diff --git a/pkg/cluster/spec/server_config.go b/pkg/cluster/spec/server_config.go
index 92ed98c305..fc468c711a 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/spec/server_config.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/spec/server_config.go
@@ -295,10 +295,10 @@ func checkConfig(ctx context.Context, e ctxt.Executor, componentName, clusterVer
 			return nil
 		}
 
-		// Hack tikv --pd flag
 		extra := ""
 		if componentName == ComponentTiKV {
-			extra = `--pd=""`
+			// Pass in an empty pd address and the correct data dir
+			extra = fmt.Sprintf(`--pd "" --data-dir "%s"`, paths.Data[0])
 		}
 		cmd = fmt.Sprintf("%s --config-check --config=%s %s", binPath, configPath, extra)
 	}