diff --git a/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector.erl b/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector.erl
index e797012a2..554274697 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector.erl
@@ -141,9 +141,14 @@ post_config_update([?ROOT_KEY], _Req, NewConf, OldConf, _AppEnv) ->
     ?tp(connector_post_config_update_done, #{}),
     Result;
 post_config_update([?ROOT_KEY, Type, Name], '$remove', _, _OldConf, _AppEnvs) ->
-    ok = emqx_connector_resource:remove(Type, Name),
-    ?tp(connector_post_config_update_done, #{}),
-    ok;
+    case emqx_connector_resource:get_channels(Type, Name) of
+        {ok, []} ->
+            ok = emqx_connector_resource:remove(Type, Name),
+            ?tp(connector_post_config_update_done, #{}),
+            ok;
+        {ok, Channels} ->
+            {error, {active_channels, Channels}}
+    end;
 post_config_update([?ROOT_KEY, Type, Name], _Req, NewConf, undefined, _AppEnvs) ->
     ok = emqx_connector_resource:create(Type, Name, NewConf),
     ?tp(connector_post_config_update_done, #{}),
diff --git a/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_resource.erl b/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_resource.erl
index 93a22ab53..527225e5a 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_resource.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_resource.erl
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@
     stop/2,
     update/2,
     update/3,
-    update/4
+    update/4,
+    get_channels/2
 ]).
 
 -callback connector_config(ParsedConfig, ConnectorName :: atom() | binary()) ->
@@ -221,6 +222,9 @@ update(Type, Name, {OldConf, Conf}, Opts) ->
             ok
     end.
 
+get_channels(Type, Name) ->
+    emqx_resource:get_channels(resource_id(Type, Name)).
+
 recreate(Type, Name) ->
     recreate(Type, Name, emqx:get_config([connectors, Type, Name])).
 
diff --git a/apps/emqx_connector/test/emqx_connector_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_connector/test/emqx_connector_SUITE.erl
index 7980402bc..49b6641bd 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_connector/test/emqx_connector_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_connector/test/emqx_connector_SUITE.erl
@@ -147,6 +147,58 @@ t_connector_lifecycle(_Config) ->
     ),
     ok.
 
+t_remove_fail({'init', Config}) ->
+    meck:new(emqx_connector_ee_schema, [passthrough]),
+    meck:expect(emqx_connector_ee_schema, resource_type, 1, ?CONNECTOR),
+    meck:new(?CONNECTOR, [non_strict]),
+    meck:expect(?CONNECTOR, callback_mode, 0, async_if_possible),
+    meck:expect(?CONNECTOR, on_start, 2, {ok, connector_state}),
+    meck:expect(?CONNECTOR, on_get_channels, 1, [{<<"my_channel">>, #{}}]),
+    meck:expect(?CONNECTOR, on_add_channel, 4, {ok, connector_state}),
+    meck:expect(?CONNECTOR, on_stop, 2, ok),
+    meck:expect(?CONNECTOR, on_get_status, 2, connected),
+    [{mocked_mods, [?CONNECTOR, emqx_connector_ee_schema]} | Config];
+t_remove_fail({'end', Config}) ->
+    MockedMods = ?config(mocked_mods, Config),
+    meck:unload(MockedMods),
+    Config;
+t_remove_fail(_Config) ->
+    ?assertEqual(
+        [],
+        emqx_connector:list()
+    ),
+
+    ?assertMatch(
+        {ok, _},
+        emqx_connector:create(kafka, my_failing_connector, connector_config())
+    ),
+
+    ?assertMatch(
+        {error, {post_config_update, emqx_connector, {active_channels, [{<<"my_channel">>, _}]}}},
+        emqx_connector:remove(kafka, my_failing_connector)
+    ),
+
+    ?assertNotEqual(
+        [],
+        emqx_connector:list()
+    ),
+
+    ?assert(meck:validate(?CONNECTOR)),
+    ?assertMatch(
+        [
+            {_, {?CONNECTOR, callback_mode, []}, _},
+            {_, {?CONNECTOR, on_start, [_, _]}, {ok, connector_state}},
+            {_, {?CONNECTOR, on_get_channels, [_]}, _},
+            {_, {?CONNECTOR, on_add_channel, _}, {ok, connector_state}},
+            {_, {?CONNECTOR, on_get_status, [_, connector_state]}, connected},
+            {_, {?CONNECTOR, on_get_channels, [_]}, _}
+        ],
+        meck:history(?CONNECTOR)
+    ),
+    ok.
+
+%% helpers
+
 connector_config() ->
     #{
         <<"authentication">> => <<"none">>,
diff --git a/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource.erl b/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource.erl
index d79c8d966..cf8364e97 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource.erl
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
     %% verify if the resource is working normally
     health_check/1,
     channel_health_check/2,
+    get_channels/1,
     %% set resource status to disconnected
     set_resource_status_connecting/1,
     %% stop the instance
@@ -443,6 +444,10 @@ health_check(ResId) ->
 channel_health_check(ResId, ChannelId) ->
     emqx_resource_manager:channel_health_check(ResId, ChannelId).
 
+-spec get_channels(resource_id()) -> [{binary(), map()}].
+get_channels(ResId) ->
+    emqx_resource_manager:get_channels(ResId).
+
 set_resource_status_connecting(ResId) ->
     emqx_resource_manager:set_resource_status_connecting(ResId).
 
diff --git a/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource_manager.erl b/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource_manager.erl
index b3021ae70..8f37bfa1a 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource_manager.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource_manager.erl
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@
     health_check/1,
     channel_health_check/2,
     add_channel/3,
-    remove_channel/2
+    remove_channel/2,
+    get_channels/1
 ]).
 
 -export([
@@ -296,6 +297,9 @@ add_channel(ResId, ChannelId, Config) ->
 remove_channel(ResId, ChannelId) ->
     safe_call(ResId, {remove_channel, ChannelId}, ?T_OPERATION).
 
+get_channels(ResId) ->
+    safe_call(ResId, get_channels, ?T_OPERATION).
+
 %% Server start/stop callbacks
 
 %% @doc Function called from the supervisor to actually start the server
@@ -426,6 +430,11 @@ handle_event(
     {call, From}, {remove_channel, ChannelId}, _State, Data
 ) ->
     handle_remove_channel(From, ChannelId, Data);
+handle_event(
+    {call, From}, get_channels, _State, Data
+) ->
+    Channels = emqx_resource:call_get_channels(Data#data.id, Data#data.mod),
+    {keep_state_and_data, {reply, From, {ok, Channels}}};
 handle_event(EventType, EventData, State, Data) ->
     ?SLOG(
         error,