diff --git a/pkg/mcs/resource_manager/server/server.go b/pkg/mcs/resource_manager/server/server.go
index d1dd5f476b8..5e89bda1120 100644
--- a/pkg/mcs/resource_manager/server/server.go
+++ b/pkg/mcs/resource_manager/server/server.go
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ func (s *Server) initClient() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	s.etcdClient, _, s.httpClient, err = etcdutil.CreateClients(tlsConfig, []url.URL(u)[0])
+	s.etcdClient, s.httpClient, err = etcdutil.CreateClients(tlsConfig, []url.URL(u)[0])
 	return err
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/mcs/tso/server/server.go b/pkg/mcs/tso/server/server.go
index 060b832f52f..66a22d98c26 100644
--- a/pkg/mcs/tso/server/server.go
+++ b/pkg/mcs/tso/server/server.go
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ func (s *Server) initClient() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	s.etcdClient, _, s.httpClient, err = etcdutil.CreateClients(tlsConfig, s.backendUrls[0])
+	s.etcdClient, s.httpClient, err = etcdutil.CreateClients(tlsConfig, s.backendUrls[0])
 	return err
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/utils/etcdutil/etcdutil.go b/pkg/utils/etcdutil/etcdutil.go
index c7f1ee7cd8b..deee3b17a3a 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/etcdutil/etcdutil.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/etcdutil/etcdutil.go
@@ -197,17 +197,13 @@ func EtcdKVPutWithTTL(ctx context.Context, c *clientv3.Client, key string, value
 }
 
 // CreateClients creates etcd v3 client and http client.
-func CreateClients(tlsConfig *tls.Config, acUrls url.URL) (*clientv3.Client, *clientv3.Client, *http.Client, error) {
-	client, err := createEtcdClient(tlsConfig, acUrls)
+func CreateClients(tlsConfig *tls.Config, acUrls url.URL) (*clientv3.Client, *http.Client, error) {
+	client, err := CreateEtcdClient(tlsConfig, acUrls)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, nil, errs.ErrNewEtcdClient.Wrap(err).GenWithStackByCause()
-	}
-	electionClient, err := createEtcdClient(tlsConfig, acUrls)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, nil, errs.ErrNewEtcdClient.Wrap(err).GenWithStackByCause()
+		return nil, nil, errs.ErrNewEtcdClient.Wrap(err).GenWithStackByCause()
 	}
 	httpClient := createHTTPClient(tlsConfig)
-	return electionClient, client, httpClient, nil
+	return client, httpClient, nil
 }
 
 // createEtcdClientWithMultiEndpoint creates etcd v3 client.
@@ -249,9 +245,9 @@ func createEtcdClientWithMultiEndpoint(tlsConfig *tls.Config, acUrls []url.URL)
 	return client, err
 }
 
-// createEtcdClient creates etcd v3 client.
+// CreateEtcdClient creates etcd v3 client.
 // Note: it will be used by legacy pd-server, and only connect to leader only.
-func createEtcdClient(tlsConfig *tls.Config, acURL url.URL) (*clientv3.Client, error) {
+func CreateEtcdClient(tlsConfig *tls.Config, acURL url.URL) (*clientv3.Client, error) {
 	lgc := zap.NewProductionConfig()
 	lgc.Encoding = log.ZapEncodingName
 	client, err := clientv3.New(clientv3.Config{
diff --git a/pkg/utils/etcdutil/etcdutil_test.go b/pkg/utils/etcdutil/etcdutil_test.go
index 6bf63db79c9..4b7e2d9957b 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/etcdutil/etcdutil_test.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/etcdutil/etcdutil_test.go
@@ -305,12 +305,12 @@ func TestEtcdScaleInAndOutWithoutMultiPoint(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create two etcd clients with etcd1 as endpoint.
 	urls, err := types.NewURLs([]string{ep1})
 	re.NoError(err)
-	client1, err := createEtcdClient(nil, urls[0]) // execute member change operation with this client
+	client1, err := CreateEtcdClient(nil, urls[0]) // execute member change operation with this client
 	defer func() {
 		client1.Close()
 	}()
 	re.NoError(err)
-	client2, err := createEtcdClient(nil, urls[0]) // check member change with this client
+	client2, err := CreateEtcdClient(nil, urls[0]) // check member change with this client
 	defer func() {
 		client2.Close()
 	}()
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ func (suite *loopWatcherTestSuite) SetupSuite() {
 	ep1 := suite.config.LCUrls[0].String()
 	urls, err := types.NewURLs([]string{ep1})
 	suite.NoError(err)
-	suite.client, err = createEtcdClient(nil, urls[0])
+	suite.client, err = CreateEtcdClient(nil, urls[0])
 	suite.NoError(err)
 	suite.cleans = append(suite.cleans, func() {
 		suite.client.Close()
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ func (suite *loopWatcherTestSuite) TestWatcherBreak() {
 
