diff --git a/pkg/integration_test/join_test.go b/pkg/integration_test/join_test.go
index c66b45409c4..f140a1c0184 100644
--- a/pkg/integration_test/join_test.go
+++ b/pkg/integration_test/join_test.go
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ package integration
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"os"
+	"path"
 	"time"
 
 	. "github.com/pingcap/check"
@@ -44,6 +46,8 @@ func (s *integrationTestSuite) TestSimpleJoin(c *C) {
 	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
 	err = pd2.Run(context.TODO())
 	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+	_, err = os.Stat(path.Join(pd2.GetConfig().DataDir, "join"))
+	c.Assert(os.IsNotExist(err), IsFalse)
 	members, err = etcdutil.ListEtcdMembers(client)
 	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
 	c.Assert(members.Members, HasLen, 2)
@@ -57,6 +61,8 @@ func (s *integrationTestSuite) TestSimpleJoin(c *C) {
 	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
 	err = pd3.Run(context.TODO())
 	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+	_, err = os.Stat(path.Join(pd3.GetConfig().DataDir, "join"))
+	c.Assert(os.IsNotExist(err), IsFalse)
 	members, err = etcdutil.ListEtcdMembers(client)
 	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
 	c.Assert(members.Members, HasLen, 3)
diff --git a/server/join.go b/server/join.go
index 70624bb2c2d..3de0d21c94d 100644
--- a/server/join.go
+++ b/server/join.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ package server
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"strings"
@@ -26,6 +27,13 @@ import (
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
+const (
+	// privateFileMode grants owner to read/write a file.
+	privateFileMode = 0600
+	// privateDirMode grants owner to make/remove files inside the directory.
+	privateDirMode = 0700
+)
+
 // PrepareJoinCluster sends MemberAdd command to PD cluster,
 // and returns the initial configuration of the PD cluster.
 //
@@ -73,8 +81,20 @@ func PrepareJoinCluster(cfg *Config) error {
 		return errors.New("join self is forbidden")
 	}
 
-	// Cases with data directory.
+	filePath := path.Join(cfg.DataDir, "join")
+	// Read the persist join config
+	if _, err := os.Stat(filePath); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		s, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filePath)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatal("read the join config meet error: ", err)
+		}
+		cfg.InitialCluster = strings.TrimSpace(string(s))
+		cfg.InitialClusterState = embed.ClusterStateFlagExisting
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	initialCluster := ""
+	// Cases with data directory.
 	if isDataExist(path.Join(cfg.DataDir, "member")) {
 		cfg.InitialCluster = initialCluster
 		cfg.InitialClusterState = embed.ClusterStateFlagExisting
@@ -103,6 +123,9 @@ func PrepareJoinCluster(cfg *Config) error {
 
 	existed := false
 	for _, m := range listResp.Members {
+		if len(m.Name) == 0 {
+			return errors.New("there is a member that has not joined successfully")
+		}
 		if m.Name == cfg.Name {
 			existed = true
 		}
@@ -131,6 +154,9 @@ func PrepareJoinCluster(cfg *Config) error {
 		if memb.ID == addResp.Member.ID {
 			n = cfg.Name
 		}
+		if len(n) == 0 {
+			return errors.New("there is a member that has not joined successfully")
+		}
 		for _, m := range memb.PeerURLs {
 			pds = append(pds, fmt.Sprintf("%s=%s", n, m))
 		}
@@ -138,7 +164,13 @@ func PrepareJoinCluster(cfg *Config) error {
 	initialCluster = strings.Join(pds, ",")
 	cfg.InitialCluster = initialCluster
 	cfg.InitialClusterState = embed.ClusterStateFlagExisting
-	return nil
+	err = os.MkdirAll(cfg.DataDir, privateDirMode)
+	if err != nil && !os.IsExist(err) {
+		return errors.WithStack(err)
+	}
+
+	err = ioutil.WriteFile(filePath, []byte(cfg.InitialCluster), privateFileMode)
+	return errors.WithStack(err)
 }
 
 func isDataExist(d string) bool {