diff --git a/packages/grpc-js-xds/src/xds-stream-state/xds-stream-state.ts b/packages/grpc-js-xds/src/xds-stream-state/xds-stream-state.ts
index 2ff5130c..1d96728a 100644
--- a/packages/grpc-js-xds/src/xds-stream-state/xds-stream-state.ts
+++ b/packages/grpc-js-xds/src/xds-stream-state/xds-stream-state.ts
@@ -113,7 +113,9 @@ export abstract class BaseXdsStreamState<ResponseType> implements XdsStreamState
         cachedResponse: null,
         resourceTimer: setTimeout(() => {}, 0)
       };
-      this.startResourceTimer(subscriptionEntry);
+      if (this.isAdsStreamRunning) {
+        this.startResourceTimer(subscriptionEntry);
+      }
       this.subscriptions.set(name, subscriptionEntry);
     }
     subscriptionEntry.watchers.push(watcher);