diff --git a/apps/emqx_authn/src/emqx_authn_api.erl b/apps/emqx_authn/src/emqx_authn_api.erl
index 64ce3e6a4..a7e073581 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_authn/src/emqx_authn_api.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_authn/src/emqx_authn_api.erl
@@ -979,7 +979,7 @@ authenticator_examples() ->
                 mechanism => <<"password-based">>,
                 backend => <<"http">>,
                 method => <<"post">>,
-                url => <<"http://127.0.0.2:8080">>,
+                url => <<"http://127.0.0.1:18083">>,
                 headers => #{
                     <<"content-type">> => <<"application/json">>
                 },
diff --git a/apps/emqx_bridge/src/emqx_bridge.erl b/apps/emqx_bridge/src/emqx_bridge.erl
index 6e014f2ec..b7a74c9a4 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_bridge/src/emqx_bridge.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_bridge/src/emqx_bridge.erl
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ create(Type, Name, Conf) ->
     ?SLOG(info, #{msg => "create bridge", type => Type, name => Name,
         config => Conf}),
     case emqx_resource:create_local(resource_id(Type, Name), emqx_bridge:resource_type(Type),
-            parse_confs(Type, Name, Conf), #{force_create => true}) of
+            parse_confs(Type, Name, Conf), #{async_create => true}) of
         {ok, already_created} -> maybe_disable_bridge(Type, Name, Conf);
         {ok, _} -> maybe_disable_bridge(Type, Name, Conf);
         {error, Reason} -> {error, Reason}
@@ -263,7 +263,8 @@ recreate(Type, Name) ->
 
 recreate(Type, Name, Conf) ->
     emqx_resource:recreate_local(resource_id(Type, Name),
-        emqx_bridge:resource_type(Type), parse_confs(Type, Name, Conf), []).
+        emqx_bridge:resource_type(Type), parse_confs(Type, Name, Conf),
+        #{async_create => true}).
 
 create_dry_run(Type, Conf) ->
     Conf0 = Conf#{<<"ingress">> => #{<<"remote_topic">> => <<"t">>}},
diff --git a/apps/emqx_resource/include/emqx_resource.hrl b/apps/emqx_resource/include/emqx_resource.hrl
index ed1de18cf..363e40a5f 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_resource/include/emqx_resource.hrl
+++ b/apps/emqx_resource/include/emqx_resource.hrl
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
         %% The emqx_resource:create/4 will return OK event if the Mod:on_start/2 fails,
         %% the 'status' of the resource will be 'stopped' in this case.
         %% Defaults to 'false'
-        force_create => boolean()
+        async_create => boolean()
     }.
 -type after_query() :: {[OnSuccess :: after_query_fun()], [OnFailed :: after_query_fun()]} |
     undefined.
diff --git a/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource_instance.erl b/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource_instance.erl
index 2701b70d6..4ac72ca4d 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource_instance.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource_instance.erl
@@ -148,14 +148,19 @@ code_change(_OldVsn, State, _Extra) ->
 
 do_recreate(InstId, ResourceType, NewConfig, Opts) ->
     case lookup(InstId) of
-        {ok, #{mod := ResourceType} = Data} ->
+        {ok, #{mod := ResourceType, status := started} = Data} ->
+            %% If this resource is in use (status='started'), we should make sure
+            %% the new config is OK before removing the old one.
             case do_create_dry_run(ResourceType, NewConfig) of
                 ok ->
                     do_remove(Data, false),
-                    do_create(InstId, ResourceType, NewConfig, Opts#{force_create => true});
+                    do_create(InstId, ResourceType, NewConfig, Opts);
                 Error ->
                     Error
             end;
+        {ok, #{mod := ResourceType, status := _} = Data} ->
+            do_remove(Data, false),
+            do_create(InstId, ResourceType, NewConfig, Opts);
         {ok, #{mod := Mod}} when Mod =/= ResourceType ->
             {error, updating_to_incorrect_resource_type};
         {error, not_found} ->
@@ -164,21 +169,21 @@ do_recreate(InstId, ResourceType, NewConfig, Opts) ->
 
 do_create(InstId, ResourceType, Config, Opts) ->
     case lookup(InstId) of
-        {ok, _} -> {ok, already_created};
+        {ok, _} ->
+            {ok, already_created};
         {error, not_found} ->
             case do_start(InstId, ResourceType, Config, Opts) of
                 ok ->
-                    ok = emqx_resource_health_check_sup:create_checker(InstId,
-                        maps:get(health_check_interval, Opts, 15000)),
                     ok = emqx_plugin_libs_metrics:clear_metrics(resource_metrics, InstId),
                     {ok, force_lookup(InstId)};
-                Error -> Error
+                Error ->
+                    Error
             end
     end.
 
