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 06bb33688b1..a568a29712f 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
@@ -2104,8 +2104,9 @@ public class AssignmentManager extends ZooKeeperListener {
                   + this.server.getConfiguration().getLong(ALREADY_IN_TRANSITION_WAITTIME,
                     DEFAULT_ALREADY_IN_TRANSITION_WAITTIME);
               } else {
-                maxWaitTime = this.server.getConfiguration().
-                  getLong("hbase.regionserver.rpc.startup.waittime", 60000);
+                maxWaitTime = EnvironmentEdgeManager.currentTimeMillis()
+                  + this.server.getConfiguration().getLong(
+                    "hbase.regionserver.rpc.startup.waittime", 60000);
               }
             }
             try {