diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
index 5c4e16e4515..06b87ec651c 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ Release 2.7.2 - UNRELEASED
     HDFS-8995. Flaw in registration bookeeping can make DN die on reconnect.
     (Kihwal Lee via yliu)
 
+    HDFS-8384. Allow NN to startup if there are files having a lease but are not
+    under construction. (jing9)
+
 Release 2.7.1 - 2015-07-06
 
   INCOMPATIBLE CHANGES
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSNamesystem.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSNamesystem.java
index 0888e80ad10..2dda12b6dd4 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSNamesystem.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSNamesystem.java
@@ -4195,7 +4195,10 @@ public class FSNamesystem implements Namesystem, FSNamesystemMBean,
     assert hasWriteLock();
 
     FileUnderConstructionFeature uc = pendingFile.getFileUnderConstructionFeature();
-    Preconditions.checkArgument(uc != null);
+    if (uc == null) {
+      throw new IOException("Cannot finalize file " + src
+          + " because it is not under construction");
+    }
     leaseManager.removeLease(uc.getClientName(), src);
     
     pendingFile.recordModification(latestSnapshot);
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/LeaseManager.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/LeaseManager.java
index 9ce8ebc650e..c0438273225 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/LeaseManager.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/LeaseManager.java
@@ -116,7 +116,11 @@ public class LeaseManager {
         final INodeFile cons;
         try {
           cons = this.fsnamesystem.getFSDirectory().getINode(path).asFile();
-          Preconditions.checkState(cons.isUnderConstruction());
+          if (!cons.isUnderConstruction()) {
+            LOG.warn("The file " + cons.getFullPathName()
+                + " is not under construction but has lease.");
+            continue;
+          }
         } catch (UnresolvedLinkException e) {
           throw new AssertionError("Lease files should reside on this FS");
         }
@@ -444,8 +448,12 @@ public class LeaseManager {
       // verify that path exists in namespace
       try {
         INodeFile node = INodeFile.valueOf(fsnamesystem.dir.getINode(p), p);
-        Preconditions.checkState(node.isUnderConstruction());
-        inodes.put(p, node);
+        if (node.isUnderConstruction()) {
+          inodes.put(p, node);
+        } else {
+          LOG.warn("Ignore the lease of file " + p
+              + " for checkpoint since the file is not under construction");
+        }
       } catch (IOException ioe) {
         LOG.error(ioe);
       }