diff --git a/fe/fe-core/src/main/java/org/apache/doris/service/FrontendServiceImpl.java b/fe/fe-core/src/main/java/org/apache/doris/service/FrontendServiceImpl.java
index f792c561cb..00dd9057af 100644
--- a/fe/fe-core/src/main/java/org/apache/doris/service/FrontendServiceImpl.java
+++ b/fe/fe-core/src/main/java/org/apache/doris/service/FrontendServiceImpl.java
@@ -908,6 +908,8 @@ public class FrontendServiceImpl implements FrontendService.Iface {
         if (params.isSyncJournalOnly()) {
             final TMasterOpResult result = new TMasterOpResult();
             result.setMaxJournalId(Env.getCurrentEnv().getMaxJournalId());
+            // just make the protocol happy
+            result.setPacket("".getBytes());
             return result;
         }