diff --git a/src/emqx_cm.erl b/src/emqx_cm.erl
index 12043346e..1c5bca93a 100644
--- a/src/emqx_cm.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_cm.erl
@@ -93,8 +93,9 @@
          {?CHAN_CONN_TAB, 'connections.count', 'connections.max'}
         ]).
 
--define(CONN_CLIENT_CTR, connected_client_counter).
--define(CONN_CLIENT_CTR_IDX, 1).
+-define(CONN_CLIENT_TAB, connected_client_counter).
+-define(CONN_CLIENT_TAB_KEY, connected_client_count).
+-define(CONN_CLIENT_TAB_IDX, 2).
 -define(CONNECTED_CLIENT_STATS, {'live_connections.count', 'live_connections.max'}).
 
 %% Batch drain
@@ -447,8 +448,8 @@ init([]) ->
     ok = emqx_tables:new(?CHAN_TAB, [bag, {read_concurrency, true}|TabOpts]),
     ok = emqx_tables:new(?CHAN_CONN_TAB, [bag | TabOpts]),
     ok = emqx_tables:new(?CHAN_INFO_TAB, [set, compressed | TabOpts]),
-    CRef = counters:new(1, [write_concurrency]),
-    ok = persistent_term:put({?MODULE, ?CONN_CLIENT_CTR}, CRef),
+    ok = emqx_tables:new(?CONN_CLIENT_TAB, [set | TabOpts]),
+    true = ets:insert(?CONN_CLIENT_TAB, {?CONN_CLIENT_TAB_KEY, 0}),
     ok = emqx_stats:update_interval(chan_stats, fun ?MODULE:stats_fun/0),
     State = #{chan_pmon => emqx_pmon:new()},
     {ok, State}.
@@ -524,21 +525,17 @@ get_chann_conn_mod(ClientId, ChanPid) ->
 
 increment_connected_client_count() ->
     ?tp(emqx_cm_connected_client_count_inc, #{}),
-    CRef = persistent_term:get({?MODULE, ?CONN_CLIENT_CTR}),
-    ok = counters:add(CRef, ?CONN_CLIENT_CTR_IDX, 1).
+    ets:update_counter(?CONN_CLIENT_TAB, ?CONN_CLIENT_TAB_KEY,
+                       {?CONN_CLIENT_TAB_IDX, 1}),
+    ok.
 
 decrement_connected_client_count() ->
     ?tp(emqx_cm_connected_client_count_dec, #{}),
-    CRef = persistent_term:get({?MODULE, ?CONN_CLIENT_CTR}),
-    ok = counters:sub(CRef, ?CONN_CLIENT_CTR_IDX, 1).
+    Threshold = 0,
+    SetValue = 0,
+    ets:update_counter(?CONN_CLIENT_TAB, ?CONN_CLIENT_TAB_KEY,
+                       {?CONN_CLIENT_TAB_IDX, -1, Threshold, SetValue}),
+    ok.
 
 get_connected_client_count() ->
-    CRef = persistent_term:get({?MODULE, ?CONN_CLIENT_CTR}),
-    %% check if inconsistent; if so, reset to 0
-    case counters:get(CRef, ?CONN_CLIENT_CTR_IDX) of
-        N when N < 0 ->
-            counters:put(CRef, ?CONN_CLIENT_CTR_IDX, 0),
-            0;
-        N ->
-            N
-    end.
+    ets:lookup_element(?CONN_CLIENT_TAB, ?CONN_CLIENT_TAB_KEY, ?CONN_CLIENT_TAB_IDX).
diff --git a/test/emqx_channel_SUITE.erl b/test/emqx_channel_SUITE.erl
index 9558dfd28..5d42ffb99 100644
--- a/test/emqx_channel_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/emqx_channel_SUITE.erl
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ all() -> emqx_ct:all(?MODULE).
 init_per_suite(Config) ->
     %% CM Meck
     ok = meck:new(emqx_cm, [passthrough, no_history, no_link]),
+    ok = meck:expect(emqx_cm, increment_connected_client_count, fun() -> ok end),
+    ok = meck:expect(emqx_cm, decrement_connected_client_count, fun() -> ok end),
     %% Access Control Meck
     ok = meck:new(emqx_access_control, [passthrough, no_history, no_link]),
     ok = meck:expect(emqx_access_control, authenticate,
@@ -835,4 +837,3 @@ session(InitFields) when is_map(InitFields) ->
 quota() ->
     emqx_limiter:init(zone, [{conn_messages_routing, {5, 1}},
                              {overall_messages_routing, {10, 1}}]).
-
diff --git a/test/emqx_connection_SUITE.erl b/test/emqx_connection_SUITE.erl
index a6b2b614a..f4e8e909e 100644
--- a/test/emqx_connection_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/emqx_connection_SUITE.erl
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ init_per_suite(Config) ->
     ok = meck:new(emqx_channel, [passthrough, no_history, no_link]),
     %% Meck Cm
     ok = meck:new(emqx_cm, [passthrough, no_history, no_link]),
+    ok = meck:expect(emqx_cm, increment_connected_client_count, fun() -> ok end),
+    ok = meck:expect(emqx_cm, decrement_connected_client_count, fun() -> ok end),
     %% Meck Limiter
     ok = meck:new(emqx_limiter, [passthrough, no_history, no_link]),
     %% Meck Pd
@@ -112,7 +114,7 @@ t_ws_pingreq_before_connected(_) ->
 
