diff --git a/apps/emqx_exhook/src/emqx_exhook_mngr.erl b/apps/emqx_exhook/src/emqx_exhook_mngr.erl
index bd8b88e0a..f4296a676 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_exhook/src/emqx_exhook_mngr.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_exhook/src/emqx_exhook_mngr.erl
@@ -192,6 +192,17 @@ handle_info({timeout, _Ref, {reload, Name}}, State) ->
             {noreply, NState};
         {error, not_found} ->
             {noreply, NState};
+        {error, {already_started, Pid}} ->
+            ?LOG(warning, "Server ~s already started on ~p, try to restart it", [Name, Pid]),
+            case server(Name) of
+                undefined ->
+                    %% force close grpc client pool
+                    grpc_client_sup:stop_channel_pool(Name);
+                ServerState ->
+                   emqx_exhook_server:unload(ServerState)
+            end,
+            %% try again immediately
+            handle_info({timeout, _Ref, {reload, Name}}, State);
         {error, Reason} ->
             ?LOG(warning, "Failed to reload exhook callback server \"~s\", "
                           "Reason: ~0p", [Name, Reason]),
@@ -202,11 +213,11 @@ handle_info(_Info, State) ->
     {noreply, State}.
 
 terminate(_Reason, State = #state{running = Running}) ->
+    _ = unload_exhooks(),
     _ = maps:fold(fun(Name, _, AccIn) ->
             {ok, NAccIn} = do_unload_server(Name, AccIn),
             NAccIn
         end, State, Running),
-    _ = unload_exhooks(),
     ok.
 
 %% in the emqx_exhook:v4.3.5, we have added one new field in the state last:
@@ -318,7 +329,7 @@ get_request_failed_action() ->
 
 save(Name, ServerState) ->
     Saved = persistent_term:get(?APP, []),
-    persistent_term:put(?APP, lists:reverse([Name | Saved])),
+    persistent_term:put(?APP, lists:usort(lists:reverse([Name | Saved]))),
     persistent_term:put({?APP, Name}, ServerState).
 
 unsave(Name) ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx_exhook/src/emqx_exhook_server.erl b/apps/emqx_exhook/src/emqx_exhook_server.erl
index 93568783a..5ce602535 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_exhook/src/emqx_exhook_server.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_exhook/src/emqx_exhook_server.erl
@@ -146,13 +146,15 @@ format_http_uri(Scheme, Host0, Port) ->
 
 -spec unload(server()) -> ok.
 unload(#server{name = Name, options = ReqOpts, hookspec = HookSpecs}) ->
-    _ = do_deinit(Name, ReqOpts),
     _ = may_unload_hooks(HookSpecs),
+    _ = do_deinit(Name, ReqOpts),
     _ = emqx_exhook_sup:stop_grpc_client_channel(Name),
     ok.
 
 do_deinit(Name, ReqOpts) ->
-    _ = do_call(Name, 'on_provider_unloaded', #{}, ReqOpts),
+    %% Using shorter timeout to deinit grpc server to avoid emqx_exhook_mngr
+    %% force killed by upper supervisor
+    _ = do_call(Name, 'on_provider_unloaded', #{}, ReqOpts#{timeout => 3000}),
     ok.
 
 do_init(ChannName, ReqOpts) ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx_exproto/src/emqx_exproto_gcli.erl b/apps/emqx_exproto/src/emqx_exproto_gcli.erl
index b7ef20c13..f7fa6ba23 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_exproto/src/emqx_exproto_gcli.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_exproto/src/emqx_exproto_gcli.erl
@@ -54,7 +54,13 @@ start_link(Pool, Id) ->
                           ?MODULE, [Pool, Id], []).
 
 async_call(FunName, Req = #{conn := Conn}, Options) ->
-    cast(pick(Conn), {rpc, FunName, Req, Options, self()}).
+    case pick(Conn) of
+        false ->
+            ?LOG(error, "No available grpc client for ~s: ~p",
+                 [FunName, Req]);
+        Pid when is_pid(Pid) ->
+            cast(Pid, {rpc, FunName, Req, Options, self()})
+    end.
 
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% cast, pick
@@ -65,6 +71,7 @@ async_call(FunName, Req = #{conn := Conn}, Options) ->
 cast(Deliver, Msg) ->
     gen_server:cast(Deliver, Msg).
 
+-spec pick(term()) -> pid() | false.
 pick(Conn) ->
     gproc_pool:pick_worker(exproto_gcli_pool, Conn).