diff --git a/auth/store_test.go b/auth/store_test.go
index b447a2c2f8f0..9c1e49da4c54 100644
--- a/auth/store_test.go
+++ b/auth/store_test.go
@@ -608,11 +608,7 @@ func TestRecoverFromSnapshot(t *testing.T) {
 
 	as.Close()
 
-<<<<<<< HEAD
-	tp, err := NewTokenProvider(tokenTypeSimple, dummyIndexWaiter)
-=======
-	tp, err := NewTokenProvider(zap.NewExample(), tokenTypeSimple, dummyIndexWaiter, simpleTokenTTLDefault)
->>>>>>> auth: Customize simpleTokenTTL settings.
+	tp, err := NewTokenProvider(tokenTypeSimple, dummyIndexWaiter, simpleTokenTTLDefault)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/wal/wal.go b/wal/wal.go
index d4e48350e3d3..f1ffc4326b65 100644
--- a/wal/wal.go
+++ b/wal/wal.go
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ var (
 	ErrSnapshotNotFound             = errors.New("wal: snapshot not found")
 	ErrSliceOutOfRange              = errors.New("wal: slice bounds out of range")
 	ErrMaxWALEntrySizeLimitExceeded = errors.New("wal: max entry size limit exceeded")
+	ErrDecoderNotFound              = errors.New("wal: decoder not found")
 	crcTable                        = crc32.MakeTable(crc32.Castagnoli)
 )
 
@@ -92,7 +93,8 @@ type WAL struct {
 }
 
 // Create creates a WAL ready for appending records. The given metadata is
-// recorded at the head of each WAL file, and can be retrieved with ReadAll.
+// recorded at the head of each WAL file, and can be retrieved with ReadAll
+// after the file is Open.
 func Create(dirpath string, metadata []byte) (*WAL, error) {
 	if Exist(dirpath) {
 		return nil, os.ErrExist
@@ -323,6 +325,10 @@ func (w *WAL) ReadAll() (metadata []byte, state raftpb.HardState, ents []raftpb.
 	defer w.mu.Unlock()
 
 	rec := &walpb.Record{}
+
+	if w.decoder == nil {
+		return nil, state, nil, ErrDecoderNotFound
+	}
 	decoder := w.decoder
 
 	var match bool
diff --git a/wal/wal_test.go b/wal/wal_test.go
index 277d4bb9c7cc..766625d2747f 100644
--- a/wal/wal_test.go
+++ b/wal/wal_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
+	"math"
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -583,7 +584,7 @@ func TestOpenWithMaxIndex(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	defer os.RemoveAll(p)
 	// create WAL
-	w, err := Create(zap.NewExample(), p, nil)
+	w, err := Create(p, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -595,7 +596,7 @@ func TestOpenWithMaxIndex(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	w.Close()
 
-	w, err = Open(zap.NewExample(), p, walpb.Snapshot{})
+	w, err = Open(p, walpb.Snapshot{})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -990,3 +991,24 @@ func TestValidSnapshotEntriesAfterPurgeWal(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestReadAllFail ensure ReadAll error if used without opening the WAL
+func TestReadAllFail(t *testing.T) {
+	dir, err := ioutil.TempDir(os.TempDir(), "waltest")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+
+	// create initial WAL
+	f, err := Create(dir, []byte("metadata"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	f.Close()
+	// try to read without opening the WAL
+	_, _, _, err = f.ReadAll()
+	if err == nil || err != ErrDecoderNotFound {
+		t.Fatalf("err = %v, want ErrDecoderNotFound", err)
+	}
+}