diff --git a/pkg/cluster/operation/upgrade.go b/pkg/cluster/operation/upgrade.go
index 56643b0944..12a4115414 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/operation/upgrade.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/operation/upgrade.go
@@ -52,11 +52,36 @@ func Upgrade(
 			continue
 		}
 
-		// Transfer leader of evict leader if the component is TiKV/PD in non-force mode
+		log.Infof("Upgrading component %s", component.Name())
 
-		log.Infof("Restarting component %s", component.Name())
+		// some instances are upgraded after others
+		deferInstances := make([]spec.Instance, 0)
 
 		for _, instance := range instances {
+			switch component.Name() {
+			case spec.ComponentPD:
+				// defer PD leader to be upgraded after others
+				isLeader, err := instance.(*spec.PDInstance).IsLeader(topo, int(options.APITimeout), tlsCfg)
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+				if isLeader {
+					deferInstances = append(deferInstances, instance)
+					log.Debugf("Defferred upgrading of PD leader %s", instance.ID())
+					continue
+				}
+			default:
+				// do nothing, kept for future usage with other components
+			}
+
+			if err := upgradeInstance(ctx, topo, instance, options, tlsCfg); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+
+		// process defferred instances
+		for _, instance := range deferInstances {
+			log.Debugf("Upgrading defferred instance %s...", instance.ID())
 			if err := upgradeInstance(ctx, topo, instance, options, tlsCfg); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/spec/pd.go b/pkg/cluster/spec/pd.go
index 0b35a3b795..ab5031d992 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/spec/pd.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/spec/pd.go
@@ -289,6 +289,26 @@ func (i *PDInstance) ScaleConfig(
 
 var _ RollingUpdateInstance = &PDInstance{}
 
+// IsLeader checks if the instance is PD leader
+func (i *PDInstance) IsLeader(topo Topology, apiTimeoutSeconds int, tlsCfg *tls.Config) (bool, error) {
+	tidbTopo, ok := topo.(*Specification)
+	if !ok {
+		panic("topo should be type of tidb topology")
+	}
+	pdClient := api.NewPDClient(tidbTopo.GetPDList(), time.Second*5, tlsCfg)
+
+	return i.isLeader(pdClient)
+}
+
+func (i *PDInstance) isLeader(pdClient *api.PDClient) (bool, error) {
+	leader, err := pdClient.GetLeader()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, errors.Annotatef(err, "failed to get PD leader %s", i.GetHost())
+	}
+
+	return leader.Name == i.Name, nil
+}
+
 // PreRestart implements RollingUpdateInstance interface.
 func (i *PDInstance) PreRestart(topo Topology, apiTimeoutSeconds int, tlsCfg *tls.Config) error {
 	timeoutOpt := &utils.RetryOption{
@@ -300,15 +320,13 @@ func (i *PDInstance) PreRestart(topo Topology, apiTimeoutSeconds int, tlsCfg *tl
 	if !ok {
 		panic("topo should be type of tidb topology")
 	}
+	pdClient := api.NewPDClient(tidbTopo.GetPDList(), time.Second*5, tlsCfg)
 
-	pdClient := api.NewPDClient(tidbTopo.GetPDList(), 5*time.Second, tlsCfg)
-
-	leader, err := pdClient.GetLeader()
+	isLeader, err := i.isLeader(pdClient)
 	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Annotatef(err, "failed to get PD leader %s", i.GetHost())
+		return err
 	}
-
-	if len(tidbTopo.PDServers) > 1 && leader.Name == i.Name {
+	if len(tidbTopo.PDServers) > 1 && isLeader {
 		if err := pdClient.EvictPDLeader(timeoutOpt); err != nil {
 			return errors.Annotatef(err, "failed to evict PD leader %s", i.GetHost())
 		}