diff --git a/src/common/task_runner.cc b/src/common/task_runner.cc
index 6eccfd564ea..123d1aa1228 100644
--- a/src/common/task_runner.cc
+++ b/src/common/task_runner.cc
@@ -35,18 +35,21 @@ Status TaskRunner::Publish(const Task &task) {
   }
 
   task_queue_.emplace_back(task);
-  cond_.notify_all();
+  cond_.notify_one();
   return Status::OK();
 }
 
-void TaskRunner::Start() {
+Status TaskRunner::Start() {
+  if (!threads_.empty()) {
+    return {Status::NotOK, "Task runner is expected to stop before starting"};
+  }
+
   stop_ = false;
   for (int i = 0; i < n_thread_; i++) {
-    threads_.emplace_back([this] {
-      Util::ThreadSetName("task-runner");
-      this->run();
-    });
+    threads_.emplace_back(GET_OR_RET(Util::CreateThread("task-runner", [this] { this->run(); })));
   }
+
+  return Status::OK();
 }
 
 void TaskRunner::Stop() {
@@ -55,22 +58,22 @@ void TaskRunner::Stop() {
   cond_.notify_all();
 }
 
-void TaskRunner::Join() {
+Status TaskRunner::Join() {
   for (auto &thread : threads_) {
     if (auto s = Util::ThreadJoin(thread); !s) {
-      LOG(WARNING) << "Task thread operation failed: " << s.Msg();
+      return s.Prefixed("Task thread operation failed");
     }
   }
-}
 
-void TaskRunner::Purge() {
   std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(mu_);
   threads_.clear();
-  task_queue_.clear();
+
+  return Status::OK();
 }
 
 void TaskRunner::run() {
   std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(mu_);
+
   while (!stop_) {
     cond_.wait(lock, [this]() -> bool { return stop_ || !task_queue_.empty(); });
 
@@ -84,6 +87,5 @@ void TaskRunner::run() {
   }
 
   task_queue_.clear();
-  lock.unlock();
   // CAUTION: drop the rest of tasks, don't use task runner if the task can't be drop
 }
diff --git a/src/common/task_runner.h b/src/common/task_runner.h
index 7737315493e..3aaf31ce9ac 100644
--- a/src/common/task_runner.h
+++ b/src/common/task_runner.h
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
 
 #include <condition_variable>
 #include <cstdint>
+#include <deque>
 #include <functional>
-#include <list>
 #include <mutex>
 #include <thread>
 #include <vector>
@@ -40,17 +40,16 @@ class TaskRunner {
 
   Status Publish(const Task &task);
   size_t QueueSize() { return task_queue_.size(); }
-  void Start();
+  Status Start();
   void Stop();
-  void Join();
-  void Purge();
+  Status Join();
 
  private:
   void run();
 
   bool stop_ = false;
   uint32_t max_queue_size_;
-  std::list<Task> task_queue_;
+  std::deque<Task> task_queue_;
   std::mutex mu_;
   std::condition_variable cond_;
   int n_thread_;
diff --git a/src/server/server.cc b/src/server/server.cc
index 34025ddbfcb..cd7681d73b7 100644
--- a/src/server/server.cc
+++ b/src/server/server.cc
@@ -165,7 +165,9 @@ Status Server::Start() {
     worker->Start();
   }
 
-  task_runner_.Start();
+  if (auto s = task_runner_.Start(); !s) {
+    return s.Prefixed("Failed to start task runner");
+  }
   // setup server cron thread
   cron_thread_ = GET_OR_RET(Util::CreateThread("server-cron", [this] { this->cron(); }));
 
@@ -230,7 +232,9 @@ void Server::Join() {
     worker->Join();
   }
 
-  task_runner_.Join();
+  if (auto s = task_runner_.Join(); !s) {
+    LOG(WARNING) << s.Msg();
+  }
   if (auto s = Util::ThreadJoin(cron_thread_); !s) {
     LOG(WARNING) << "Cron thread operation failed: " << s.Msg();
   }
@@ -262,7 +266,9 @@ Status Server::AddMaster(const std::string &host, uint32_t port, bool force_reco
   auto s = replication_thread_->Start([this]() { PrepareRestoreDB(); },
                                       [this]() {
                                         this->is_loading_ = false;
-                                        task_runner_.Start();
+                                        if (auto s = task_runner_.Start(); !s) {
+                                          LOG(WARNING) << "Failed to start task runner: " << s.Msg();
+                                        }
                                       });
   if (s.IsOK()) {
     master_host_ = host;
@@ -1189,8 +1195,9 @@ void Server::PrepareRestoreDB() {
   // Stop task runner
   LOG(INFO) << "[server] Stopping the task runner and clear task queue...";
   task_runner_.Stop();
-  task_runner_.Join();
-  task_runner_.Purge();
+  if (auto s = task_runner_.Join(); !s) {
+    LOG(WARNING) << "[server] " << s.Msg();
+  }
 
   // If the DB is restored, the object 'db_' will be destroyed, but
   // 'db_' will be accessed in data migration task. To avoid wrong
diff --git a/tests/cppunit/task_runner_test.cc b/tests/cppunit/task_runner_test.cc
index 48eb7923420..ba0156e57dd 100644
--- a/tests/cppunit/task_runner_test.cc
+++ b/tests/cppunit/task_runner_test.cc
@@ -53,17 +53,15 @@ TEST(TaskRunner, PublishToStopQueue) {
 TEST(TaskRunner, Run) {
   std::atomic<int> counter = {0};
   TaskRunner tr(3, 1024);
-  tr.Start();
+  auto _ = tr.Start();
 
-  Status s;
-  Task t;
   for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
-    t = [&counter] { counter.fetch_add(1); };
-    s = tr.Publish(t);
+    Task t = [&counter] { counter.fetch_add(1); };
+    auto s = tr.Publish(t);
     ASSERT_TRUE(s.IsOK());
   }
   sleep(1);
   ASSERT_EQ(100, counter);
   tr.Stop();
-  tr.Join();
+  _ = tr.Join();
 }