diff --git a/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua b/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua
index 1ec1aa475f5a..a4d5e8c51171 100644
--- a/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua
+++ b/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ local CLUSTERING_DATA_PLANES_LATEST_VERSION_KEY = constants.CLUSTERING_DATA_PLAN
 local DECLARATIVE_DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_KEY = constants.DECLARATIVE_DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_KEY
 local CLUSTERING_SYNC_STATUS = constants.CLUSTERING_SYNC_STATUS
 local SYNC_MUTEX_OPTS = { name = "get_delta", timeout = 0, }
-local MAX_RETRY = 5
+local SYNC_MAX_RETRY = 5
 
 
 local assert = assert
@@ -388,7 +388,8 @@ local function do_sync()
 end
 
 
-local function sync_handler(premature)
+local sync_handler
+sync_handler = function(premature, try_counter)
   if premature then
     return
   end
@@ -397,52 +398,37 @@ local function sync_handler(premature)
   if not res and err ~= "timeout" then
     ngx_log(ngx_ERR, "unable to create worker mutex and sync: ", err)
   end
-end
-
-
-local sync_once_impl
 
-
-local function start_sync_once_timer(retry_count)
-  local ok, err = ngx.timer.at(0, sync_once_impl, retry_count or 0)
-  if not ok then
-    return nil, err
+  -- try_counter is not set, only run once
+  if not try_counter then
+    return
   end
 
-  return true
-end
-
-
-function sync_once_impl(premature, retry_count)
-  if premature then
+  if try_counter <= 0 then
+    ngx_log(ngx_ERR, "sync_once try count exceeded.")
     return
   end
 
-  sync_handler()  
-  
-  local latest_notified_version = ngx.shared.kong:get(CLUSTERING_DATA_PLANES_LATEST_VERSION_KEY)
-  local current_version = tonumber(declarative.get_current_hash()) or 0
+  assert(try_counter >= 1)
 
+  local latest_notified_version = ngx.shared.kong:get(CLUSTERING_DATA_PLANES_LATEST_VERSION_KEY)
   if not latest_notified_version then
     ngx_log(ngx_DEBUG, "no version notified yet")
     return
   end
 
-  -- retry if the version is not updated
-  if current_version < latest_notified_version then
-    retry_count = retry_count or 0
-    if retry_count > MAX_RETRY then
-      ngx_log(ngx_ERR, "sync_once retry count exceeded. retry_count: ", retry_count)
-      return
-    end
-
-    return start_sync_once_timer(retry_count + 1)
+  local current_version = tonumber(declarative.get_current_hash()) or 0
+  if current_version >= latest_notified_version then
+    return
   end
+
+  -- retry if the version is not updated
+  return ngx.timer.at(0, sync_handler, try_counter - 1)
 end
 
 
 function _M:sync_once(delay)
-  return ngx.timer.at(delay or 0, sync_once_impl, 0)
+  return ngx.timer.at(delay or 0, sync_handler, SYNC_MAX_RETRY)
 end