diff --git a/src/cluster/replication.cc b/src/cluster/replication.cc
index b757819f5e4..bd24d997bdf 100644
--- a/src/cluster/replication.cc
+++ b/src/cluster/replication.cc
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 #include "status.h"
 #include "storage/batch_debugger.h"
 #include "thread_util.h"
+#include "time_util.h"
 
 Status FeedSlaveThread::Start() {
   try {
@@ -236,18 +237,24 @@ void ReplicationThread::CallbacksStateMachine::Start() {
     handlers_.emplace_front(CallbacksStateMachine::WRITE, "auth write", authWriteCB);
   }
 
+  uint64_t last_connect_timestamp = 0;
+  int connect_timeout_ms = 3100;
+
   while (!repl_->stop_flag_ && bev == nullptr) {
-    Status s = Util::SockConnect(repl_->host_, repl_->port_, &cfd);
+    if (Util::GetTimeStampMS() - last_connect_timestamp < 1000) {
+      // prevent frequent re-connect when the master is down with the connection refused error
+      sleep(1);
+    }
+    last_connect_timestamp = Util::GetTimeStampMS();
+    Status s = Util::SockConnect(repl_->host_, repl_->port_, &cfd, connect_timeout_ms);
     if (!s.IsOK()) {
       LOG(ERROR) << "[replication] Failed to connect the master, err: " << s.Msg();
-      sleep(1);
       continue;
     }
     bev = bufferevent_socket_new(repl_->base_, cfd, BEV_OPT_CLOSE_ON_FREE);
     if (bev == nullptr) {
       close(cfd);
       LOG(ERROR) << "[replication] Failed to create the event socket";
-      sleep(1);
       continue;
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/common/io_util.cc b/src/common/io_util.cc
index 4c3e40baf70..8ae2882f626 100644
--- a/src/common/io_util.cc
+++ b/src/common/io_util.cc
@@ -151,9 +151,7 @@ Status SockConnect(const std::string &host, uint32_t port, int *fd, int conn_tim
     sin.sin_port = htons(port);
 
     fcntl(*fd, F_SETFL, O_NONBLOCK);
-    if (connect(*fd, reinterpret_cast<sockaddr *>(&sin), sizeof(sin))) {
-      return Status::FromErrno();
-    }
+    connect(*fd, reinterpret_cast<sockaddr *>(&sin), sizeof(sin));
 
     auto retmask = Util::aeWait(*fd, AE_WRITABLE, conn_timeout);
     if ((retmask & AE_WRITABLE) == 0 || (retmask & AE_ERROR) != 0 || (retmask & AE_HUP) != 0) {
diff --git a/src/common/scope_exit.h b/src/common/scope_exit.h
index 93e012595a2..2668091f54a 100644
--- a/src/common/scope_exit.h
+++ b/src/common/scope_exit.h
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ struct ScopeExit {
     if (enabled_) f_();
   }
 
-  void Enable() { enabled_ = false; }
+  void Enable() { enabled_ = true; }
 
-  void Disable() { enabled_ = true; }
+  void Disable() { enabled_ = false; }
 
   bool enabled_;
   F f_;