diff --git a/apps/emqx_auth_jwt/src/emqx_auth_jwt_svr.erl b/apps/emqx_auth_jwt/src/emqx_auth_jwt_svr.erl
index 08c60d8ed..ac07a8640 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_auth_jwt/src/emqx_auth_jwt_svr.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_auth_jwt/src/emqx_auth_jwt_svr.erl
@@ -73,8 +73,9 @@ verify(JwsCompacted) when is_binary(JwsCompacted) ->
 init([Options]) ->
     ok = jose:json_module(jiffy),
     _ = ets:new(?TAB, [set, protected, named_table]),
-    {Static, Remote} = do_init_jwks(Options),
-    true = ets:insert(?TAB, [{static, Static}, {remote, Remote}]),
+    Static = do_init_jwks(Options),
+    to_request_jwks(Options),
+    true = ets:insert(?TAB, [{static, Static}, {remote, undefined}]),
     Intv = proplists:get_value(interval, Options, ?INTERVAL),
     {ok, reset_timer(
            #state{
@@ -83,29 +84,13 @@ init([Options]) ->
 
 %% @private
 do_init_jwks(Options) ->
-    K2J = fun(K, F) ->
-              case proplists:get_value(K, Options) of
-                  undefined -> undefined;
-                  V ->
-                     try F(V) of
-                         {error, Reason} ->
-                             ?LOG(warning, "Build ~p JWK ~p failed: {error, ~p}~n",
-                                  [K, V, Reason]),
-                             undefined;
-                         J -> J
-                     catch T:R ->
-                         ?LOG(warning, "Build ~p JWK ~p failed: {~p, ~p}~n",
-                              [K, V, T, R]),
-                         undefined
-                     end
-              end
-          end,
-    OctJwk = K2J(secret, fun(V) ->
-                             jose_jwk:from_oct(list_to_binary(V))
-                         end),
-    PemJwk = K2J(pubkey, fun jose_jwk:from_pem_file/1),
-    Remote = K2J(jwks_addr, fun request_jwks/1),
-    {[J ||J <- [OctJwk, PemJwk], J /= undefined], Remote}.
+    OctJwk = key2jwt_value(secret,
+                           fun(V) ->
+                                   jose_jwk:from_oct(list_to_binary(V))
+                           end,
+                           Options),
+    PemJwk = key2jwt_value(pubkey, fun jose_jwk:from_pem_file/1, Options),
+    [J ||J <- [OctJwk, PemJwk], J /= undefined].
 
 handle_call(_Req, _From, State) ->
     {reply, ok, State}.
@@ -122,6 +107,11 @@ handle_info({timeout, _TRef, refresh}, State = #state{addr = Addr}) ->
              end,
     {noreply, reset_timer(NState)};
 
+handle_info({request_jwks, Options}, State) ->
+    Remote = key2jwt_value(jwks_addr, fun request_jwks/1, Options),
+    true = ets:insert(?TAB, {remote, Remote}),
+    {noreply, State};
+
 handle_info(_Info, State) ->
     {noreply, State}.
 
@@ -249,3 +239,23 @@ do_check_claim([{K, F}|More], Claims) ->
         _ ->
             do_check_claim(More, Claims)
     end.
+
+to_request_jwks(Options) ->
+    erlang:send(self(), {request_jwks, Options}).
+
+key2jwt_value(Key, Func, Options) ->
+    case proplists:get_value(Key, Options) of
+        undefined -> undefined;
+        V ->
+            try Func(V) of
+                {error, Reason} ->
+                    ?LOG(warning, "Build ~p JWK ~p failed: {error, ~p}~n",
+                         [Key, V, Reason]),
+                    undefined;
+                J -> J
+            catch T:R ->
+                    ?LOG(warning, "Build ~p JWK ~p failed: {~p, ~p}~n",
+                         [Key, V, T, R]),
+                    undefined
+            end
+    end.