diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/config/configmanager.py b/confluent_server/confluent/config/configmanager.py
index e88e9483..8ba05c2e 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/config/configmanager.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/config/configmanager.py
@@ -2548,8 +2548,12 @@ class ConfigManager(object):
         if statelessmode:
             return
         with cls._syncstate:
+            try:
+                isalive = cls._cfgwriter.isAlive()
+            except AttributeError:
+                isalive = cls._cfgwriter.is_alive()
             if (cls._syncrunning and cls._cfgwriter is not None and
-                    cls._cfgwriter.isAlive()):
+                    isalive):
                 cls._writepending = True
                 return
             if cls._syncrunning:  # This suggests an unclean write attempt,