 do_create_dry_run(ResourceType, Config) ->
     InstId = make_test_id(),
-    Opts = #{force_create => false},
+    Opts = #{async_create => false},
     case do_create(InstId, ResourceType, Config, Opts) of
         {ok, Data} ->
             Return = do_health_check(Data),
@@ -200,7 +205,6 @@ do_remove(#{id := InstId} = Data, ClearMetrics) ->
         true -> ok = emqx_plugin_libs_metrics:clear_metrics(resource_metrics, InstId);
         false -> ok
     end,
-    _ = emqx_resource_health_check_sup:delete_checker(InstId),
     ok.
 
 do_restart(InstId, Opts) ->
@@ -213,24 +217,32 @@ do_restart(InstId, Opts) ->
     end.
 
 do_start(InstId, ResourceType, Config, Opts) when is_binary(InstId) ->
-    ForceCreate = maps:get(force_create, Opts, false),
-    Res0 = #{id => InstId, mod => ResourceType, config => Config,
-             status => starting, state => undefined},
+    InitData = #{id => InstId, mod => ResourceType, config => Config,
+                 status => starting, state => undefined},
     %% The `emqx_resource:call_start/3` need the instance exist beforehand
-    ets:insert(emqx_resource_instance, {InstId, Res0}),
+    ets:insert(emqx_resource_instance, {InstId, InitData}),
+    case maps:get(async_create, Opts, false) of
+        false ->
+            start_and_check(InstId, ResourceType, Config, Opts, InitData);
+        true ->
+            spawn(fun() ->
+                    start_and_check(InstId, ResourceType, Config, Opts, InitData)
+                end),
+            ok
+    end.
+
+start_and_check(InstId, ResourceType, Config, Opts, Data) ->
     case emqx_resource:call_start(InstId, ResourceType, Config) of
         {ok, ResourceState} ->
-            %% this is the first time we do health check, this will update the
-            %% status and then do ets:insert/2
-            _ = do_health_check(Res0#{state => ResourceState}),
-            ok;
-        {error, Reason} when ForceCreate == true ->
-            logger:warning("start ~ts resource ~ts failed: ~p, force_create it",
-                [ResourceType, InstId, Reason]),
-            ets:insert(emqx_resource_instance, {InstId, Res0}),
-            ok;
-        {error, Reason} when ForceCreate == false ->
-            ets:delete(emqx_resource_instance, InstId),
+            Data2 = Data#{state => ResourceState},
+            ets:insert(emqx_resource_instance, {InstId, Data2}),
+            case maps:get(async_create, Opts, false) of
+                false -> do_health_check(Data2);
+                true -> emqx_resource_health_check_sup:create_checker(InstId,
+                            maps:get(health_check_interval, Opts, 15000))
+            end;
+        {error, Reason} ->
+            ets:insert(emqx_resource_instance, {InstId, Data#{status => stopped}}),
             {error, Reason}
     end.
 
@@ -240,14 +252,12 @@ do_stop(#{state := undefined}) ->
     ok;
 do_stop(#{id := InstId, mod := Mod, state := ResourceState} = Data) ->
     _ = emqx_resource:call_stop(InstId, Mod, ResourceState),
+    ok = emqx_resource_health_check_sup:delete_checker(InstId),
     ets:insert(emqx_resource_instance, {InstId, Data#{status => stopped}}),
     ok.
 
 do_health_check(InstId) when is_binary(InstId) ->
-    case lookup(InstId) of
-        {ok, Data} -> do_health_check(Data);
-        Error -> Error
-    end;
+    do_with_instance_data(InstId, fun do_health_check/1, []);
 do_health_check(#{state := undefined}) ->
     {error, resource_not_initialized};
 do_health_check(#{id := InstId, mod := Mod, state := ResourceState0} = Data) ->