diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkContext.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkContext.scala
index d11fa554ca8c..f9f50e3b8837 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkContext.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkContext.scala
@@ -596,8 +596,6 @@ class SparkContext(config: SparkConf) extends Logging {
     // The metrics system for Driver need to be set spark.app.id to app ID.
     // So it should start after we get app ID from the task scheduler and set spark.app.id.
     _env.metricsSystem.start(_conf.get(METRICS_STATIC_SOURCES_ENABLED))
-    // Attach the driver metrics servlet handler to the web ui after the metrics system is started.
-    _env.metricsSystem.getServletHandlers.foreach(handler => ui.foreach(_.attachHandler(handler)))
 
     _eventLogger =
       if (isEventLogEnabled) {
@@ -639,6 +637,11 @@ class SparkContext(config: SparkConf) extends Logging {
     postEnvironmentUpdate()
     postApplicationStart()
 
+    // After application started, attach handlers to started server and start handler.
+    _ui.foreach(_.attachAllHandler())
+    // Attach the driver metrics servlet handler to the web ui after the metrics system is started.
+    _env.metricsSystem.getServletHandlers.foreach(handler => ui.foreach(_.attachHandler(handler)))
+
     // Post init
     _taskScheduler.postStartHook()
     if (isLocal) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/TestUtils.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/TestUtils.scala
index dcbb9baa2092..24e5534b83ae 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/TestUtils.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/TestUtils.scala
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import javax.tools.{JavaFileObject, SimpleJavaFileObject, ToolProvider}
 import scala.collection.JavaConverters._
 import scala.collection.mutable
 import scala.collection.mutable.ArrayBuffer
+import scala.io.Source
 import scala.reflect.{classTag, ClassTag}
 import scala.sys.process.{Process, ProcessLogger}
 import scala.util.Try
@@ -319,6 +320,18 @@ private[spark] object TestUtils {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Returns the response message from an HTTP(S) URL.
+   */
+  def httpResponseMessage(
+    url: URL,
+    method: String = "GET",
+    headers: Seq[(String, String)] = Nil): String = {
+    withHttpConnection(url, method, headers = headers) { connection =>
+      Source.fromInputStream(connection.getInputStream, "utf-8").getLines().mkString("\n")
+    }
+  }
+
   def withHttpConnection[T](
       url: URL,
       method: String = "GET",
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ui/SparkUI.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ui/SparkUI.scala
index b1769a8a9c9e..db1f8bc1a2ff 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ui/SparkUI.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ui/SparkUI.scala
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@
 package org.apache.spark.ui
 
 import java.util.Date
+import javax.servlet.http.{HttpServlet, HttpServletRequest, HttpServletResponse}
+
+import org.eclipse.jetty.servlet.ServletContextHandler
 
 import org.apache.spark.{SecurityManager, SparkConf, SparkContext}
 import org.apache.spark.internal.Logging
@@ -54,6 +57,25 @@ private[spark] class SparkUI private (
 
   private var streamingJobProgressListener: Option[SparkListener] = None
 
+  private val initHandler: ServletContextHandler = {
+    val servlet = new HttpServlet() {
+      override def doGet(req: HttpServletRequest, res: HttpServletResponse): Unit = {
+        res.setContentType("text/html;charset=utf-8")
+        res.getWriter.write("Spark is starting up. Please wait a while until it's ready.")
+      }
+    }
+    createServletHandler("/", servlet, basePath)
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Attach all existing handlers to ServerInfo.
+   */
+  def attachAllHandler(): Unit = {
+    serverInfo.foreach { server =>
+      server.removeHandler(initHandler)
+      handlers.foreach(server.addHandler(_, securityManager))
+    }
+  }
   /** Initialize all components of the server. */
   def initialize(): Unit = {
     val jobsTab = new JobsTab(this, store)
@@ -96,6 +118,24 @@ private[spark] class SparkUI private (
     appId = id
   }
 
