diff --git a/presto-main/src/main/java/io/prestosql/heuristicindex/HeuristicIndexerManager.java b/presto-main/src/main/java/io/prestosql/heuristicindex/HeuristicIndexerManager.java
index 6b1316d75..ea2bf9955 100644
--- a/presto-main/src/main/java/io/prestosql/heuristicindex/HeuristicIndexerManager.java
+++ b/presto-main/src/main/java/io/prestosql/heuristicindex/HeuristicIndexerManager.java
@@ -135,9 +135,9 @@ public class HeuristicIndexerManager
     public void preloadIndex()
             throws IOException
     {
-        if (indexClient != null) {
-            if (PropertyService.containsProperty(HetuConstant.FILTER_CACHE_PRELOAD_INDICES)) {
-                String preloadNames = PropertyService.getStringProperty(HetuConstant.FILTER_CACHE_PRELOAD_INDICES);
+        if (PropertyService.getBooleanProperty(HetuConstant.FILTER_ENABLED) && indexClient != null) {
+            String preloadNames = PropertyService.getStringProperty(HetuConstant.FILTER_CACHE_PRELOAD_INDICES);
+            if (!preloadNames.isEmpty()) {
                 List<String> preloadNameList = Arrays.asList(preloadNames.split(","));
                 if (!preloadNameList.isEmpty()) {
                     try {
diff --git a/presto-main/src/main/java/io/prestosql/utils/HetuConfig.java b/presto-main/src/main/java/io/prestosql/utils/HetuConfig.java
index 93d41c4b5..38401ed60 100644
--- a/presto-main/src/main/java/io/prestosql/utils/HetuConfig.java
+++ b/presto-main/src/main/java/io/prestosql/utils/HetuConfig.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public class HetuConfig
     private Boolean indexCacheSoftReference = Boolean.TRUE;
     private String indexStoreUri = "/opt/hetu/indices/";
     private String indexStoreFileSystemProfile = "local-config-default";
-    private String indexToPreload;
+    private String indexToPreload = "";
     private Boolean enableEmbeddedStateStore = Boolean.FALSE;
     private Boolean enableMultipleCoordinator = Boolean.FALSE;
     private Duration stateUpdateInterval = new Duration(100, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
diff --git a/presto-main/src/test/java/io/prestosql/utils/TestHetuConfig.java b/presto-main/src/test/java/io/prestosql/utils/TestHetuConfig.java
index 20af0e1fb..60b35eac2 100644
--- a/presto-main/src/test/java/io/prestosql/utils/TestHetuConfig.java
+++ b/presto-main/src/test/java/io/prestosql/utils/TestHetuConfig.java
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ public class TestHetuConfig
                 .setSplitCacheMapEnabled(false)
                 .setSplitCacheStateUpdateInterval(new Duration(2, TimeUnit.SECONDS))
                 .setTraceStackVisible(false)
-                .setIndexToPreload(null));
+                .setIndexToPreload(""));
     }
 
     @Test