diff --git a/src/dist/replication/meta_server/server_state.cpp b/src/dist/replication/meta_server/server_state.cpp
index af9478e629..27436b9244 100644
--- a/src/dist/replication/meta_server/server_state.cpp
+++ b/src/dist/replication/meta_server/server_state.cpp
@@ -953,8 +953,18 @@ void server_state::query_configuration_by_index(
                enum_to_string(app->status),
                (app->app_name).c_str(),
                app->app_id);
-        response.err =
-            (app->status == app_status::AS_CREATING ? ERR_BUSY_CREATING : ERR_BUSY_DROPPING);
+
+        switch (app->status) {
+        case app_status::AS_CREATING:
+        case app_status::AS_RECALLING:
+            response.err = ERR_BUSY_CREATING;
+            break;
+        case app_status::AS_DROPPING:
+            response.err = ERR_BUSY_DROPPING;
+            break;
+        default:
+            response.err = ERR_UNKNOWN;
+        }
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/dist/replication/test/meta_test/unit_test/state_sync_test.cpp b/src/dist/replication/test/meta_test/unit_test/state_sync_test.cpp
index f5cab10023..6e4952506a 100644
--- a/src/dist/replication/test/meta_test/unit_test/state_sync_test.cpp
+++ b/src/dist/replication/test/meta_test/unit_test/state_sync_test.cpp
@@ -288,6 +288,30 @@ void meta_service_test_app::state_sync_test()
         req.app_name = "make_no_sense";
         ss2->query_configuration_by_index(req, resp);
         ASSERT_EQ(dsn::ERR_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND, resp.err);
+
+        // 3.3 app is dropping/creating/recalling
+        std::shared_ptr<app_state> app = ss2->get_app(15);
+        req.app_name = app->app_name;
+
+        ss2->query_configuration_by_index(req, resp);
+        ASSERT_EQ(dsn::ERR_OK, resp.err);
+
+        app->status = dsn::app_status::AS_DROPPING;
+        ss2->query_configuration_by_index(req, resp);
+        ASSERT_EQ(dsn::ERR_BUSY_DROPPING, resp.err);
+
+        app->status = dsn::app_status::AS_RECALLING;
+        ss2->query_configuration_by_index(req, resp);
+        ASSERT_EQ(dsn::ERR_BUSY_CREATING, resp.err);
+
+        app->status = dsn::app_status::AS_CREATING;
+        ss2->query_configuration_by_index(req, resp);
+        ASSERT_EQ(dsn::ERR_BUSY_CREATING, resp.err);
+
+        // client unknown state
+        app->status = dsn::app_status::AS_DROP_FAILED;
+        ss2->query_configuration_by_index(req, resp);
+        ASSERT_EQ(dsn::ERR_UNKNOWN, resp.err);
     }
 
     // simulate the half creating