diff --git a/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/global.go b/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/global.go
index 93b62068af6..993522a607f 100644
--- a/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/global.go
+++ b/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/global.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/grpclog"
 
 	"go.etcd.io/etcd/client/pkg/v3/logutil"
@@ -151,6 +152,11 @@ func mustClientFromCmd(cmd *cobra.Command) *clientv3.Client {
 	return mustClient(cfg)
 }
 
+func mustBlockClientFromCmd(cmd *cobra.Command) *clientv3.Client {
+	cfg := clientConfigFromCmd(cmd)
+	return mustBlockClient(cfg)
+}
+
 func mustClient(cc *clientv3.ConfigSpec) *clientv3.Client {
 	lg, _ := logutil.CreateDefaultZapLogger(zap.InfoLevel)
 	cfg, err := clientv3.NewClientConfig(cc, lg)
@@ -166,6 +172,23 @@ func mustClient(cc *clientv3.ConfigSpec) *clientv3.Client {
 	return client
 }
 
+// mustBlockClient same as mustClient but with grpc.WithBlock dial option, detail see #18335
+func mustBlockClient(cc *clientv3.ConfigSpec) *clientv3.Client {
+	lg, _ := logutil.CreateDefaultZapLogger(zap.InfoLevel)
+	cfg, err := clientv3.NewClientConfig(cc, lg)
+	if err != nil {
+		cobrautl.ExitWithError(cobrautl.ExitBadArgs, err)
+	}
+
+	cfg.DialOptions = append(cfg.DialOptions, grpc.WithBlock())
+	client, err := clientv3.New(*cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		cobrautl.ExitWithError(cobrautl.ExitBadConnection, err)
+	}
+
+	return client
+}
+
 func argOrStdin(args []string, stdin io.Reader, i int) (string, error) {
 	if i < len(args) {
 		return args[i], nil
diff --git a/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/watch_command.go b/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/watch_command.go
index 04313ce543d..efdd147d5e8 100644
--- a/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/watch_command.go
+++ b/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/watch_command.go
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func watchCommandFunc(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		cobrautl.ExitWithError(cobrautl.ExitBadArgs, err)
 	}
 
-	c := mustClientFromCmd(cmd)
+	c := mustBlockClientFromCmd(cmd)
 	wc, err := getWatchChan(c, watchArgs)
 	if err != nil {
 		cobrautl.ExitWithError(cobrautl.ExitBadArgs, err)