diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/AssignmentManager.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/AssignmentManager.java
index 39cbed1b657..d03d86ddaae 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/AssignmentManager.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/AssignmentManager.java
@@ -2714,8 +2714,15 @@ public class AssignmentManager extends ZooKeeperListener {
             + " to ENABLED state.");
         // enableTable in sync way during master startup,
         // no need to invoke coprocessor
-        new EnableTableHandler(this.server, tableName,
-            catalogTracker, this, tableLockManager, true).prepare().process();
+        EnableTableHandler eth = new EnableTableHandler(this.server, tableName,
+          catalogTracker, this, tableLockManager, true);
+        try {
+          eth.prepare();
+        } catch (TableNotFoundException e) {
+          LOG.warn("Table " + tableName + " not found in hbase:meta to recover.");
+          continue;
+        }
+        eth.process();
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/handler/EnableTableHandler.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/handler/EnableTableHandler.java
index 8ebcb470c8b..0e21a2569aa 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/handler/EnableTableHandler.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/handler/EnableTableHandler.java
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ public class EnableTableHandler extends EventHandler {
         } 
         try {
           this.assignmentManager.getZKTable().removeEnablingTable(tableName, true);
+          throw new TableNotFoundException(tableName);
         } catch (KeeperException e) {
           // TODO : Use HBCK to clear such nodes
           LOG.warn("Failed to delete the ENABLING node for the table " + tableName
diff --git a/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/TestAssignmentManager.java b/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/TestAssignmentManager.java
index f4eb232cef4..408509f68ed 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/TestAssignmentManager.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/TestAssignmentManager.java
@@ -947,6 +947,35 @@ public class TestAssignmentManager {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Test verifies whether stale znodes of unknown tables as for the hbase:meta will be removed or
+   * not.
+   * @throws KeeperException
+   * @throws IOException
+   * @throws Exception
+   */
+  @Test
+  public void testMasterRestartShouldRemoveStaleZnodesOfUnknownTableAsForMeta()
+      throws KeeperException, IOException, Exception {
+    List<ServerName> destServers = new ArrayList<ServerName>(1);
+    destServers.add(SERVERNAME_A);
+    Mockito.when(this.serverManager.createDestinationServersList()).thenReturn(destServers);
+    Mockito.when(this.serverManager.isServerOnline(SERVERNAME_A)).thenReturn(true);
+    HTU.getConfiguration().setInt(HConstants.MASTER_PORT, 0);
+    Server server = new HMaster(HTU.getConfiguration());
+    Whitebox.setInternalState(server, "serverManager", this.serverManager);
+    AssignmentManagerWithExtrasForTesting am = setUpMockedAssignmentManager(server,
+        this.serverManager);
+    try {
+      TableName tableName = TableName.valueOf("dummyTable");
+      // set table in enabling state.
+      am.getZKTable().setEnablingTable(tableName);
+      am.joinCluster();
+      assertFalse("Table should not be present in zookeeper.",
+        am.getZKTable().isTablePresent(tableName));
+    } finally {
+    }
+  }
   /**
    * When a region is in transition, if the region server opening the region goes down,
    * the region assignment takes a long time normally (waiting for timeout monitor to trigger assign).