diff --git a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_router_syncer.erl b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_router_syncer.erl
index dc3903f72..9d35bb812 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_router_syncer.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_cluster_link/src/emqx_cluster_link_router_syncer.erl
@@ -389,8 +389,6 @@ process_connect(St = #st{target = TargetCluster, actor = Actor}) ->
         {ok, ClientPid} ->
             _ = maybe_deactivate_alarm(St),
             ok = announce_client(Actor, TargetCluster, ClientPid),
-            %% TODO: handle subscribe errors
-            {ok, _, _} = emqtt:subscribe(ClientPid, ?RESP_TOPIC(Actor), ?QOS_1),
             init_remote_actor(St#st{client = ClientPid});
         {error, Reason} ->
             handle_connect_error(Reason, St)
@@ -400,6 +398,8 @@ init_remote_actor(
     St = #st{target = TargetCluster, client = ClientPid, actor = Actor, incarnation = Incr}
 ) ->
     ReqId = emqx_utils_conv:bin(emqx_utils:gen_id(16)),
+    %% TODO: handle subscribe errors
+    {ok, _, _} = emqtt:subscribe(ClientPid, ?RESP_TOPIC(Actor), ?QOS_1),
     Res = ?SAFE_MQTT_PUB(
         emqx_cluster_link_mqtt:publish_actor_init_sync(
             ClientPid, ReqId, ?RESP_TOPIC(Actor), TargetCluster, Actor, Incr
@@ -428,7 +428,6 @@ post_actor_init(
     NeedBootstrap
 ) ->
     ok = start_syncer(TargetCluster, Actor, Incr),
-    %% TODO: Heartbeats are currently blocked by bootstrapping.
     NSt = schedule_heartbeat(St#st{client = ClientPid}),
     process_bootstrap(NSt, NeedBootstrap).
 
@@ -500,7 +499,8 @@ run_bootstrap(Bootstrap, St) ->
             %% TODO: Better error handling.
             case process_bootstrap_batch(Batch, St) of
                 #{} ->
-                    run_bootstrap(NBootstrap, St);
+                    NSt = ensure_bootstrap_heartbeat(St),
+                    run_bootstrap(NBootstrap, NSt);
                 {error, {client, _, _}} ->
                     %% Client has exited, let `reconnect` codepath handle it.
                     St
@@ -514,6 +514,17 @@ process_bootstrapped(St = #st{target = TargetCluster, actor = Actor}) ->
 process_bootstrap_batch(Batch, #st{client = ClientPid, actor = Actor, incarnation = Incarnation}) ->
     publish_routes(ClientPid, Actor, Incarnation, Batch).
 
+ensure_bootstrap_heartbeat(St = #st{heartbeat_timer = TRef}) ->
+    case erlang:read_timer(TRef) of
+        false ->
+            ok = emqx_utils:cancel_timer(TRef),
+            process_heartbeat(St);
+        _TimeLeft ->
+            St
+    end.
+
+%%
+
 error_reason({error, Reason}) ->
     Reason;
 error_reason(OtherErr) ->