 	// Case2: close the etcd client and put a new value after watcher restarts
 	suite.client.Close()
-	suite.client, err = createEtcdClient(nil, suite.config.LCUrls[0])
+	suite.client, err = CreateEtcdClient(nil, suite.config.LCUrls[0])
 	suite.NoError(err)
 	watcher.updateClientCh <- suite.client
 	suite.put("TestWatcherBreak", "2")
@@ -693,7 +693,7 @@ func (suite *loopWatcherTestSuite) TestWatcherBreak() {
 
 	// Case3: close the etcd client and put a new value before watcher restarts
 	suite.client.Close()
-	suite.client, err = createEtcdClient(nil, suite.config.LCUrls[0])
+	suite.client, err = CreateEtcdClient(nil, suite.config.LCUrls[0])
 	suite.NoError(err)
 	suite.put("TestWatcherBreak", "3")
 	watcher.updateClientCh <- suite.client
@@ -701,7 +701,7 @@ func (suite *loopWatcherTestSuite) TestWatcherBreak() {
 
 	// Case4: close the etcd client and put a new value with compact
 	suite.client.Close()
-	suite.client, err = createEtcdClient(nil, suite.config.LCUrls[0])
+	suite.client, err = CreateEtcdClient(nil, suite.config.LCUrls[0])
 	suite.NoError(err)
 	suite.put("TestWatcherBreak", "4")
 	resp, err := EtcdKVGet(suite.client, "TestWatcherBreak")
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 1ff9f7ee1c4..4e49faa6b24 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -332,7 +332,12 @@ func (s *Server) startEtcd(ctx context.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	// start client
-	s.client, s.electionClient, s.httpClient, err = startClient(s.cfg)
+	s.client, s.httpClient, err = startClient(s.cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	s.electionClient, err = startElectionClient(s.cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -359,18 +364,31 @@ func (s *Server) startEtcd(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func startClient(cfg *config.Config) (*clientv3.Client, *clientv3.Client, *http.Client, error) {
+func startClient(cfg *config.Config) (*clientv3.Client, *http.Client, error) {
 	tlsConfig, err := cfg.Security.ToTLSConfig()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, nil, err
+		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 	etcdCfg, err := cfg.GenEmbedEtcdConfig()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, nil, err
+		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 	return etcdutil.CreateClients(tlsConfig, etcdCfg.ACUrls[0])
 }
 
+func startElectionClient(cfg *config.Config) (*clientv3.Client, error) {
+	tlsConfig, err := cfg.Security.ToTLSConfig()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	etcdCfg, err := cfg.GenEmbedEtcdConfig()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return etcdutil.CreateEtcdClient(tlsConfig, etcdCfg.ACUrls[0])
+}
+
 // AddStartCallback adds a callback in the startServer phase.
 func (s *Server) AddStartCallback(callbacks ...func()) {
 	s.startCallbacks = append(s.startCallbacks, callbacks...)