diff --git a/src/ray/raylet/node_manager.cc b/src/ray/raylet/node_manager.cc
index e3c0730c6..b394702b2 100644
--- a/src/ray/raylet/node_manager.cc
+++ b/src/ray/raylet/node_manager.cc
@@ -1398,37 +1398,35 @@ void NodeManager::ProcessDisconnectClientMessage(
   RAY_CHECK(!(is_worker && is_driver));
   // If the client has any blocked tasks, mark them as unblocked. In
   // particular, we are no longer waiting for their dependencies.
-  if (worker) {
-    if (is_worker && worker->IsDead()) {
-      // If the worker was killed by us because the driver exited,
-      // treat it as intentionally disconnected.
-      intentional_disconnect = true;
-      // Don't need to unblock the client if it's a worker and is already dead.
-      // Because in this case, its task is already cleaned up.
-      RAY_LOG(DEBUG) << "Skip unblocking worker because it's already dead.";
-    } else {
-      // Clean up any open ray.get calls that the worker made.
-      while (!worker->GetBlockedTaskIds().empty()) {
-        // NOTE(swang): AsyncResolveObjectsFinish will modify the worker, so it is
-        // not safe to pass in the iterator directly.
-        const TaskID task_id = *worker->GetBlockedTaskIds().begin();
-        AsyncResolveObjectsFinish(client, task_id, true);
-      }
-      // Clean up any open ray.wait calls that the worker made.
-      task_dependency_manager_.UnsubscribeWaitDependencies(worker->WorkerId());
+  if (is_worker && worker->IsDead()) {
+    // If the worker was killed by us because the driver exited,
+    // treat it as intentionally disconnected.
+    intentional_disconnect = true;
+    // Don't need to unblock the client if it's a worker and is already dead.
+    // Because in this case, its task is already cleaned up.
+    RAY_LOG(DEBUG) << "Skip unblocking worker because it's already dead.";
+  } else {
+    // Clean up any open ray.get calls that the worker made.
+    while (!worker->GetBlockedTaskIds().empty()) {
+      // NOTE(swang): AsyncResolveObjectsFinish will modify the worker, so it is
+      // not safe to pass in the iterator directly.
+      const TaskID task_id = *worker->GetBlockedTaskIds().begin();
+      AsyncResolveObjectsFinish(client, task_id, true);
     }
-
-    // Erase any lease metadata.
-    leased_workers_.erase(worker->WorkerId());
-
-    // Publish the worker failure.
-    auto worker_failure_data_ptr = gcs::CreateWorkerFailureData(
-        self_node_id_, worker->WorkerId(), worker->IpAddress(), worker->Port(),
-        time(nullptr), intentional_disconnect);
-    RAY_CHECK_OK(gcs_client_->Workers().AsyncReportWorkerFailure(worker_failure_data_ptr,
-                                                                 nullptr));
+    // Clean up any open ray.wait calls that the worker made.
+    task_dependency_manager_.UnsubscribeWaitDependencies(worker->WorkerId());
   }
 
+  // Erase any lease metadata.
+  leased_workers_.erase(worker->WorkerId());
+
+  // Publish the worker failure.
+  auto worker_failure_data_ptr =
+      gcs::CreateWorkerFailureData(self_node_id_, worker->WorkerId(), worker->IpAddress(),
+                                   worker->Port(), time(nullptr), intentional_disconnect);
+  RAY_CHECK_OK(
+      gcs_client_->Workers().AsyncReportWorkerFailure(worker_failure_data_ptr, nullptr));
+
   if (is_worker) {
     const ActorID &actor_id = worker->GetActorId();
     const TaskID &task_id = worker->GetAssignedTaskId();