diff --git a/etcdserver/server.go b/etcdserver/server.go
index 7476b8b2d..44605cf01 100644
--- a/etcdserver/server.go
+++ b/etcdserver/server.go
@@ -189,11 +189,6 @@ func NewServer(cfg *ServerConfig) (*EtcdServer, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	err = os.MkdirAll(cfg.MemberDir(), privateDirMode)
-	if err != nil && err != os.ErrExist {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
 	haveWAL := wal.Exist(cfg.WALDir())
 	ss := snap.New(cfg.SnapDir())
 
@@ -295,6 +290,11 @@ func NewServer(cfg *ServerConfig) (*EtcdServer, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported bootstrap config")
 	}
 
+	err = os.MkdirAll(cfg.MemberDir(), privateDirMode)
+	if err != nil && err != os.ErrExist {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	sstats := &stats.ServerStats{
 		Name: cfg.Name,
 		ID:   id.String(),