 t_info(_) ->
     CPid = spawn(fun() ->
-                    receive 
+                    receive
                         {'$gen_call', From, info} ->
                             gen_server:reply(From, emqx_connection:info(st()))
                     after
@@ -132,7 +134,7 @@ t_info_limiter(_) ->
 
 t_stats(_) ->
     CPid = spawn(fun() ->
-                        receive 
+                        receive
                             {'$gen_call', From, stats} ->
                                 gen_server:reply(From, emqx_connection:stats(st()))
                         after
@@ -147,10 +149,10 @@ t_stats(_) ->
                   {send_pend,0}| _] , Stats).
 
 t_process_msg(_) ->
-    with_conn(fun(CPid) -> 
-                        ok = meck:expect(emqx_channel, handle_in, 
-                                        fun(_Packet, Channel) -> 
-                                                {ok, Channel} 
+    with_conn(fun(CPid) ->
+                        ok = meck:expect(emqx_channel, handle_in,
+                                        fun(_Packet, Channel) ->
+                                                {ok, Channel}
                                         end),
                         CPid ! {incoming, ?PACKET(?PINGREQ)},
                         CPid ! {incoming, undefined},
@@ -318,7 +320,7 @@ t_with_channel(_) ->
 t_handle_outgoing(_) ->
     ?assertEqual(ok, emqx_connection:handle_outgoing(?PACKET(?PINGRESP), st())),
     ?assertEqual(ok, emqx_connection:handle_outgoing([?PACKET(?PINGRESP)], st())).
-    
+
 t_handle_info(_) ->
     ?assertMatch({ok, {event,running}, _NState},
                  emqx_connection:handle_info(activate_socket, st())),
@@ -345,7 +347,7 @@ t_activate_socket(_) ->
     State = st(),
     {ok, NStats} = emqx_connection:activate_socket(State),
     ?assertEqual(running, emqx_connection:info(sockstate, NStats)),
- 
+
     State1 = st(#{sockstate => blocked}),
     ?assertEqual({ok, State1}, emqx_connection:activate_socket(State1)),
 
diff --git a/test/emqx_ws_connection_SUITE.erl b/test/emqx_ws_connection_SUITE.erl
index 56d038c23..bac0444b4 100644
--- a/test/emqx_ws_connection_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/emqx_ws_connection_SUITE.erl
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ init_per_testcase(TestCase, Config) when
     TestCase =/= t_ws_pingreq_before_connected,
     TestCase =/= t_ws_non_check_origin
     ->
+    %% Meck Cm
+    ok = meck:new(emqx_cm, [passthrough, no_history, no_link]),
+    ok = meck:expect(emqx_cm, increment_connected_client_count, fun() -> ok end),
+    ok = meck:expect(emqx_cm, decrement_connected_client_count, fun() -> ok end),
     %% Mock cowboy_req
     ok = meck:new(cowboy_req, [passthrough, no_history, no_link]),
     ok = meck:expect(cowboy_req, header, fun(_, _, _) -> <<>> end),
@@ -95,7 +99,8 @@ end_per_testcase(TestCase, _Config) when
         TestCase =/= t_ws_pingreq_before_connected
         ->
     lists:foreach(fun meck:unload/1,
-                  [cowboy_req,
+                  [emqx_cm,
+                   cowboy_req,
                    emqx_zone,
                    emqx_access_control,
                    emqx_broker,
@@ -389,14 +394,12 @@ t_handle_info_close(_) ->
     {[{close, _}], _St} = ?ws_conn:handle_info({close, protocol_error}, st()).
 
 t_handle_info_event(_) ->
-    ok = meck:new(emqx_cm, [passthrough, no_history]),
     ok = meck:expect(emqx_cm, register_channel, fun(_,_,_) -> ok end),
     ok = meck:expect(emqx_cm, insert_channel_info, fun(_,_,_) -> ok end),
     ok = meck:expect(emqx_cm, connection_closed, fun(_) -> true end),
     {ok, _} = ?ws_conn:handle_info({event, connected}, st()),
     {ok, _} = ?ws_conn:handle_info({event, disconnected}, st()),
-    {ok, _} = ?ws_conn:handle_info({event, updated}, st()),
-    ok = meck:unload(emqx_cm).
+    {ok, _} = ?ws_conn:handle_info({event, updated}, st()).
 
 t_handle_timeout_idle_timeout(_) ->
     TRef = make_ref(),