diff --git a/scripts/hostcfgd b/scripts/hostcfgd
index beb5534ad68f..d549d560bc83 100755
--- a/scripts/hostcfgd
+++ b/scripts/hostcfgd
@@ -208,7 +208,11 @@ class FeatureHandler(object):
             self._feature_state_table._del(feature_name)
             return
 
-        feature = Feature(feature_name, feature_cfg, self._device_config | self._device_running_config)
+        device_config = {}
+        device_config.update(self._device_config)
+        device_config.update(self._device_running_config)
+
+        feature = Feature(feature_name, feature_cfg, device_config)
         self._cached_config.setdefault(feature_name, Feature(feature_name, {}))
 
         # Change auto-restart configuration first.
@@ -239,8 +243,12 @@ class FeatureHandler(object):
             if not feature_name:
                 syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_WARNING, "Feature is None")
                 continue
+            
+            device_config = {}
+            device_config.update(self._device_config)
+            device_config.update(self._device_running_config)
 
-            feature = Feature(feature_name, feature_table[feature_name], self._device_config | self._device_running_config)
+            feature = Feature(feature_name, feature_table[feature_name], device_config)
 
             self._cached_config.setdefault(feature_name, feature)
             self.update_systemd_config(feature)
diff --git a/tests/hostcfgd/hostcfgd_test.py b/tests/hostcfgd/hostcfgd_test.py
index 23fc4a9ddc39..93ba7b9666a6 100644
--- a/tests/hostcfgd/hostcfgd_test.py
+++ b/tests/hostcfgd/hostcfgd_test.py
@@ -134,6 +134,8 @@ def test_sync_state_field(self, test_scenario_name, config_data, fs):
 
                         device_config = {}
                         device_config['DEVICE_METADATA'] = MockConfigDb.CONFIG_DB['DEVICE_METADATA']
+                        device_config.update(config_data['device_runtime_metadata'])
+
                         feature_handler = hostcfgd.FeatureHandler(MockConfigDb(), feature_state_table_mock, device_config)
 
                         feature_table = MockConfigDb.CONFIG_DB['FEATURE']
@@ -141,7 +143,7 @@ def test_sync_state_field(self, test_scenario_name, config_data, fs):
 
                         feature_systemd_name_map = {}
                         for feature_name in feature_table.keys():
-                            feature = hostcfgd.Feature(feature_name, feature_table[feature_name], device_config | config_data['device_runtime_metadata'])
+                            feature = hostcfgd.Feature(feature_name, feature_table[feature_name], device_config)
                             feature_names, _ = feature_handler.get_multiasic_feature_instances(feature)
                             feature_systemd_name_map[feature_name] = feature_names
 
@@ -188,6 +190,7 @@ def test_handler(self, test_scenario_name, config_data, fs):
 
                         device_config = {}
                         device_config['DEVICE_METADATA'] = MockConfigDb.CONFIG_DB['DEVICE_METADATA']
+                        device_config.update(config_data['device_runtime_metadata'])
                         feature_handler = hostcfgd.FeatureHandler(MockConfigDb(), feature_state_table_mock, device_config)
 
                         feature_table = MockConfigDb.CONFIG_DB['FEATURE']
@@ -195,7 +198,7 @@ def test_handler(self, test_scenario_name, config_data, fs):
                         feature_systemd_name_map = {}
                         for feature_name, feature_config in feature_table.items():
                             feature_handler.handler(feature_name, 'SET', feature_config)
-                            feature = hostcfgd.Feature(feature_name, feature_table[feature_name], device_config | config_data['device_runtime_metadata'])
+                            feature = hostcfgd.Feature(feature_name, feature_table[feature_name], device_config)
                             feature_names, _ = feature_handler.get_multiasic_feature_instances(feature)
                             feature_systemd_name_map[feature_name] = feature_names