diff --git a/hbase-backup/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/backup/impl/BackupSystemTable.java b/hbase-backup/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/backup/impl/BackupSystemTable.java
index c364316d54eb..1e1d8b5b2e6d 100644
--- a/hbase-backup/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/backup/impl/BackupSystemTable.java
+++ b/hbase-backup/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/backup/impl/BackupSystemTable.java
@@ -206,10 +206,14 @@ private void checkSystemTable() throws IOException {
       if (!admin.tableExists(tableName)) {
         TableDescriptor backupHTD = BackupSystemTable.getSystemTableDescriptor(conf);
         createSystemTable(admin, backupHTD);
+      } else if (!admin.isTableEnabled(tableName)) {
+        admin.enableTable(tableName);
       }
       if (!admin.tableExists(bulkLoadTableName)) {
         TableDescriptor blHTD = BackupSystemTable.getSystemTableForBulkLoadedDataDescriptor(conf);
         createSystemTable(admin, blHTD);
+      } else if (!admin.isTableEnabled(bulkLoadTableName)) {
+        admin.enableTable(bulkLoadTableName);
       }
       waitForSystemTable(admin, tableName);
       waitForSystemTable(admin, bulkLoadTableName);