diff --git a/apisix/core/config_yaml.lua b/apisix/core/config_yaml.lua
index 7803deccf4e1..eed861fafaf3 100644
--- a/apisix/core/config_yaml.lua
+++ b/apisix/core/config_yaml.lua
@@ -58,7 +58,10 @@ local mt = {
 
     local apisix_yaml
     local apisix_yaml_ctime
-local function read_apisix_yaml(pre_mtime)
+local function read_apisix_yaml(premature, pre_mtime)
+    if premature then
+        return
+    end
     local attributes, err = lfs.attributes(apisix_yaml_path)
     if not attributes then
         log.error("failed to fetch ", apisix_yaml_path, " attributes: ", err)