diff --git a/plugins/restful/license_handle.c b/plugins/restful/license_handle.c
index bb92a0763..cbed979ea 100644
--- a/plugins/restful/license_handle.c
+++ b/plugins/restful/license_handle.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 #define _POSIX_C_SOURCE 200809L
 #include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
 #include <time.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
@@ -43,10 +44,95 @@ int        get_plugin_names(const license_t *lic, UT_array *plugin_names);
 static inline char *get_license_path()
 {
     char *s = NULL;
-    neu_asprintf(&s, "%s/%s", g_config_dir, LICENSE_FNAME);
+    neu_asprintf(&s, "persistence/%s", LICENSE_FNAME);
     return s;
 }
 
+static int copy_file(const char *from, const char *to)
+{
+    int         rv      = 0;
+    char *      buf     = NULL;
+    FILE *      fp      = NULL;
+    struct stat statbuf = {};
+
+    if (0 != stat(from, &statbuf)) {
+        return NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
+    }
+
+    buf = malloc(statbuf.st_size);
+    if (NULL == buf) {
+        return NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
+    }
+
+    fp = fopen(from, "rb");
+    if (NULL == fp) {
+        rv = NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
+        goto end;
+    }
+
+    if ((size_t) statbuf.st_size != fread(buf, 1, statbuf.st_size, fp)) {
+        rv = NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
+        goto end;
+    }
+
+    fclose(fp);
+    fp = fopen(to, "w");
+    if (NULL == fp) {
+        rv = NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
+        goto end;
+    }
+
+    if ((size_t) statbuf.st_size != fwrite(buf, 1, statbuf.st_size, fp)) {
+        rv = NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
+        goto end;
+    }
+
+end:
+    if (fp) {
+        fclose(fp);
+    }
+    free(buf);
+    return rv;
+}
+
+int copy_license_file_if_necessary()
+{
+    struct stat statbuf      = {};
+    char *      license_path = get_license_path();
+
+    if (NULL == license_path) {
+        return NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
+    }
+
+    if (0 == stat(license_path, &statbuf)) {
+        free(license_path);
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    nlog_warn("license `%s` not found", license_path);
+
+    char *fallback_path = NULL;
+    neu_asprintf(&fallback_path, "%s/%s", g_config_dir, LICENSE_FNAME);
+    if (NULL == fallback_path) {
+        free(license_path);
+        return NEU_ERR_EINTERNAL;
+    }
+
+    if (0 != stat(fallback_path, &statbuf)) {
+        // no fallback license file
+        free(license_path);
+        free(fallback_path);
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    nlog_warn("fallback to `%s`", fallback_path);
+    int rv = copy_file(fallback_path, license_path);
+
+    free(license_path);
+    free(fallback_path);
+    return rv;
+}
+
 void handle_get_license(nng_aio *aio)
 {
     int                         rv              = 0;
diff --git a/plugins/restful/license_handle.h b/plugins/restful/license_handle.h
index 00761df02..4361d28da 100644
--- a/plugins/restful/license_handle.h
+++ b/plugins/restful/license_handle.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 #include <nng/nng.h>
 
+int  copy_license_file_if_necessary();
 void handle_get_license(nng_aio *aio);
 void handle_set_license(nng_aio *aio);
 
diff --git a/plugins/restful/rest.c b/plugins/restful/rest.c
index 22c723c59..460452254 100644
--- a/plugins/restful/rest.c
+++ b/plugins/restful/rest.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "group_config_handle.h"
 #include "handle.h"
 #include "http.h"
+#include "license_handle.h"
 #include "plugin_handle.h"
 #include "proxy.h"
 #include "rest.h"
@@ -145,6 +146,12 @@ static neu_plugin_t *dashb_plugin_open(void)
     const struct neu_rest_handler *rest_handlers = NULL;
     const struct neu_rest_handler *cors          = NULL;
 
+    // copy license file for backward compatibility
+    if (0 != copy_license_file_if_necessary()) {
+        free(plugin);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     neu_plugin_common_init(&plugin->common);
 
     plugin->handle_ctx = neu_rest_init_ctx(plugin);