diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_config_handler.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_config_handler.erl
index ccb21cd59..d7d63757b 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_config_handler.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_config_handler.erl
@@ -102,24 +102,8 @@ handle_call({add_handler, ConfKeyPath, HandlerName}, _From, State = #{handlers :
 
 handle_call({change_config, SchemaModule, ConfKeyPath, UpdateArgs}, _From,
             #{handlers := Handlers} = State) ->
-    Reply = try
-        case process_update_request(ConfKeyPath, Handlers, UpdateArgs) of
-            {ok, NewRawConf, OverrideConf, Opts} ->
-                check_and_save_configs(SchemaModule, ConfKeyPath, Handlers, NewRawConf,
-                    OverrideConf, UpdateArgs, Opts);
-            {error, Result} ->
-                {error, Result}
-        end
-    catch Error:Reason:ST ->
-        ?SLOG(error, #{
-            msg => "change_config_failed",
-            exception => Error,
-            reason => Reason,
-            stacktrace => ST
-        }),
-        {error, Reason}
-    end,
-    {reply, Reply, State};
+    Result = handle_update_request(SchemaModule, ConfKeyPath, Handlers, UpdateArgs),
+    {reply, Result, State};
 handle_call(get_raw_cluster_override_conf, _From, State) ->
     Reply = emqx_config:read_override_conf(#{override_to => cluster}),
     {reply, Reply, State};
@@ -165,6 +149,25 @@ deep_put_handler2(Key, KeyPath, Handlers, Mod) ->
             Error
     end.
 
+handle_update_request(SchemaModule, ConfKeyPath, Handlers, UpdateArgs) ->
+    try process_update_request(ConfKeyPath, Handlers, UpdateArgs) of
+        {ok, NewRawConf, OverrideConf, Opts} ->
+            check_and_save_configs(SchemaModule, ConfKeyPath, Handlers, NewRawConf,
+                                   OverrideConf, UpdateArgs, Opts);
+        {error, Result} ->
+            {error, Result}
+    catch
+        throw : Reason ->
+            {error, Reason};
+        Error : Reason : ST ->
+            ?SLOG(error, #{msg => "change_config_failed",
+                           exception => Error,
+                           reason => Reason,
+                           stacktrace => ST
+                          }),
+            {error, config_update_crashed}
+    end.
+
 process_update_request(ConfKeyPath, _Handlers, {remove, Opts}) ->
     OldRawConf = emqx_config:get_root_raw(ConfKeyPath),
     BinKeyPath = bin_path(ConfKeyPath),