diff --git a/lib/mergeset/table.go b/lib/mergeset/table.go
index 5dbbb4ad90..d88cba7cb1 100644
--- a/lib/mergeset/table.go
+++ b/lib/mergeset/table.go
@@ -291,8 +291,7 @@ func OpenTable(path string, flushCallback func(), prepareBlock PrepareBlockCallb
 		stopCh:        make(chan struct{}),
 	}
 	tb.rawItems.init()
-	tb.startPartMergers()
-	tb.startRawItemsFlusher()
+	tb.startBackgroundWorkers()
 
 	var m TableMetrics
 	tb.UpdateMetrics(&m)
@@ -323,6 +322,11 @@ func OpenTable(path string, flushCallback func(), prepareBlock PrepareBlockCallb
 	return tb, nil
 }
 
+func (tb *Table) startBackgroundWorkers() {
+	tb.startPartMergers()
+	tb.startRawItemsFlusher()
+}
+
 // MustClose closes the table.
 func (tb *Table) MustClose() {
 	close(tb.stopCh)
diff --git a/lib/storage/partition.go b/lib/storage/partition.go
index 5c28f9a97d..17e8aa8baa 100644
--- a/lib/storage/partition.go
+++ b/lib/storage/partition.go
@@ -204,16 +204,20 @@ func createPartition(timestamp int64, smallPartitionsPath, bigPartitionsPath str
 
 	pt := newPartition(name, smallPartsPath, bigPartsPath, s)
 	pt.tr.fromPartitionTimestamp(timestamp)
-	pt.startMergeWorkers()
-	pt.startRawRowsFlusher()
-	pt.startInmemoryPartsFlusher()
-	pt.startStalePartsRemover()
+	pt.startBackgroundWorkers()
 
 	logger.Infof("partition %q has been created", name)
 
 	return pt, nil
 }
 
+func (pt *partition) startBackgroundWorkers() {
+	pt.startMergeWorkers()
+	pt.startRawRowsFlusher()
+	pt.startInmemoryPartsFlusher()
+	pt.startStalePartsRemover()
+}
+
 // Drop drops all the data on the storage for the given pt.
 //
 // The pt must be detached from table before calling pt.Drop.
@@ -258,10 +262,7 @@ func openPartition(smallPartsPath, bigPartsPath string, s *Storage) (*partition,
 	if err := pt.tr.fromPartitionName(name); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot obtain partition time range from smallPartsPath %q: %w", smallPartsPath, err)
 	}
-	pt.startMergeWorkers()
-	pt.startRawRowsFlusher()
-	pt.startInmemoryPartsFlusher()
-	pt.startStalePartsRemover()
+	pt.startBackgroundWorkers()
 
 	return pt, nil
 }