diff --git a/hadoop-hdds/server-scm/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdds/scm/server/StorageContainerManager.java b/hadoop-hdds/server-scm/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdds/scm/server/StorageContainerManager.java
index f505430032c..67d5496bec9 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdds/server-scm/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdds/scm/server/StorageContainerManager.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdds/server-scm/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdds/scm/server/StorageContainerManager.java
@@ -613,6 +613,8 @@ public final class StorageContainerManager extends ServiceRuntimeInfoImpl
             "StorageContainerLocationProtocol RPC server",
             getClientRpcAddress()));
     DefaultMetricsSystem.initialize("StorageContainerManager");
+
+    commandWatcherLeaseManager.start();
     getClientProtocolServer().start();
 
     LOG.info(buildRpcServerStartMessage("ScmBlockLocationProtocol RPC " +