diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_api_lib.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_api_lib.erl
index 8c49c57c3..f1d65f350 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_api_lib.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_api_lib.erl
@@ -28,17 +28,17 @@
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% exported API
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
--spec with_node(binary(), fun((atom()) -> {ok, term()} | {error, term()})) ->
+-spec with_node(binary() | atom(), fun((atom()) -> {ok, term()} | {error, term()})) ->
     ?OK(term()) | ?NOT_FOUND(binary()) | ?BAD_REQUEST(term()).
-with_node(BinNode, Fun) ->
-    case lookup_node(BinNode) of
+with_node(Node0, Fun) ->
+    case lookup_node(Node0) of
         {ok, Node} ->
             handle_result(Fun(Node));
         not_found ->
-            ?NODE_NOT_FOUND(BinNode)
+            ?NODE_NOT_FOUND(Node0)
     end.
 
--spec with_node_or_cluster(binary(), fun((atom()) -> {ok, term()} | {error, term()})) ->
+-spec with_node_or_cluster(binary() | atom(), fun((atom()) -> {ok, term()} | {error, term()})) ->
     ?OK(term()) | ?NOT_FOUND(iolist()) | ?BAD_REQUEST(term()).
 with_node_or_cluster(<<"all">>, Fun) ->
     handle_result(Fun(all));
@@ -49,18 +49,24 @@ with_node_or_cluster(Node, Fun) ->
 %% Internal
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 
--spec lookup_node(binary()) -> {ok, atom()} | not_found.
-lookup_node(BinNode) ->
+-spec lookup_node(atom() | binary()) -> {ok, atom()} | not_found.
+lookup_node(BinNode) when is_binary(BinNode) ->
     case emqx_misc:safe_to_existing_atom(BinNode, utf8) of
         {ok, Node} ->
-            case lists:member(Node, mria:running_nodes()) of
-                true ->
-                    {ok, Node};
-                false ->
-                    not_found
-            end;
+            is_running_node(Node);
         _Error ->
             not_found
+    end;
+lookup_node(Node) when is_atom(Node) ->
+    is_running_node(Node).
+
+-spec is_running_node(atom()) -> {ok, atom()} | not_found.
+is_running_node(Node) ->
+    case lists:member(Node, mria:running_nodes()) of
+        true ->
+            {ok, Node};
+        false ->
+            not_found
     end.
 
 handle_result({ok, Result}) ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx_dashboard/src/emqx_dashboard_monitor_api.erl b/apps/emqx_dashboard/src/emqx_dashboard_monitor_api.erl
index f0b5ef574..c2dd4a9dd 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_dashboard/src/emqx_dashboard_monitor_api.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_dashboard/src/emqx_dashboard_monitor_api.erl
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ dashboard_samplers_fun(Latest) ->
     end.
 
 monitor_current(get, #{bindings := []}) ->
-    with_node(erlang:node(), fun emqx_dashboard_monitor:current_rate/1);
+    emqx_api_lib:with_node_or_cluster(erlang:node(), fun emqx_dashboard_monitor:current_rate/1);
 monitor_current(get, #{bindings := Bindings}) ->
     RawNode = maps:get(node, Bindings, <<"all">>),
     emqx_api_lib:with_node_or_cluster(RawNode, fun current_rate/1).