t raftCfgCreateFile(SSyncCfg *pCfg, int8_t isStandBy, const char *path) {
   assert(pCfg != NULL);
 
   TdFilePtr pFile = taosOpenFile(path, TD_FILE_CREATE | TD_FILE_WRITE);
   assert(pFile != NULL);
 
-  char *  s = syncCfg2Str(pCfg);
+  SRaftCfg raftCfg;
+  raftCfg.cfg = *pCfg;
+  raftCfg.isStandBy = isStandBy;
+  char *  s = raftCfg2Str(&raftCfg);
   int64_t ret = taosWriteFile(pFile, s, strlen(s) + 1);
   assert(ret == strlen(s) + 1);
 
@@ -157,6 +171,31 @@ int32_t syncCfgCreateFile(SSyncCfg *pCfg, const char *path) {
   return 0;
 }
 
+int32_t raftCfgFromJson(const cJSON *pRoot, SRaftCfg *pRaftCfg) {
+  // memset(pRaftCfg, 0, sizeof(SRaftCfg));
+  cJSON *pJson = cJSON_GetObjectItem(pRoot, "RaftCfg");
+
+  cJSON *pJsonIsStandBy = cJSON_GetObjectItem(pJson, "isStandBy");
+  pRaftCfg->isStandBy = cJSON_GetNumberValue(pJsonIsStandBy);
+
+  cJSON * pJsonSyncCfg = cJSON_GetObjectItem(pJson, "SSyncCfg");
+  int32_t code = syncCfgFromJson(pJsonSyncCfg, &(pRaftCfg->cfg));
+  ASSERT(code == 0);
+
+  return code;
+}
+
+int32_t raftCfgFromStr(const char *s, SRaftCfg *pRaftCfg) {
+  cJSON *pRoot = cJSON_Parse(s);
+  assert(pRoot != NULL);
+
+  int32_t ret = raftCfgFromJson(pRoot, pRaftCfg);
+  assert(ret == 0);
+
+  cJSON_Delete(pRoot);
+  return 0;
+}
+
 // for debug ----------------------
 void syncCfgPrint(SSyncCfg *pCfg) {
   char *serialized = syncCfg2Str(pCfg);
diff --git a/source/libs/sync/test/syncRaftCfgTest.cpp b/source/libs/sync/test/syncRaftCfgTest.cpp
index d3c06fa83e..f5b24db651 100644
--- a/source/libs/sync/test/syncRaftCfgTest.cpp
+++ b/source/libs/sync/test/syncRaftCfgTest.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,21 @@ void logTest() {
   sFatal("--- sync log test: fatal");
 }
 
+SRaftCfg* createRaftCfg() {
+  SRaftCfg* pCfg = (SRaftCfg*)taosMemoryMalloc(sizeof(SRaftCfg));
+  memset(pCfg, 0, sizeof(SRaftCfg));
+
+  pCfg->cfg.replicaNum = 3;
+  pCfg->cfg.myIndex = 1;
+  for (int i = 0; i < pCfg->cfg.replicaNum; ++i) {
+    ((pCfg->cfg.nodeInfo)[i]).nodePort = i * 100;
+    snprintf(((pCfg->cfg.nodeInfo)[i]).nodeFqdn, sizeof(((pCfg->cfg.nodeInfo)[i]).nodeFqdn), "100.200.300.%d", i);
+  }
+  pCfg->isStandBy = taosGetTimestampSec() % 100;
+
+  return pCfg;
+}
+
 SSyncCfg* createSyncCfg() {
   SSyncCfg* pCfg = (SSyncCfg*)taosMemoryMalloc(sizeof(SSyncCfg));
   memset(pCfg, 0, sizeof(SSyncCfg));
@@ -56,7 +71,7 @@ void test3() {
   if (taosCheckExistFile(s)) {
     printf("%s file: %s already exist! \n", (char*)__FUNCTION__, s);
   } else {
-    syncCfgCreateFile(pCfg, s);
+    raftCfgCreateFile(pCfg, 7, s);
     printf("%s create json file: %s \n", (char*)__FUNCTION__, s);
   }
 
@@ -78,6 +93,7 @@ void test5() {
   assert(pCfg != NULL);
 
   pCfg->cfg.myIndex = taosGetTimestampSec();
+  pCfg->isStandBy += 2;
   raftCfgPersist(pCfg);
 
   printf("%s update json file: %s myIndex->%d \n", (char*)__FUNCTION__, "./test3_raft_cfg.json", pCfg->cfg.myIndex);