diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataIndexUpgradeService.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataIndexUpgradeService.java
index 269657367dcfa..2ff5fd5c2b217 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataIndexUpgradeService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataIndexUpgradeService.java
@@ -18,13 +18,11 @@
  */
 package org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata;
 
-import com.carrotsearch.hppc.cursors.ObjectCursor;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.message.ParameterizedMessage;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.util.Supplier;
 import org.apache.lucene.analysis.Analyzer;
 import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.component.AbstractComponent;
-import org.elasticsearch.common.inject.Inject;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.IndexScopedSettings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.NamedXContentRegistry;
@@ -35,7 +33,6 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.index.mapper.MapperService;
 import org.elasticsearch.index.similarity.SimilarityService;
 import org.elasticsearch.indices.mapper.MapperRegistry;
-import org.elasticsearch.plugins.Plugin;
 
 import java.util.AbstractMap;
 import java.util.Collection;
@@ -59,7 +56,6 @@ public class MetaDataIndexUpgradeService extends AbstractComponent {
     private final IndexScopedSettings indexScopedSettings;
     private final UnaryOperator<IndexMetaData> upgraders;
 
-    @Inject
     public MetaDataIndexUpgradeService(Settings settings, NamedXContentRegistry xContentRegistry, MapperRegistry mapperRegistry,
                                        IndexScopedSettings indexScopedSettings,
                                        Collection<UnaryOperator<IndexMetaData>> indexMetaDataUpgraders) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/Gateway.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/Gateway.java
index 2e258ca54de69..f4d191ac28a8a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/Gateway.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/Gateway.java
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@
 import com.carrotsearch.hppc.cursors.ObjectCursor;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.message.ParameterizedMessage;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.FailedNodeException;
-import org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterChangedEvent;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterState;
-import org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterStateApplier;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.IndexMetaData;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.MetaData;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.service.ClusterService;
@@ -39,27 +37,23 @@
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Map;
 
-public class Gateway extends AbstractComponent implements ClusterStateApplier {
+public class Gateway extends AbstractComponent {
 
     private final ClusterService clusterService;
 
-    private final GatewayMetaState metaState;
-
     private final TransportNodesListGatewayMetaState listGatewayMetaState;
 
     private final int minimumMasterNodes;
     private final IndicesService indicesService;
 
-    public Gateway(Settings settings, ClusterService clusterService, GatewayMetaState metaState,
+    public Gateway(Settings settings, ClusterService clusterService,
                    TransportNodesListGatewayMetaState listGatewayMetaState,
                    IndicesService indicesService) {
         super(settings);
         this.indicesService = indicesService;
         this.clusterService = clusterService;
-        this.metaState = metaState;
         this.listGatewayMetaState = listGatewayMetaState;
         this.minimumMasterNodes = ElectMasterService.DISCOVERY_ZEN_MINIMUM_MASTER_NODES_SETTING.get(settings);
-        clusterService.addLowPriorityApplier(this);
     }
 
     public void performStateRecovery(final GatewayStateRecoveredListener listener) throws GatewayException {
@@ -174,13 +168,6 @@ private void logInvalidSetting(String settingType, Map.Entry<String, String> e,
             ex);
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public void applyClusterState(final ClusterChangedEvent event) {
-        // order is important, first metaState, and then shardsState
-        // so dangling indices will be recorded
-        metaState.applyClusterState(event);
-    }
-
     public interface GatewayStateRecoveredListener {
         void onSuccess(ClusterState build);
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayMetaState.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayMetaState.java
index 9d57392030ce6..719626b7e1870 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayMetaState.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayMetaState.java
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.common.Nullable;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.collect.ImmutableOpenMap;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.component.AbstractComponent;
-import org.elasticsearch.common.inject.Inject;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.unit.TimeValue;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.IndexFolderUpgrader;
@@ -69,15 +68,11 @@ public class GatewayMetaState extends AbstractComponent implements ClusterStateA
 
     private volatile Set<Index> previouslyWrittenIndices = emptySet();
 
