diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_listeners.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_listeners.erl
index 9c0552601..062da5a72 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_listeners.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_listeners.erl
@@ -377,11 +377,11 @@ post_config_update([listeners, Type, Name], {create, _Request}, NewConf, undefin
     start_listener(Type, Name, NewConf);
 post_config_update([listeners, Type, Name], {update, _Request}, NewConf, OldConf, _AppEnvs) ->
     case NewConf of
-        #{<<"enabled">> := true} -> restart_listener(Type, Name, {OldConf, NewConf});
+        #{enabled := true} -> restart_listener(Type, Name, {OldConf, NewConf});
         _ -> ok
     end;
 post_config_update([listeners, _Type, _Name], '$remove', undefined, undefined, _AppEnvs) ->
-    {error, not_found};
+    ok;
 post_config_update([listeners, Type, Name], '$remove', undefined, OldConf, _AppEnvs) ->
     case stop_listener(Type, Name, OldConf) of
         ok ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_api_listeners.erl b/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_api_listeners.erl
index d158834ae..5ff76062f 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_api_listeners.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_api_listeners.erl
@@ -355,9 +355,8 @@ crud_listeners_by_id(post, #{bindings := #{id := Id}, body := Body0}) ->
     end;
 crud_listeners_by_id(delete, #{bindings := #{id := Id}}) ->
     {ok, #{type := Type, name := Name}} = emqx_listeners:parse_listener_id(Id),
-    case remove([listeners, Type, Name]) of
+    case ensure_remove([listeners, Type, Name]) of
         {ok, _} -> {204};
-        {error, not_found} -> {204};
         {error, Reason} -> {400, #{code => 'BAD_REQUEST', message => err_msg(Reason)}}
     end.
 
@@ -552,7 +551,7 @@ action(Path, Action, Conf) ->
 create(Path, Conf) ->
     wrap(emqx_conf:update(Path, {create, Conf}, ?OPTS(cluster))).
 
-remove(Path) ->
+ensure_remove(Path) ->
     wrap(emqx_conf:remove(Path, ?OPTS(cluster))).
 
 wrap({error, {post_config_update, emqx_listeners, Reason}}) -> {error, Reason};
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_listeners_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_listeners_SUITE.erl
index 8ea1ea718..f72f9b762 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_listeners_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_listeners_SUITE.erl
@@ -142,6 +142,21 @@ crud_listeners_by_id(ListenerId, NewListenerId, MinListenerId, BadId, Type) ->
     ?assertMatch(#{<<"acceptors">> := Acceptors1}, Update),
     Get2 = request(get, NewPath, [], []),
     ?assertMatch(#{<<"acceptors">> := Acceptors1}, Get2),
+    ?assert(is_running(NewListenerId)),
+
+    %% update an stopped listener
+    action_listener(NewListenerId, "stop", false),
+    ?assertNot(is_running(NewListenerId)),
+    %% update
+    Get3 = request(get, NewPath, [], []),
+    #{<<"acceptors">> := Acceptors3} = Get3,
+    Acceptors4 = Acceptors3 + 1,
+    Update1 =
+        request(put, NewPath, [], Get3#{<<"acceptors">> => Acceptors4}),
+    ?assertMatch(#{<<"acceptors">> := Acceptors4}, Update1),
+    Get4 = request(get, NewPath, [], []),
+    ?assertMatch(#{<<"acceptors">> := Acceptors4}, Get4),
+    ?assertNot(is_running(NewListenerId)),
 
     %% delete
     ?assertEqual([], delete(NewPath)),
@@ -151,6 +166,11 @@ crud_listeners_by_id(ListenerId, NewListenerId, MinListenerId, BadId, Type) ->
     ?assertEqual([], delete(NewPath)),
     ok.
 
+t_delete_nonexistent_listener(_) ->
+    NonExist = emqx_mgmt_api_test_util:api_path(["listeners", "tcp:nonexistent"]),
+    ?assertEqual([], delete(NonExist)),
+    ok.
+
 t_action_listeners(_) ->
     ID = "tcp:default",
     action_listener(ID, "stop", false),