diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/rpc/netty/Dispatcher.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/rpc/netty/Dispatcher.scala
index 27c943da88105..41d6d146a86d7 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/rpc/netty/Dispatcher.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/rpc/netty/Dispatcher.scala
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import javax.annotation.concurrent.GuardedBy
 
 import scala.collection.JavaConverters._
 import scala.concurrent.Promise
+import scala.util.control.NonFatal
 
 import org.apache.spark.SparkException
 import org.apache.spark.internal.Logging
@@ -44,16 +45,6 @@ private[netty] class Dispatcher(nettyEnv: NettyRpcEnv, numUsableCores: Int) exte
   private val shutdownLatch = new CountDownLatch(1)
   private lazy val sharedLoop = new SharedMessageLoop(nettyEnv.conf, this, numUsableCores)
 
-  private def getMessageLoop(name: String, endpoint: RpcEndpoint): MessageLoop = {
-    endpoint match {
-      case e: IsolatedRpcEndpoint =>
-        new DedicatedMessageLoop(name, e, this)
-      case _ =>
-        sharedLoop.register(name, endpoint)
-        sharedLoop
-    }
-  }
-
   /**
    * True if the dispatcher has been stopped. Once stopped, all messages posted will be bounced
    * immediately.
@@ -68,11 +59,31 @@ private[netty] class Dispatcher(nettyEnv: NettyRpcEnv, numUsableCores: Int) exte
       if (stopped) {
         throw new IllegalStateException("RpcEnv has been stopped")
       }
-      if (endpoints.putIfAbsent(name, getMessageLoop(name, endpoint)) != null) {
+      if (endpoints.containsKey(name)) {
         throw new IllegalArgumentException(s"There is already an RpcEndpoint called $name")
       }
+
+      // This must be done before assigning RpcEndpoint to MessageLoop, as MessageLoop sets Inbox be
+      // active when registering, and endpointRef must be put into endpointRefs before onStart is
+      // called.
+      endpointRefs.put(endpoint, endpointRef)
+
+      var messageLoop: MessageLoop = null
+      try {
+        messageLoop = endpoint match {
+          case e: IsolatedRpcEndpoint =>
+            new DedicatedMessageLoop(name, e, this)
+          case _ =>
+            sharedLoop.register(name, endpoint)
+            sharedLoop
+        }
+        endpoints.put(name, messageLoop)
+      } catch {
+        case NonFatal(e) =>
+          endpointRefs.remove(endpoint)
+          throw e
+      }
     }
-    endpointRefs.put(endpoint, endpointRef)
     endpointRef
   }