diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_channel.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_channel.erl
index 29a59e482..1506e296f 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_channel.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_channel.erl
@@ -1630,7 +1630,7 @@ check_banned(_ConnPkt, #channel{clientinfo = ClientInfo}) ->
 %% Flapping
 
 count_flapping_event(_ConnPkt, Channel = #channel{clientinfo = ClientInfo = #{zone := Zone}}) ->
-    emqx_config:get_zone_conf(Zone, [flapping_detect, enable]) andalso
+    is_integer(emqx_config:get_zone_conf(Zone, [flapping_detect, window_time])) andalso
         emqx_flapping:detect(ClientInfo),
     {ok, Channel}.
 
diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_flapping.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_flapping.erl
index 64e4ed6c3..cc4af99d2 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_flapping.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_flapping.erl
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@
 %% API
 -export([detect/1]).
 
+-ifdef(TEST).
+-export([get_policy/2]).
+-endif.
+
 %% gen_server callbacks
 -export([
     init/1,
@@ -39,15 +43,6 @@
 
 %% Tab
 -define(FLAPPING_TAB, ?MODULE).
-%% Default Policy
--define(FLAPPING_THRESHOLD, 30).
--define(FLAPPING_DURATION, 60000).
--define(FLAPPING_BANNED_INTERVAL, 300000).
--define(DEFAULT_DETECT_POLICY, #{
-    max_count => ?FLAPPING_THRESHOLD,
-    window_time => ?FLAPPING_DURATION,
-    ban_time => ?FLAPPING_BANNED_INTERVAL
-}).
 
 -record(flapping, {
     clientid :: emqx_types:clientid(),
@@ -69,7 +64,7 @@ stop() -> gen_server:stop(?MODULE).
 %% @doc Detect flapping when a MQTT client disconnected.
 -spec detect(emqx_types:clientinfo()) -> boolean().
 detect(#{clientid := ClientId, peerhost := PeerHost, zone := Zone}) ->
-    Policy = #{max_count := Threshold} = get_policy(Zone),
+    Policy = #{max_count := Threshold} = get_policy([max_count, window_time, ban_time], Zone),
     %% The initial flapping record sets the detect_cnt to 0.
     InitVal = #flapping{
         clientid = ClientId,
@@ -89,8 +84,22 @@ detect(#{clientid := ClientId, peerhost := PeerHost, zone := Zone}) ->
             end
     end.
 
-get_policy(Zone) ->
-    emqx_config:get_zone_conf(Zone, [flapping_detect]).
+get_policy(Keys, Zone) when is_list(Keys) ->
+    RootKey = flapping_detect,
+    Conf = emqx_config:get_zone_conf(Zone, [RootKey]),
+    lists:foldl(
+        fun(Key, Acc) ->
+            case maps:find(Key, Conf) of
+                {ok, V} -> Acc#{Key => V};
+                error -> Acc#{Key => emqx_config:get([RootKey, Key])}
+            end
+        end,
+        #{},
+        Keys
+    );
+get_policy(Key, Zone) ->
+    #{Key := Conf} = get_policy([Key], Zone),
+    Conf.
 
 now_diff(TS) -> erlang:system_time(millisecond) - TS.
 
@@ -166,8 +175,7 @@ handle_cast(Msg, State) ->
 
 handle_info({timeout, _TRef, {garbage_collect, Zone}}, State) ->
     Timestamp =
-        erlang:system_time(millisecond) -
-            maps:get(window_time, get_policy(Zone)),
+        erlang:system_time(millisecond) - get_policy(window_time, Zone),
     MatchSpec = [{{'_', '_', '_', '$1', '_'}, [{'<', '$1', Timestamp}], [true]}],
     ets:select_delete(?FLAPPING_TAB, MatchSpec),
     _ = start_timer(Zone),
@@ -183,15 +191,19 @@ code_change(_OldVsn, State, _Extra) ->
     {ok, State}.
 
 start_timer(Zone) ->
-    WindTime = maps:get(window_time, get_policy(Zone)),
-    emqx_misc:start_timer(WindTime, {garbage_collect, Zone}).
+    case get_policy(window_time, Zone) of
+        WindowTime when is_integer(WindowTime) ->
+            emqx_misc:start_timer(WindowTime, {garbage_collect, Zone});
+        disabled ->
+            ok
+    end.
 
 start_timers() ->
-    lists:foreach(
-        fun({Zone, _ZoneConf}) ->
+    maps:foreach(
+        fun(Zone, _ZoneConf) ->
             start_timer(Zone)
         end,
-        maps:to_list(emqx:get_config([zones], #{}))
+        emqx:get_config([zones], #{})
     ).
 
