diff --git a/pulsar-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/metadata/impl/LocalMemoryMetadataStore.java b/pulsar-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/metadata/impl/LocalMemoryMetadataStore.java
index 848d17043a672..c8538c4a17bc4 100644
--- a/pulsar-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/metadata/impl/LocalMemoryMetadataStore.java
+++ b/pulsar-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/metadata/impl/LocalMemoryMetadataStore.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.GetResult;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreConfig;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreException;
+import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreException.AlreadyExistsException;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreException.BadVersionException;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreException.NotFoundException;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.Notification;
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ public synchronized CompletableFuture<Stat> storePut(String path, byte[] data, O
             Value newValue = new Value(0, data, now, now);
             Value existingValue = map.putIfAbsent(path, newValue);
             if (existingValue != null) {
-                return FutureUtils.exception(new BadVersionException(""));
+                return FutureUtils.exception(new AlreadyExistsException(""));
             } else {
                 receivedNotification(new Notification(NotificationType.Created, path));
                 String parent = parent(path);
diff --git a/pulsar-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/metadata/impl/ZKMetadataStore.java b/pulsar-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/metadata/impl/ZKMetadataStore.java
index 8c6fcd9e3845e..49e71e68adf45 100644
--- a/pulsar-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/metadata/impl/ZKMetadataStore.java
+++ b/pulsar-metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/metadata/impl/ZKMetadataStore.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.GetResult;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreConfig;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreException;
+import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreException.AlreadyExistsException;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreException.BadVersionException;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreException.NotFoundException;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.Notification;
@@ -213,7 +214,7 @@ public CompletableFuture<Stat> storePut(String path, byte[] value, Optional<Long
                                     future.complete(new Stat(name, 0, 0, 0));
                                 } else if (code == Code.NODEEXISTS) {
                                     // We're emulating a request to create node, so the version is invalid
-                                    future.completeExceptionally(getException(Code.BADVERSION, path));
+                                    future.completeExceptionally(getException(Code.NODEEXISTS, path));
                                 } else {
                                     future.completeExceptionally(getException(code, path));
                                 }
@@ -296,6 +297,8 @@ private static MetadataStoreException getException(Code code, String path) {
             return new BadVersionException(ex);
         case NONODE:
             return new NotFoundException(ex);
+        case NODEEXISTS:
+            return new AlreadyExistsException(ex);
         default:
             return new MetadataStoreException(ex);
         }
diff --git a/pulsar-metadata/src/test/java/org/apache/pulsar/metadata/MetadataStoreTest.java b/pulsar-metadata/src/test/java/org/apache/pulsar/metadata/MetadataStoreTest.java
index e4a2e9ec5c105..436d5e52d7966 100644
--- a/pulsar-metadata/src/test/java/org/apache/pulsar/metadata/MetadataStoreTest.java
+++ b/pulsar-metadata/src/test/java/org/apache/pulsar/metadata/MetadataStoreTest.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStore;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreConfig;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreException;
+import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreException.AlreadyExistsException;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreException.BadVersionException;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreException.NotFoundException;
 import org.apache.pulsar.metadata.api.MetadataStoreFactory;
@@ -110,7 +111,7 @@ public void insertionTestWithExpectedVersion(String provider, String url) throws
             store.put(key1, "value-2".getBytes(), Optional.of(-1L)).join();
             fail("Should have failed");
         } catch (CompletionException e) {
-            assertException(e, BadVersionException.class);
+            assertException(e, AlreadyExistsException.class);
         }
 
         try {