+  /**
+   * To start SparUI, Spark starts Jetty Server first to bind address.
+   * After the Spark application is fully started, call [attachAllHandlers]
+   * to start all existing handlers.
+   */
+  override def bind(): Unit = {
+    assert(serverInfo.isEmpty, s"Attempted to bind $className more than once!")
+    try {
+      val server = initServer()
+      server.addHandler(initHandler, securityManager)
+      serverInfo = Some(server)
+    } catch {
+      case e: Exception =>
+        logError(s"Failed to bind $className", e)
+        System.exit(1)
+    }
+  }
+
   /** Stop the server behind this web interface. Only valid after bind(). */
   override def stop(): Unit = {
     super.stop()
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ui/WebUI.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ui/WebUI.scala
index d826686382f1..80723c34eb4d 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ui/WebUI.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/ui/WebUI.scala
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ private[spark] abstract class WebUI(
   protected var serverInfo: Option[ServerInfo] = None
   protected val publicHostName = Option(conf.getenv("SPARK_PUBLIC_DNS")).getOrElse(
     conf.get(DRIVER_HOST_ADDRESS))
-  private val className = Utils.getFormattedClassName(this)
+  protected val className = Utils.getFormattedClassName(this)
 
   def getBasePath: String = basePath
   def getTabs: Seq[WebUITab] = tabs.toSeq
@@ -139,15 +139,20 @@ private[spark] abstract class WebUI(
   /** A hook to initialize components of the UI */
   def initialize(): Unit
 
+  def initServer(): ServerInfo = {
+    val host = Option(conf.getenv("SPARK_LOCAL_IP")).getOrElse("0.0.0.0")
+    val server = startJettyServer(host, port, sslOptions, conf, name, poolSize)
+    logInfo(s"Bound $className to $host, and started at $webUrl")
+    server
+  }
+
   /** Binds to the HTTP server behind this web interface. */
   def bind(): Unit = {
     assert(serverInfo.isEmpty, s"Attempted to bind $className more than once!")
     try {
-      val host = Option(conf.getenv("SPARK_LOCAL_IP")).getOrElse("0.0.0.0")
-      val server = startJettyServer(host, port, sslOptions, conf, name, poolSize)
+      val server = initServer()
       handlers.foreach(server.addHandler(_, securityManager))
       serverInfo = Some(server)
-      logInfo(s"Bound $className to $host, and started at $webUrl")
     } catch {
       case e: Exception =>
         logError(s"Failed to bind $className", e)
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/ui/UISuite.scala b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/ui/UISuite.scala
index 1a7c8dad5ce7..90136dd06237 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/ui/UISuite.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/ui/UISuite.scala
@@ -424,6 +424,28 @@ class UISuite extends SparkFunSuite {
     }
   }
 
+  test("SPARK-36237: Attach and start handler after application started in UI ") {
+    def newSparkContextWithoutUI(): SparkContext = {
+      val conf = new SparkConf()
+        .setMaster("local")
+        .setAppName("test")
+        .set(UI.UI_ENABLED, false)
+      new SparkContext(conf)
+    }
+
+    withSpark(newSparkContextWithoutUI()) { sc =>
+      assert(sc.ui.isEmpty)
+      val sparkUI = SparkUI.create(Some(sc), sc.statusStore, sc.conf, sc.env.securityManager,
+        sc.appName, "", sc.startTime)
+      sparkUI.bind()
+      assert(TestUtils.httpResponseMessage(new URL(sparkUI.webUrl + "/jobs"))
+        === "Spark is starting up. Please wait a while until it's ready.")
+      sparkUI.attachAllHandler()
+      assert(TestUtils.httpResponseMessage(new URL(sparkUI.webUrl + "/jobs")).contains(sc.appName))
+      sparkUI.stop()
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Create a new context handler for the given path, with a single servlet that responds to
    * requests in `$path/root`.