diff --git a/lib-ce/emqx_dashboard/src/emqx_dashboard_admin.erl b/lib-ce/emqx_dashboard/src/emqx_dashboard_admin.erl
index e19ea48bc..505c468cd 100644
--- a/lib-ce/emqx_dashboard/src/emqx_dashboard_admin.erl
+++ b/lib-ce/emqx_dashboard/src/emqx_dashboard_admin.erl
@@ -158,7 +158,8 @@ update_pwd(Username, Fun) ->
 lookup_user(Username) when is_binary(Username) ->
     case binenv(default_user_username) of
         Username ->
-            [#mqtt_admin{username=Username, password=hashed_default_passwd()}];
+            Password = hashed_default_passwd(),
+            [#mqtt_admin{username=Username, password=Password, tags= <<"administrator">>}];
         _ ->
             mnesia:dirty_read(mqtt_admin, Username)
     end.
@@ -193,6 +194,7 @@ check(Username, Password) ->
 init([]) ->
     %% Add default admin user
     {ok, _} = mnesia:subscribe({table, mqtt_admin, simple}),
+    add_default_user_hashed(binenv(default_user_username), hashed_default_passwd()),
     {ok, state}.
 
 handle_call(_Req, _From, State) ->
@@ -240,13 +242,24 @@ salt() ->
 binenv(Key) ->
     iolist_to_binary(application:get_env(emqx_dashboard, Key, <<>>)).
 
+add_default_user_hashed(Username, HashedPassword) ->
+    case mnesia:dirty_read(mqtt_admin, Username) of
+        [] ->
+            Admin = #mqtt_admin{username=Username, password=HashedPassword, tags= <<"administrator">>},
+            return(mnesia:transaction(fun add_user_/1, [Admin]));
+        _  -> ok
+    end.
+
 hashed_default_passwd() ->
     case binenv(default_user_passwd_hashed) of
         Empty0 when ?EMPTY_KEY(Empty0) ->
             case binenv(default_user_passwd) of
                 Empty when ?EMPTY_KEY(Empty) ->
                     undefined;
-                Password -> hash(Password)
+                Password ->
+                    Hashed = hash(Password),
+                    application:set_env(emqx_dashboard, default_user_passwd_hashed, Hashed),
+                    Hashed
             end;
         HashedPassword -> HashedPassword
     end.
diff --git a/lib-ce/emqx_dashboard/test/emqx_dashboard_SUITE.erl b/lib-ce/emqx_dashboard/test/emqx_dashboard_SUITE.erl
index 013e5707f..28d80ae7d 100644
--- a/lib-ce/emqx_dashboard/test/emqx_dashboard_SUITE.erl
+++ b/lib-ce/emqx_dashboard/test/emqx_dashboard_SUITE.erl
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ all() ->
 groups() ->
     [
      {overview, [sequence], [t_overview]},
-     {admins, [sequence], [t_default_password_persists_after_leaving_cluster]},
-     {rest, [sequence], [t_rest_api, t_auth_exhaustive_attack]},
+     {admins, [sequence], [t_admins_add_delete, t_admins_persist_default_password, t_default_password_persists_after_leaving_cluster]},
+     {rest, [sequence], [t_rest_api]},
      {cli, [sequence], [t_cli]}
     ].
 
@@ -90,10 +90,14 @@ t_admins_add_delete(_) ->
 
 t_admins_persist_default_password(_) ->
     emqx_dashboard_admin:change_password(<<"admin">>, <<"new_password">>),
-    [#mqtt_admin{password=Password}] = emqx_dashboard_admin:lookup_user(<<"admin">>),
+    ct:sleep(100),
+    [#mqtt_admin{password=Password, tags= <<"administrator">>}] = emqx_dashboard_admin:lookup_user(<<"admin">>),
 
     %% To ensure that state persists even if the process dies
-    exit(whereis(emqx_dashboard_admin), kill),
+    application:stop(emqx_dashboard),
+    application:start(emqx_dashboard),
+
+    ct:sleep(100),
 
     %% It get's restarted by the app automatically
     [#mqtt_admin{password=PasswordAfterRestart}] = emqx_dashboard_admin:lookup_user(<<"admin">>),
@@ -147,6 +151,14 @@ t_default_password_persists_after_leaving_cluster(_) ->
 
     debug(2, Slave),
 
+    rpc:call(Slave, application, stop, [emqx_dashboard]),
+
+    debug(3, Slave),
+
+    rpc:call(Slave, application, start, [emqx_dashboard]),
+
+    debug(4, Slave),
+
     ?assertEqual(
        ok,
        rpc:call(Slave, emqx_dashboard_admin, check, [<<"admin">>, <<"new_password">>])),
@@ -162,6 +174,7 @@ t_default_password_persists_after_leaving_cluster(_) ->
 t_rest_api(_Config) ->
     {ok, Res0} = http_get("users"),
     Users = get_http_data(Res0),
+    ct:pal("~p", [emqx_dashboard_admin:all_users()]),
     ?assert(lists:member(#{<<"username">> => <<"admin">>, <<"tags">> => <<"administrator">>},
         Users)),
 
@@ -277,7 +290,6 @@ setup_node(Node, Apps) ->
         fun(emqx) ->
                 application:set_env(emqx, listeners, []),
                 application:set_env(gen_rpc, port_discovery, manual),
-                mnesia:info(),
                 ok;
            (emqx_management) ->
                 application:set_env(emqx_management, listeners, []),
diff --git a/src/emqx.erl b/src/emqx.erl
index ff369e599..7fb3c734f 100644
--- a/src/emqx.erl
+++ b/src/emqx.erl
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ shutdown(Reason) ->
                  ).
 
 reboot() ->
-    case application_controller:is_running(emqx_dashboard) of
+    case is_application_running(emqx_dashboard) of
         true ->
             application:stop(emqx_dashboard), %% dashboard must be started after mnesia
             lists:foreach(fun application:start/1 , default_started_applications()),
@@ -244,6 +244,10 @@ reboot() ->
             lists:foreach(fun application:start/1 , default_started_applications())
     end.
 
+is_application_running(App) ->
+    StartedApps = proplists:get_value(started, application:info()),
+    proplists:is_defined(App, StartedApps).
+
 -ifdef(EMQX_ENTERPRISE).
 default_started_applications() ->
     [gproc, esockd, ranch, cowboy, ekka, emqx].