diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
index 2a66129a6c..84f30a417f 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
@@ -179,6 +179,9 @@ Trunk (unreleased changes)
     HDFS-3614. Revert unused MiniDFSCluster constructor from HDFS-3049.
     (acmurthy via eli)
 
+    HDFS-3625. Fix TestBackupNode by properly initializing edit log during
+    startup. (Junping Du via todd)
+
 Branch-2 ( Unreleased changes )
 
   INCOMPATIBLE CHANGES
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/BackupNode.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/BackupNode.java
index fea05e9135..cfc841902c 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/BackupNode.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/BackupNode.java
@@ -364,6 +364,7 @@ public class BackupNode extends NameNode {
     } else {
       nsInfo.validateStorage(storage);
     }
+    bnImage.initEditLog();
     setRegistration();
     NamenodeRegistration nnReg = null;
     while(!isStopRequested()) {