diff --git a/apps/emqx_auto_subscribe/src/emqx_auto_subscribe_app.erl b/apps/emqx_auto_subscribe/src/emqx_auto_subscribe_app.erl
index 116e35b1c..0be813bcd 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_auto_subscribe/src/emqx_auto_subscribe_app.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_auto_subscribe/src/emqx_auto_subscribe_app.erl
@@ -21,8 +21,9 @@
 -export([start/2, stop/1]).
 
 start(_StartType, _StartArgs) ->
+    {ok, Sup} = emqx_auto_subscribe_sup:start_link(),
     ok = emqx_auto_subscribe:load(),
-    emqx_auto_subscribe_sup:start_link().
+    {ok, Sup}.
 
 stop(_State) ->
     ok.