diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HRegionServer.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HRegionServer.java
index 9b89cd02fb4..ff4afbc8cf7 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HRegionServer.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HRegionServer.java
@@ -511,7 +511,6 @@ public class HRegionServer extends HasThread implements
     this.conf = conf;
     checkCodecs(this.conf);
     this.userProvider = UserProvider.instantiate(conf);
-    Superusers.initialize(conf);
     FSUtils.setupShortCircuitRead(this.conf);
     // Disable usage of meta replicas in the regionserver
     this.conf.setBoolean(HConstants.USE_META_REPLICAS, false);
@@ -560,6 +559,9 @@ public class HRegionServer extends HasThread implements
       HConstants.ZK_CLIENT_KERBEROS_PRINCIPAL, hostName);
     // login the server principal (if using secure Hadoop)
     login(userProvider, hostName);
+    // init superusers and add the server principal (if using security)
+    // or process owner as default super user.
+    Superusers.initialize(conf);
 
     regionServerAccounting = new RegionServerAccounting();
     uncaughtExceptionHandler = new UncaughtExceptionHandler() {