diff --git a/dubbo-config/dubbo-config-api/src/main/java/org/apache/dubbo/config/AbstractInterfaceConfig.java b/dubbo-config/dubbo-config-api/src/main/java/org/apache/dubbo/config/AbstractInterfaceConfig.java
index 80ddcda1a88..87cf70985ab 100644
--- a/dubbo-config/dubbo-config-api/src/main/java/org/apache/dubbo/config/AbstractInterfaceConfig.java
+++ b/dubbo-config/dubbo-config-api/src/main/java/org/apache/dubbo/config/AbstractInterfaceConfig.java
@@ -228,7 +228,6 @@ protected void checkMetadataReport() {
      */
     protected List<URL> loadRegistries(boolean provider) {
         // check && override if necessary
-        checkRegistry();
         List<URL> registryList = new ArrayList<URL>();
         if (registries != null && !registries.isEmpty()) {
             for (RegistryConfig config : registries) {
diff --git a/dubbo-config/dubbo-config-api/src/main/java/org/apache/dubbo/config/ReferenceConfig.java b/dubbo-config/dubbo-config-api/src/main/java/org/apache/dubbo/config/ReferenceConfig.java
index 898f4e6c797..5dcf189a196 100644
--- a/dubbo-config/dubbo-config-api/src/main/java/org/apache/dubbo/config/ReferenceConfig.java
+++ b/dubbo-config/dubbo-config-api/src/main/java/org/apache/dubbo/config/ReferenceConfig.java
@@ -218,6 +218,7 @@ public void checkAndUpdateSubConfigs() {
             inheritIfAbsentFromApplication();
         }
         checkApplication();
+        checkRegistry();
         checkMetadataReport();
     }
 
diff --git a/dubbo-config/dubbo-config-api/src/test/java/org/apache/dubbo/config/AbstractInterfaceConfigTest.java b/dubbo-config/dubbo-config-api/src/test/java/org/apache/dubbo/config/AbstractInterfaceConfigTest.java
index 374d7353038..5f7b9612c5f 100644
--- a/dubbo-config/dubbo-config-api/src/test/java/org/apache/dubbo/config/AbstractInterfaceConfigTest.java
+++ b/dubbo-config/dubbo-config-api/src/test/java/org/apache/dubbo/config/AbstractInterfaceConfigTest.java
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ public void checkApplication2() throws Exception {
     public void testLoadRegistries() throws Exception {
         System.setProperty("dubbo.registry.address", "addr1");
         InterfaceConfig interfaceConfig = new InterfaceConfig();
+        // FIXME: now we need to check first, then load
+        interfaceConfig.checkRegistry();
         List<URL> urls = interfaceConfig.loadRegistries(true);
         TestCase.assertEquals(1, urls.size());
         URL url = urls.get(0);