diff --git a/kyuubi-server/src/main/scala/org/apache/kyuubi/engine/EngineRef.scala b/kyuubi-server/src/main/scala/org/apache/kyuubi/engine/EngineRef.scala
index bb7f7ecbc..30bf32c39 100644
--- a/kyuubi-server/src/main/scala/org/apache/kyuubi/engine/EngineRef.scala
+++ b/kyuubi-server/src/main/scala/org/apache/kyuubi/engine/EngineRef.scala
@@ -239,7 +239,10 @@ private[kyuubi] class EngineRef(
       while (engineRef.isEmpty) {
         if (exitValue.isEmpty && process.waitFor(1, TimeUnit.SECONDS)) {
           exitValue = Some(process.exitValue())
-          if (!exitValue.contains(0)) {
+          if (exitValue.contains(0)) {
+            acquiredPermit = false
+            startupProcessSemaphore.foreach(_.release())
+          } else {
             val error = builder.getError
             MetricsSystem.tracing { ms =>
               ms.incCount(MetricRegistry.name(ENGINE_FAIL, appUser))