diff --git a/hbase-it/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/chaos/actions/UnbalanceKillAndRebalanceAction.java b/hbase-it/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/chaos/actions/UnbalanceKillAndRebalanceAction.java
index 1ac14589f81..0035c2c4c72 100644
--- a/hbase-it/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/chaos/actions/UnbalanceKillAndRebalanceAction.java
+++ b/hbase-it/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/chaos/actions/UnbalanceKillAndRebalanceAction.java
@@ -41,12 +41,15 @@ public class UnbalanceKillAndRebalanceAction extends Action {
   private long waitForUnbalanceMilliSec;
   private long waitForKillsMilliSec;
   private long waitAfterBalanceMilliSec;
+  private boolean killMetaRs;
 
-  public UnbalanceKillAndRebalanceAction(long waitUnbalance, long waitKill, long waitAfterBalance) {
+  public UnbalanceKillAndRebalanceAction(long waitUnbalance, long waitKill, long waitAfterBalance,
+      boolean killMetaRs) {
     super();
     waitForUnbalanceMilliSec = waitUnbalance;
     waitForKillsMilliSec = waitKill;
     waitAfterBalanceMilliSec = waitAfterBalance;
+    this.killMetaRs = killMetaRs;
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -57,7 +60,9 @@ public class UnbalanceKillAndRebalanceAction extends Action {
 
     int liveCount = (int)Math.ceil(FRC_SERVERS_THAT_HOARD_AND_LIVE * victimServers.size());
     int deadCount = (int)Math.ceil(FRC_SERVERS_THAT_HOARD_AND_DIE * victimServers.size());
-    Assert.assertTrue((liveCount + deadCount) < victimServers.size());
+    Assert.assertTrue(
+        "There are not enough victim servers: " + victimServers.size(),
+        liveCount + deadCount < victimServers.size());
     List<ServerName> targetServers = new ArrayList<ServerName>(liveCount);
     for (int i = 0; i < liveCount + deadCount; ++i) {
       int victimIx = RandomUtils.nextInt(victimServers.size());
@@ -65,14 +70,23 @@ public class UnbalanceKillAndRebalanceAction extends Action {
     }
     unbalanceRegions(status, victimServers, targetServers, HOARD_FRC_OF_REGIONS);
     Thread.sleep(waitForUnbalanceMilliSec);
-    for (int i = 0; i < liveCount; ++i) {
+    ServerName metaServer = cluster.getServerHoldingMeta();
+    for (ServerName targetServer: targetServers) {
       // Don't keep killing servers if we're
       // trying to stop the monkey.
       if (context.isStopping()) {
         break;
       }
-      killRs(targetServers.get(i));
-      killedServers.add(targetServers.get(i));
+      if (killedServers.size() >= liveCount) {
+        break;
+      }
+
+      if (!killMetaRs && targetServer.equals(metaServer)) {
+        LOG.info("Not killing server because it holds hbase:meta.");
+      } else {
+        killRs(targetServer);
+        killedServers.add(targetServer);
+      }
     }
 
     Thread.sleep(waitForKillsMilliSec);
diff --git a/hbase-it/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/chaos/factories/MonkeyConstants.java b/hbase-it/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/chaos/factories/MonkeyConstants.java
index 49f3b554f77..452d903f101 100644
--- a/hbase-it/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/chaos/factories/MonkeyConstants.java
+++ b/hbase-it/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/chaos/factories/MonkeyConstants.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ public interface MonkeyConstants {
   String UNBALANCE_WAIT_FOR_UNBALANCE_MS = "unbalance.action.wait.period";
   String UNBALANCE_WAIT_FOR_KILLS_MS = "unbalance.action.kill.period";
   String UNBALANCE_WAIT_AFTER_BALANCE_MS = "unbalance.action.wait.after.period";
+  String UNBALANCE_KILL_META_RS = "unbalance.action.kill.meta.rs";
   String DECREASE_HFILE_SIZE_SLEEP_TIME = "decrease.hfile.size.sleep.time";
 
   long DEFAULT_PERIODIC_ACTION1_PERIOD = 60 * 1000;
@@ -61,5 +62,6 @@ public interface MonkeyConstants {
   long DEFAULT_UNBALANCE_WAIT_FOR_UNBALANCE_MS = 2 * 1000;
   long DEFAULT_UNBALANCE_WAIT_FOR_KILLS_MS = 2 * 1000;
   long DEFAULT_UNBALANCE_WAIT_AFTER_BALANCE_MS = 5 * 1000;
+  boolean DEFAULT_UNBALANCE_KILL_META_RS = true;
   long DEFAULT_DECREASE_HFILE_SIZE_SLEEP_TIME = 30 * 1000;
 }
diff --git a/hbase-it/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/chaos/factories/UnbalanceMonkeyFactory.java b/hbase-it/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/chaos/factories/UnbalanceMonkeyFactory.java
index f4ea4351d84..28ab7a03bed 100644
--- a/hbase-it/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/chaos/factories/UnbalanceMonkeyFactory.java
+++ b/hbase-it/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/chaos/factories/UnbalanceMonkeyFactory.java
@@ -31,13 +31,14 @@ public class UnbalanceMonkeyFactory extends MonkeyFactory {
   private long waitForUnbalanceMilliSec;
   private long waitForKillMilliSec;
   private long waitAfterBalanceMilliSec;
+  private boolean killMetaRs;
 
   @Override
   public ChaosMonkey build() {
     loadProperties();
     Policy chaosPolicy = new PeriodicRandomActionPolicy(chaosEveryMilliSec,
         new UnbalanceKillAndRebalanceAction(waitForUnbalanceMilliSec, waitForKillMilliSec,
-            waitAfterBalanceMilliSec));
+            waitAfterBalanceMilliSec, killMetaRs));
 
     return new PolicyBasedChaosMonkey(util, chaosPolicy);
   }
@@ -55,5 +56,8 @@ public class UnbalanceMonkeyFactory extends MonkeyFactory {
     waitAfterBalanceMilliSec = Long.parseLong(this.properties.getProperty(
       MonkeyConstants.UNBALANCE_WAIT_AFTER_BALANCE_MS,
       MonkeyConstants.DEFAULT_UNBALANCE_WAIT_AFTER_BALANCE_MS + ""));
+    killMetaRs = Boolean.parseBoolean(this.properties.getProperty(
+      MonkeyConstants.UNBALANCE_KILL_META_RS,
+      MonkeyConstants.DEFAULT_UNBALANCE_KILL_META_RS + ""));
   }
 }