-    @Inject
     public GatewayMetaState(Settings settings, NodeEnvironment nodeEnv, MetaStateService metaStateService,
-                            TransportNodesListGatewayMetaState nodesListGatewayMetaState,
-                            MetaDataIndexUpgradeService metaDataIndexUpgradeService, MetaDataUpgrader metaDataUpgrader)
-        throws Exception {
+                            MetaDataIndexUpgradeService metaDataIndexUpgradeService, MetaDataUpgrader metaDataUpgrader) throws IOException {
         super(settings);
         this.nodeEnv = nodeEnv;
         this.metaStateService = metaStateService;
-        nodesListGatewayMetaState.init(this);
 
         if (DiscoveryNode.isDataNode(settings)) {
             ensureNoPre019ShardState(nodeEnv);
@@ -210,7 +205,7 @@ protected static boolean isDataOnlyNode(ClusterState state) {
     /**
      * Throws an IAE if a pre 0.19 state is detected
      */
-    private void ensureNoPre019State() throws Exception {
+    private void ensureNoPre019State() throws IOException {
         for (Path dataLocation : nodeEnv.nodeDataPaths()) {
             final Path stateLocation = dataLocation.resolve(MetaDataStateFormat.STATE_DIR_NAME);
             if (!Files.exists(stateLocation)) {
@@ -242,7 +237,7 @@ private void ensureNoPre019State() throws Exception {
      */
     static MetaData upgradeMetaData(MetaData metaData,
                                     MetaDataIndexUpgradeService metaDataIndexUpgradeService,
-                                    MetaDataUpgrader metaDataUpgrader) throws Exception {
+                                    MetaDataUpgrader metaDataUpgrader) throws IOException {
         // upgrade index meta data
         boolean changed = false;
         final MetaData.Builder upgradedMetaData = MetaData.builder(metaData);
@@ -288,7 +283,7 @@ private static <Data> boolean applyPluginUpgraders(ImmutableOpenMap<String, Data
     }
 
     // shard state BWC
-    private void ensureNoPre019ShardState(NodeEnvironment nodeEnv) throws Exception {
+    private void ensureNoPre019ShardState(NodeEnvironment nodeEnv) throws IOException {
         for (Path dataLocation : nodeEnv.nodeDataPaths()) {
             final Path stateLocation = dataLocation.resolve(MetaDataStateFormat.STATE_DIR_NAME);
             if (Files.exists(stateLocation)) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayModule.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayModule.java
index b78310171e4ed..944baa58cb5c7 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayModule.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayModule.java
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ protected void configure() {
         bind(DanglingIndicesState.class).asEagerSingleton();
         bind(GatewayService.class).asEagerSingleton();
         bind(TransportNodesListGatewayMetaState.class).asEagerSingleton();
-        bind(GatewayMetaState.class).asEagerSingleton();
         bind(TransportNodesListGatewayStartedShards.class).asEagerSingleton();
         bind(LocalAllocateDangledIndices.class).asEagerSingleton();
     }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayService.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayService.java
index 6b61e03443eae..91ce90bd8b58c 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayService.java
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ public GatewayService(Settings settings, AllocationService allocationService, Cl
                           TransportNodesListGatewayMetaState listGatewayMetaState,
                           IndicesService indicesService) {
         super(settings);
-        this.gateway = new Gateway(settings, clusterService, metaState, listGatewayMetaState,
+        this.gateway = new Gateway(settings, clusterService, listGatewayMetaState,
             indicesService);
         this.allocationService = allocationService;
         this.clusterService = clusterService;
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@ public GatewayService(Settings settings, AllocationService allocationService, Cl
             // TODO: change me once the minimum_master_nodes is changed too
             recoverAfterMasterNodes = settings.getAsInt("discovery.zen.minimum_master_nodes", -1);
         }
+
+        clusterService.addLowPriorityApplier(metaState);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/MetaStateService.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/MetaStateService.java
index 5c820343cc807..7fab7acc5f22d 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/MetaStateService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/MetaStateService.java
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ public void writeIndex(String reason, IndexMetaData indexMetaData) throws IOExce
     /**
      * Writes the global state, *without* the indices states.
      */
-    void writeGlobalState(String reason, MetaData metaData) throws Exception {
+    void writeGlobalState(String reason, MetaData metaData) throws IOException {
         logger.trace("[_global] writing state, reason [{}]",  reason);
         try {
             MetaData.FORMAT.write(metaData, nodeEnv.nodeDataPaths());
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/TransportNodesListGatewayMetaState.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/TransportNodesListGatewayMetaState.java
index 4247ec131a33d..04253dfabb18a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/TransportNodesListGatewayMetaState.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/TransportNodesListGatewayMetaState.java
@@ -52,19 +52,16 @@ public class TransportNodesListGatewayMetaState extends TransportNodesAction<Tra
 
     public static final String ACTION_NAME = "internal:gateway/local/meta_state";
 
-    private GatewayMetaState metaState;
+    private final GatewayMetaState metaState;
 
