diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-rbf/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/federation/resolver/MembershipNamenodeResolver.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-rbf/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/federation/resolver/MembershipNamenodeResolver.java
index 862f851fb5..db1dcdf181 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-rbf/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/federation/resolver/MembershipNamenodeResolver.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-rbf/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/federation/resolver/MembershipNamenodeResolver.java
@@ -193,13 +193,53 @@ private void updateNameNodeState(final String nsId,
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Try to shuffle the multiple observer namenodes if listObserversFirst is true.
+   * @param inputNameNodes the input FederationNamenodeContext list. If listObserversFirst is true,
+   *                       all observers will be placed at the front of the collection.
+   * @param listObserversFirst true if we need to shuffle the multiple front observer namenodes.
+   * @return a list of FederationNamenodeContext.
+   * @param <T> a subclass of FederationNamenodeContext.
+   */
+  private <T extends FederationNamenodeContext> List<T> shuffleObserverNN(
+      List<T> inputNameNodes, boolean listObserversFirst) {
+    if (!listObserversFirst) {
+      return inputNameNodes;
+    }
+    // Get Observers first.
+    List<T> observerList = new ArrayList<>();
+    for (T t : inputNameNodes) {
+      if (t.getState() == OBSERVER) {
+        observerList.add(t);
+      } else {
+        // The inputNameNodes are already sorted, so it can break
+        // when the first non-observer is encountered.
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    // Returns the inputNameNodes if no shuffle is required
+    if (observerList.size() <= 1) {
+      return inputNameNodes;
+    }
+
+    // Shuffle multiple Observers
+    Collections.shuffle(observerList);
+
+    List<T> ret = new ArrayList<>(inputNameNodes.size());
+    ret.addAll(observerList);
+    for (int i = observerList.size(); i < inputNameNodes.size(); i++) {
+      ret.add(inputNameNodes.get(i));
+    }
+    return Collections.unmodifiableList(ret);
+  }
+
   @Override
   public List<? extends FederationNamenodeContext> getNamenodesForNameserviceId(
       final String nsId, boolean listObserversFirst) throws IOException {
 
     List<? extends FederationNamenodeContext> ret = cacheNS.get(Pair.of(nsId, listObserversFirst));
     if (ret != null) {
-      return ret;
+      return shuffleObserverNN(ret, listObserversFirst);
     }
 
     // Not cached, generate the value
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-rbf/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/federation/resolver/TestNamenodeResolver.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-rbf/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/federation/resolver/TestNamenodeResolver.java
index b602a27c95..05d21b9b27 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-rbf/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/federation/resolver/TestNamenodeResolver.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-rbf/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/federation/resolver/TestNamenodeResolver.java
@@ -90,6 +90,98 @@ public void setup() throws IOException, InterruptedException {
     assertTrue(cleared);
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testShuffleObserverNNs() throws Exception {
+    // Add an active entry to the store
+    NamenodeStatusReport activeReport = createNamenodeReport(
+        NAMESERVICES[0], NAMENODES[0], HAServiceState.ACTIVE);
+    assertTrue(namenodeResolver.registerNamenode(activeReport));
+
+    // Add a standby entry to the store
+    NamenodeStatusReport standbyReport = createNamenodeReport(
+        NAMESERVICES[0], NAMENODES[1], HAServiceState.STANDBY);
+    assertTrue(namenodeResolver.registerNamenode(standbyReport));
+
+    // Load cache
+    stateStore.refreshCaches(true);
+
+    // Get namenodes from state store.
+    List<? extends FederationNamenodeContext> withoutObserver =
+        namenodeResolver.getNamenodesForNameserviceId(NAMESERVICES[0], true);
+    assertEquals(2, withoutObserver.size());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.ACTIVE, withoutObserver.get(0).getState());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.STANDBY, withoutObserver.get(1).getState());
+
+    // Get namenodes from cache.
+    withoutObserver = namenodeResolver.getNamenodesForNameserviceId(NAMESERVICES[0], true);
+    assertEquals(2, withoutObserver.size());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.ACTIVE, withoutObserver.get(0).getState());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.STANDBY, withoutObserver.get(1).getState());
+
+    // Add an observer entry to the store
+    NamenodeStatusReport observerReport1 = createNamenodeReport(
+        NAMESERVICES[0], NAMENODES[2], HAServiceState.OBSERVER);
+    assertTrue(namenodeResolver.registerNamenode(observerReport1));
+
+    // Load cache
+    stateStore.refreshCaches(true);
+
+    // Get namenodes from state store.
+    List<? extends FederationNamenodeContext> observerList =
+        namenodeResolver.getNamenodesForNameserviceId(NAMESERVICES[0], true);
+    assertEquals(3, observerList.size());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.OBSERVER, observerList.get(0).getState());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.ACTIVE, observerList.get(1).getState());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.STANDBY, observerList.get(2).getState());
+
+    // Get namenodes from cache.
+    observerList = namenodeResolver.getNamenodesForNameserviceId(NAMESERVICES[0], true);
+    assertEquals(3, observerList.size());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.OBSERVER, observerList.get(0).getState());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.ACTIVE, observerList.get(1).getState());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.STANDBY, observerList.get(2).getState());
+
+    // Add one new observer entry to the store
+    NamenodeStatusReport observerReport2 = createNamenodeReport(
+        NAMESERVICES[0], NAMENODES[3], HAServiceState.OBSERVER);
+    assertTrue(namenodeResolver.registerNamenode(observerReport2));
+
+    // Load cache
+    stateStore.refreshCaches(true);
+
+    // Get namenodes from state store.
+    List<? extends FederationNamenodeContext> observerList2 =
+        namenodeResolver.getNamenodesForNameserviceId(NAMESERVICES[0], true);
+    assertEquals(4, observerList2.size());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.OBSERVER, observerList2.get(0).getState());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.OBSERVER, observerList2.get(1).getState());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.ACTIVE, observerList2.get(2).getState());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.STANDBY, observerList2.get(3).getState());
+
+    // Get namenodes from cache.
+    observerList2 = namenodeResolver.getNamenodesForNameserviceId(NAMESERVICES[0], true);
+    assertEquals(4, observerList2.size());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.OBSERVER, observerList2.get(0).getState());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.OBSERVER, observerList2.get(1).getState());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.ACTIVE, observerList2.get(2).getState());
+    assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.STANDBY, observerList2.get(3).getState());
+
+    // Test shuffler
+    List<? extends FederationNamenodeContext> observerList3;
+    boolean hit = false;
+    for (int i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
+      observerList3 = namenodeResolver.getNamenodesForNameserviceId(NAMESERVICES[0], true);
+      assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.OBSERVER, observerList3.get(0).getState());
+      assertEquals(FederationNamenodeServiceState.OBSERVER, observerList3.get(1).getState());
+      if (observerList3.get(0).getNamenodeId().equals(observerList2.get(1).getNamenodeId()) &&
+          observerList3.get(1).getNamenodeId().equals(observerList2.get(0).getNamenodeId())) {
+        hit = true;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    assertTrue(hit);
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void testStateStoreDisconnected() throws Exception {