diff --git a/cdc/server.go b/cdc/server.go
index d9faec79348..85846aefdb6 100644
--- a/cdc/server.go
+++ b/cdc/server.go
@@ -376,8 +376,8 @@ func (s *Server) initDataDir(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return errors.Trace(err)
 	}
 
-	log.Info(fmt.Sprintf("%s is set as data-dir (%dGB available), ticdc recommend disk for data-dir "+
-		"at least have %dGB available space", conf.DataDir, diskInfo.Avail, dataDirThreshold))
+	log.Info(fmt.Sprintf("%s is set as data-dir (%dGB available), sort-dir=%s. "+
+		"It is recommended that the disk for data-dir at least have %dGB available space", conf.DataDir, diskInfo.Avail, conf.Sorter.SortDir, dataDirThreshold))
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/cmd/server.go b/cmd/server.go
index 768782a48f8..97eb2d3ef24 100644
--- a/cmd/server.go
+++ b/cmd/server.go
@@ -147,6 +147,14 @@ func loadAndVerifyServerConfig(cmd *cobra.Command) (*config.ServerConfig, error)
 		if err := strictDecodeFile(serverConfigFilePath, "TiCDC server", conf); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
+		// user specified sort-dir should not take effect, it's always `/tmp/sorter`
+		// if user try to set sort-dir by config file, warn it.
+		if conf.Sorter.SortDir != config.DefaultSortDir {
+			cmd.Printf(color.HiYellowString("[WARN] --sort-dir is deprecated in server settings. " +
+				"sort-dir will be set to `{data-dir}/tmp/sorter`. The sort-dir here will be no-op\n"))
+
+			conf.Sorter.SortDir = config.DefaultSortDir
+		}
 	}
 	cmd.Flags().Visit(func(flag *pflag.Flag) {
 		switch flag.Name {
@@ -187,18 +195,23 @@ func loadAndVerifyServerConfig(cmd *cobra.Command) (*config.ServerConfig, error)
 		case "cert-allowed-cn":
 			conf.Security.CertAllowedCN = serverConfig.Security.CertAllowedCN
 		case "sort-dir":
-			// user specified sorter dir should not take effect
-			if serverConfig.Sorter.SortDir != config.DefaultSortDir {
-				cmd.Printf(color.HiYellowString("[WARN] --sort-dir is deprecated in server settings. " +
-					"sort-dir will be set to `{data-dir}/tmp/sorter`. The sort-dir here will be no-op\n"))
-			}
-			conf.Sorter.SortDir = config.DefaultSortDir
+			conf.Sorter.SortDir = serverConfig.Sorter.SortDir
 		case "pd", "config":
 			// do nothing
 		default:
 			log.Panic("unknown flag, please report a bug", zap.String("flagName", flag.Name))
 		}
 	})
+
+	// user specified sorter dir should not take effect, it's always `/tmp/sorter`
+	// if user try to set sort-dir by flag, warn it.
+	if conf.Sorter.SortDir != config.DefaultSortDir {
+		cmd.Printf(color.HiYellowString("[WARN] --sort-dir is deprecated in server settings. " +
+			"sort-dir will be set to `{data-dir}/tmp/sorter`. The sort-dir here will be no-op\n"))
+
+		conf.Sorter.SortDir = config.DefaultSortDir
+	}
+
 	if err := conf.ValidateAndAdjust(); err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Trace(err)
 	}