diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java
index 5ec5604f7ce..5a76b795528 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java
@@ -1945,7 +1945,8 @@ public class HMaster extends HRegionServer implements MasterServices {
     if (!isSplitOrMergeEnabled(MasterSwitchType.MERGE)) {
       String regionsStr = Arrays.deepToString(regionsToMerge);
       LOG.warn("Merge switch is off! skip merge of " + regionsStr);
-      throw new IOException("Merge of " + regionsStr + " failed because merge switch is off");
+      throw new DoNotRetryIOException("Merge of " + regionsStr +
+          " failed because merge switch is off");
     }
 
     final String mergeRegionsStr = Arrays.stream(regionsToMerge).
@@ -1976,7 +1977,7 @@ public class HMaster extends HRegionServer implements MasterServices {
 
     if (!isSplitOrMergeEnabled(MasterSwitchType.SPLIT)) {
       LOG.warn("Split switch is off! skip split of " + regionInfo);
-      throw new IOException("Split region " + regionInfo.getRegionNameAsString() +
+      throw new DoNotRetryIOException("Split region " + regionInfo.getRegionNameAsString() +
           " failed due to split switch off");
     }
 
diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/assignment/AssignmentManager.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/assignment/AssignmentManager.java
index 4b5f6dc93ab..d524c2535ae 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/assignment/AssignmentManager.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/assignment/AssignmentManager.java
@@ -1011,7 +1011,7 @@ public class AssignmentManager {
 
     if (!master.isSplitOrMergeEnabled(MasterSwitchType.SPLIT)) {
       LOG.warn("Split switch is off! skip split of " + parent);
-      throw new IOException("Split region " + parent.getRegionNameAsString() +
+      throw new DoNotRetryIOException("Split region " + parent.getRegionNameAsString() +
           " failed due to split switch off");
     }
 
@@ -1042,7 +1042,7 @@ public class AssignmentManager {
 
     if (!master.isSplitOrMergeEnabled(MasterSwitchType.MERGE)) {
       LOG.warn("Merge switch is off! skip merge of regionA=" + hriA + " regionB=" + hriB);
-      throw new IOException("Merge of regionA=" + hriA + " regionB=" + hriB +
+      throw new DoNotRetryIOException("Merge of regionA=" + hriA + " regionB=" + hriB +
         " failed because merge switch is off");
     }