diff --git a/kong/clustering/data_plane.lua b/kong/clustering/data_plane.lua
index 95dff28f0d67..3364a331ddb6 100644
--- a/kong/clustering/data_plane.lua
+++ b/kong/clustering/data_plane.lua
@@ -88,6 +88,9 @@ function _M:init_worker(basic_info)
 
   -- does not config rpc sync
   if not kong.sync then
+    -- start communicate()
+    self.run_communicate = true
+
     start_communicate()
     return
   end
@@ -108,15 +111,13 @@ function _M:init_worker(basic_info)
 
     -- cp supports kong.sync.v2
     if has_sync_v2 then
+      -- notify communicate() to exit
+      self.run_communicate = false
       return
     end
 
-    -- we only check once
-    if self.inited then
-      return
-    end
-
-    self.inited = true
+    -- start communicate()
+    self.run_communicate = true
 
     ngx_log(ngx_WARN, "sync v1 is enabled due to rpc sync can not work.")
 
@@ -262,7 +263,8 @@ function _M:communicate(premature)
   local config_err_t
 
   local config_thread = ngx.thread.spawn(function()
-    while not exiting() and not config_exit do
+    -- outside flag will stop the communicate() loop
+    while not exiting() and not config_exit and self.run_communicate do
       local ok, err = config_semaphore:wait(1)
 
       if not ok then
@@ -416,7 +418,7 @@ function _M:communicate(premature)
     ngx_log(ngx_ERR, _log_prefix, perr, log_suffix)
   end
 
-  if not exiting() then
+  if not exiting() and self.run_communicate then
     assert(ngx.timer.at(reconnection_delay, function(premature)
       self:communicate(premature)
     end))
diff --git a/kong/clustering/services/sync/init.lua b/kong/clustering/services/sync/init.lua
index c901914b6230..1ee55254e4b3 100644
--- a/kong/clustering/services/sync/init.lua
+++ b/kong/clustering/services/sync/init.lua
@@ -76,19 +76,13 @@ function _M:init_worker()
     -- cp does not support kong.sync.v2
     if not has_sync_v2 then
       ngx.log(ngx.WARN, "rpc sync is disabled in CP.")
+      assert(self.rpc:sync_every(EACH_SYNC_DELAY), true)  -- stop timer
       return
     end
 
     -- sync to CP ASAP
     assert(self.rpc:sync_once(FIRST_SYNC_DELAY))
 
-    -- we only check once
-    if self.inited then
-      return
-    end
-
-    self.inited = true
-
     assert(self.rpc:sync_every(EACH_SYNC_DELAY))
 
   end, "clustering:jsonrpc", "connected")
diff --git a/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua b/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua
index c84a10ecd76e..108c54d7fdd8 100644
--- a/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua
+++ b/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua
@@ -413,8 +413,24 @@ function _M:sync_once(delay)
 end
 
 
-function _M:sync_every(delay)
-  return ngx.timer.every(delay, sync_handler)
+function _M:sync_every(delay, stop)
+  local name = "rpc_sync_v2_every"
+  local is_managed = kong.timer:is_managed(name)
+
+  -- we only start or stop once
+
+  if stop then
+    if is_managed then
+      assert(kong.timer:cancel(name))
+    end
+    return true
+  end
+
+  if is_managed then
+    return true
+  end
+
+  return kong.timer:named_every(name, delay, sync_handler)
 end