diff --git a/kong/conf_loader/init.lua b/kong/conf_loader/init.lua
index b557a4b3ee6b..2345cd77c5da 100644
--- a/kong/conf_loader/init.lua
+++ b/kong/conf_loader/init.lua
@@ -953,7 +953,7 @@ local function load(path, custom_conf, opts)
     end
   end
 
-  if not conf.cluster_rpc then
+  if conf.cluster_incremental_sync and not conf.cluster_rpc then
     log.warn("Cluster incremental sync has been forcibly disabled, " ..
              "please enable cluster RPC.")
     conf.cluster_incremental_sync = false