diff --git a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/client/LedgerHandle.java b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/client/LedgerHandle.java
index 9c4760b236c..1ac6b948ce4 100644
--- a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/client/LedgerHandle.java
+++ b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/client/LedgerHandle.java
@@ -878,13 +878,15 @@ CompletableFuture<LedgerEntries> readEntriesInternalAsync(long firstEntry,
             // Naturally one of the solutions would be to submit smaller batches and in this case
             // current implementation will prevent next batch from starting when bookie is
             // unresponsive thus helpful enough.
-            DistributionSchedule.WriteSet ws = distributionSchedule.getWriteSet(firstEntry);
-            try {
-                if (!waitForWritable(ws, ws.size() - 1, clientCtx.getConf().waitForWriteSetMs)) {
-                    op.allowFailFastOnUnwritableChannel();
+            if (clientCtx.getConf().waitForWriteSetMs >= 0) {
+                DistributionSchedule.WriteSet ws = distributionSchedule.getWriteSet(firstEntry);
+                try {
+                    if (!waitForWritable(ws, ws.size() - 1, clientCtx.getConf().waitForWriteSetMs)) {
+                        op.allowFailFastOnUnwritableChannel();
+                    }
+                } finally {
+                    ws.recycle();
                 }
-            } finally {
-                ws.recycle();
             }
 
             if (isHandleWritable()) {
@@ -1341,13 +1343,15 @@ public String toString() {
             return;
         }
 
-        DistributionSchedule.WriteSet ws = distributionSchedule.getWriteSet(op.getEntryId());
-        try {
-            if (!waitForWritable(ws, 0, clientCtx.getConf().waitForWriteSetMs)) {
-                op.allowFailFastOnUnwritableChannel();
+        if (clientCtx.getConf().waitForWriteSetMs >= 0) {
+            DistributionSchedule.WriteSet ws = distributionSchedule.getWriteSet(op.getEntryId());
+            try {
+                if (!waitForWritable(ws, 0, clientCtx.getConf().waitForWriteSetMs)) {
+                    op.allowFailFastOnUnwritableChannel();
+                }
+            } finally {
+                ws.recycle();
             }
-        } finally {
-            ws.recycle();
         }
 
         try {
diff --git a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/client/LedgerHandleAdv.java b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/client/LedgerHandleAdv.java
index 1bdc653650f..52a3f4594db 100644
--- a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/client/LedgerHandleAdv.java
+++ b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/client/LedgerHandleAdv.java
@@ -263,9 +263,15 @@ public String toString() {
             return;
         }
 
-        if (!waitForWritable(distributionSchedule.getWriteSet(op.getEntryId()),
-                    0, clientCtx.getConf().waitForWriteSetMs)) {
-            op.allowFailFastOnUnwritableChannel();
+        if (clientCtx.getConf().waitForWriteSetMs >= 0) {
+            DistributionSchedule.WriteSet ws = distributionSchedule.getWriteSet(op.getEntryId());
+            try {
+                if (!waitForWritable(ws, 0, clientCtx.getConf().waitForWriteSetMs)) {
+                    op.allowFailFastOnUnwritableChannel();
+                }
+            } finally {
+                ws.recycle();
+            }
         }
 
         try {