diff --git a/src/system/src/vnodeMeter.c b/src/system/src/vnodeMeter.c
index bba17327a29e3839a11d87fdb857214b20212c37..b5cc5ae8739e50eb19216ecf9af0258fcccdc544 100644
--- a/src/system/src/vnodeMeter.c
+++ b/src/system/src/vnodeMeter.c
@@ -696,6 +696,9 @@ void vnodeUpdateMeter(void *param, void *tmrId) {
   pthread_mutex_unlock(&pVnode->vmutex);
 
   if (num > 0 || state != TSDB_METER_STATE_READY) {
+    // the state may have been changed by vnodeSetMeterState, recover it in the first place
+    vnodeClearMeterState(pObj, TSDB_METER_STATE_UPDATING);
+
     dTrace("vid:%d sid:%d id:%s, update failed, retry later, numOfQueries:%d, state:%d",
            pNew->vnode, pNew->sid, pNew->meterId, num, state);