 fmt_host(PeerHost) ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_schema.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_schema.erl
index f03ba07c5..c3d566554 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_schema.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_schema.erl
@@ -145,17 +145,23 @@ roots(high) ->
         {"listeners",
             sc(
                 ref("listeners"),
-                #{}
-            )},
-        {"zones",
-            sc(
-                map("name", ref("zone")),
-                #{desc => ?DESC(zones)}
+                #{importance => ?IMPORTANCE_HIGH}
             )},
         {"mqtt",
             sc(
                 ref("mqtt"),
-                #{desc => ?DESC(mqtt)}
+                #{
+                    desc => ?DESC(mqtt),
+                    importance => ?IMPORTANCE_MEDIUM
+                }
+            )},
+        {"zones",
+            sc(
+                map("name", ref("zone")),
+                #{
+                    desc => ?DESC(zones),
+                    importance => ?IMPORTANCE_LOW
+                }
             )},
         {?EMQX_AUTHENTICATION_CONFIG_ROOT_NAME, authentication(global)},
         %% NOTE: authorization schema here is only to keep emqx app prue
@@ -199,7 +205,9 @@ roots(low) ->
         {"conn_congestion",
             sc(
                 ref("conn_congestion"),
-                #{}
+                #{
+                    importance => ?IMPORTANCE_HIDDEN
+                }
             )},
         {"stats",
             sc(
@@ -221,7 +229,7 @@ roots(low) ->
         {"flapping_detect",
             sc(
                 ref("flapping_detect"),
-                #{}
+                #{importance => ?IMPORTANCE_HIDDEN}
             )},
         {"persistent_session_store",
             sc(
@@ -620,25 +628,27 @@ fields("flapping_detect") ->
                 boolean(),
                 #{
                     default => false,
+                    deprecated => {since, "5.0.22"},
                     desc => ?DESC(flapping_detect_enable)
                 }
             )},
-        {"max_count",
-            sc(
-                integer(),
-                #{
-                    default => 15,
-                    desc => ?DESC(flapping_detect_max_count)
-                }
-            )},
         {"window_time",
             sc(
-                duration(),
+                hoconsc:union([disabled, duration()]),
                 #{
-                    default => <<"1m">>,
+                    default => disabled,
+                    importance => ?IMPORTANCE_HIGH,
                     desc => ?DESC(flapping_detect_window_time)
                 }
             )},
+        {"max_count",
+            sc(
+                non_neg_integer(),
+                #{
+                    default => 15,
+                    desc => ?DESC(flapping_detect_max_count)
+                }
+            )},
         {"ban_time",
             sc(
                 duration(),
diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_zone_schema.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_zone_schema.erl
index 6ac8cefa3..5d6720986 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_zone_schema.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_zone_schema.erl
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ zone_without_hidden() ->
 
 hidden() ->
     [
-        "stats"
+        "stats",
+        "overload_protection",
+        "conn_congestion",
+        "flapping_detect"
     ].
 
 %% zone schemas are clones from the same name from root level
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_flapping_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_flapping_SUITE.erl
index e27ff67e0..877f05995 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_flapping_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_flapping_SUITE.erl
@@ -101,3 +101,21 @@ t_expired_detecting(_) ->
             ets:tab2list(emqx_flapping)
         )
     ).
+
+t_conf_without_window_time(_) ->
+    %% enable is deprecated, so we need to make sure it won't be used.
+    Global = emqx_config:get([flapping_detect]),
+    ?assertNot(maps:is_key(enable, Global)),
+    %% zones don't have default value, so we need to make sure fallback to global conf.
+    %% this new_zone will fallback to global conf.
+    emqx_config:put_zone_conf(new_zone, [flapping_detect], #{}),
+    ?assertEqual(Global, get_policy(new_zone)),
+
+    emqx_config:put_zone_conf(new_zone_1, [flapping_detect], #{window_time => 100}),
+    ?assertEqual(100, emqx_flapping:get_policy(window_time, new_zone_1)),
+    ?assertEqual(maps:get(ban_time, Global), emqx_flapping:get_policy(ban_time, new_zone_1)),
+    ?assertEqual(maps:get(max_count, Global), emqx_flapping:get_policy(max_count, new_zone_1)),
+    ok.
+
+get_policy(Zone) ->
+    emqx_flapping:get_policy([window_time, ban_time, max_count], Zone).
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_configs_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_configs_SUITE.erl
index 2d24bce99..06aa6f78d 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_configs_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_configs_SUITE.erl
@@ -121,7 +121,9 @@ t_log(_Config) ->
 
 t_global_zone(_Config) ->
     {ok, Zones} = get_global_zone(),
-    ZonesKeys = lists:map(fun({K, _}) -> K end, hocon_schema:roots(emqx_zone_schema)),
+    ZonesKeys = lists:map(
+        fun({K, _}) -> list_to_binary(K) end, emqx_zone_schema:zone_without_hidden()
+    ),
     ?assertEqual(lists:usort(ZonesKeys), lists:usort(maps:keys(Zones))),
     ?assertEqual(
         emqx_config:get_zone_conf(no_default, [mqtt, max_qos_allowed]),