     @Inject
     public TransportNodesListGatewayMetaState(Settings settings, ThreadPool threadPool,
                                               ClusterService clusterService, TransportService transportService,
-                                              ActionFilters actionFilters, IndexNameExpressionResolver indexNameExpressionResolver) {
+                                              ActionFilters actionFilters, IndexNameExpressionResolver indexNameExpressionResolver,
+                                              GatewayMetaState metaState) {
         super(settings, ACTION_NAME, threadPool, clusterService, transportService, actionFilters,
               indexNameExpressionResolver, Request::new, NodeRequest::new, ThreadPool.Names.GENERIC, NodeGatewayMetaState.class);
-    }
-
-    TransportNodesListGatewayMetaState init(GatewayMetaState metaState) {
         this.metaState = metaState;
-        return this;
     }
 
     public ActionFuture<NodesGatewayMetaState> list(String[] nodesIds, @Nullable TimeValue timeout) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/Node.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/Node.java
index 5688dfc3f875e..9ad403e2d4cda 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/Node.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/Node.java
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.indices.breaker.HierarchyCircuitBreakerService;
 import org.elasticsearch.indices.breaker.NoneCircuitBreakerService;
 import org.elasticsearch.indices.cluster.IndicesClusterStateService;
+import org.elasticsearch.indices.mapper.MapperRegistry;
 import org.elasticsearch.indices.recovery.PeerRecoverySourceService;
 import org.elasticsearch.indices.recovery.PeerRecoveryTargetService;
 import org.elasticsearch.indices.recovery.RecoverySettings;
@@ -416,6 +417,10 @@ protected Node(final Environment environment, Collection<Class<? extends Plugin>
             Collection<UnaryOperator<IndexMetaData>> indexMetaDataUpgraders = pluginsService.filterPlugins(Plugin.class).stream()
                     .map(Plugin::getIndexMetaDataUpgrader).collect(Collectors.toList());
             final MetaDataUpgrader metaDataUpgrader = new MetaDataUpgrader(customMetaDataUpgraders, indexTemplateMetaDataUpgraders);
+            final MetaDataIndexUpgradeService metaDataIndexUpgradeService = new MetaDataIndexUpgradeService(settings, xContentRegistry,
+                indicesModule.getMapperRegistry(), settingsModule.getIndexScopedSettings(), indexMetaDataUpgraders);
+            final GatewayMetaState gatewayMetaState = new GatewayMetaState(settings, nodeEnvironment, metaStateService,
+                metaDataIndexUpgradeService, metaDataUpgrader);
             new TemplateUpgradeService(settings, client, clusterService, threadPool, indexTemplateMetaDataUpgraders);
             final Transport transport = networkModule.getTransportSupplier().get();
             final TransportService transportService = newTransportService(settings, transport, threadPool,
@@ -475,9 +480,9 @@ protected Node(final Environment environment, Collection<Class<? extends Plugin>
                     b.bind(TransportService.class).toInstance(transportService);
                     b.bind(NetworkService.class).toInstance(networkService);
                     b.bind(UpdateHelper.class).toInstance(new UpdateHelper(settings, scriptModule.getScriptService()));
-                    b.bind(MetaDataIndexUpgradeService.class).toInstance(new MetaDataIndexUpgradeService(settings, xContentRegistry,
-                        indicesModule.getMapperRegistry(), settingsModule.getIndexScopedSettings(), indexMetaDataUpgraders));
+                    b.bind(MetaDataIndexUpgradeService.class).toInstance(metaDataIndexUpgradeService);
                     b.bind(ClusterInfoService.class).toInstance(clusterInfoService);
+                    b.bind(GatewayMetaState.class).toInstance(gatewayMetaState);
                     b.bind(Discovery.class).toInstance(discoveryModule.getDiscovery());
                     {
                         RecoverySettings recoverySettings = new RecoverySettings(settings, settingsModule.getClusterSettings());
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/bwcompat/RecoveryWithUnsupportedIndicesIT.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/bwcompat/RecoveryWithUnsupportedIndicesIT.java
index 50f328db39306..51ff79a4a2fa2 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/bwcompat/RecoveryWithUnsupportedIndicesIT.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/bwcompat/RecoveryWithUnsupportedIndicesIT.java
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ public void testUpgradeStartClusterOn_0_20_6() throws Exception {
             internalCluster().startNode(nodeSettings);
             fail();
         } catch (Exception ex) {
-            assertThat(ex.getMessage(), containsString(" was created before v2.0.0.beta1 and wasn't upgraded"));
+            assertThat(ex.getCause().getCause().getMessage(), containsString(" was created before v2.0.0.beta1 and wasn't upgraded"));
         }
     }
 }