diff --git a/outbound/balancer.go b/outbound/balancer.go
index 0b753201..7504d44d 100644
--- a/outbound/balancer.go
+++ b/outbound/balancer.go
@@ -130,17 +130,15 @@ func (s *Balancer) Start() error {
 	if s.fallbackTag == "" {
 		return E.New("fallback not set")
 	}
+	if s.Balancer == nil {
+		return E.New("balancer not set")
+	}
 	outbound, loaded := s.router.Outbound(s.fallbackTag)
 	if !loaded {
 		return E.New("fallback outbound not found: ", s.fallbackTag)
 	}
 	s.fallback = outbound
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (s *Balancer) setBalancer(b balancer.Balancer) error {
-	s.Balancer = b
-	if starter, isStarter := b.(common.Starter); isStarter {
+	if starter, isStarter := s.Balancer.(common.Starter); isStarter {
 		err := starter.Start()
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/outbound/leastload.go b/outbound/leastload.go
index 46261b24..137217a0 100644
--- a/outbound/leastload.go
+++ b/outbound/leastload.go
@@ -38,13 +38,10 @@ func NewLeastLoad(router adapter.Router, logger log.ContextLogger, tag string, o
 
 // Start implements common.Starter
 func (s *LeastLoad) Start() error {
-	err := s.Balancer.Start()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
 	b, err := balancer.NewLeastLoad(s.router, s.logger, s.options)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	return s.setBalancer(b)
+	s.Balancer.Balancer = b
+	return s.Balancer.Start()
 }
diff --git a/outbound/leastping.go b/outbound/leastping.go
index 2a222a7a..97150a23 100644
--- a/outbound/leastping.go
+++ b/outbound/leastping.go
@@ -38,13 +38,10 @@ func NewLeastPing(router adapter.Router, logger log.ContextLogger, tag string, o
 
 // Start implements common.Starter
 func (s *LeastPing) Start() error {
-	err := s.Balancer.Start()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
 	b, err := balancer.NewLeastPing(s.router, s.logger, s.options)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	return s.setBalancer(b)
+	s.Balancer.Balancer = b
+	return s.Balancer.Start()
 }