diff --git a/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Schema.pm b/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Schema.pm
index a41d42724..84e3c31c3 100755
--- a/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Schema.pm
+++ b/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Schema.pm
@@ -1129,6 +1129,7 @@ site => {
    " consoleondemand:  When set to 'yes', conserver connects and creates the console\n".
    "                   output only when the user opens the console. Default is no on\n".
    "                   Linux, yes on AIX.\n\n".
+   " consoleservice:   The console service to be used by xCAT. Default is conserver\n\n",
    " httpport:    The port number that the booting/installing nodes should contact the\n".
    "              http server on the MN/SN on. It is your responsibility to configure\n".
    "              the http server to listen on that port - xCAT will not do that.\n\n".
diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/confluent.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/confluent.pm
index 26291a6d9..ae3c2aadd 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/confluent.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/confluent.pm
@@ -97,6 +97,16 @@ sub preprocess_request {
       return;
   }
   
+  # 
+  # check the site "consoleservice" configuration.  
+  #   2.9.X, if not defined, do not allow makeconfluentcfg run (default is conserver)
+  #          if defined and NOT confluent, prevent this command from running
+  my $consoleservice=xCAT::TableUtils->get_site_attribute("consoleservice");
+  if (!$consoleservice || $consoleservice ne "confluent") {
+      $callback->({data=>"ERROR: confluent is not configured as the xCAT console service in the site table. \nConfigure consoleservice=confluent and install xCAT-confluent."});
+      $request = {};
+      return;
+  }
   
   # get site master
   my $master=xCAT::TableUtils->get_site_Master();
diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/conserver.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/conserver.pm
index 398f4bf2e..d316231d3 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/conserver.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/conserver.pm
@@ -96,8 +96,18 @@ sub preprocess_request {
       $request = {};
       return;
   }
-  
-  
+
+  # 
+  # check the site "consoleservice" configuration.  
+  #   2.9.X, if not defined, default to conserver 
+  #          if defined and confluent, prevent this command from running
+  my $consoleservice=xCAT::TableUtils->get_site_attribute("consoleservice");
+  if ($consoleservice && $consoleservice eq "confluent") {
+      $callback->({data=>"ERROR: confluent is configured as the xCAT console service in the site table, try makeconfluentcfg"});
+      $request = {};
+      return;
+  }
+
   # get site master
   my $master=xCAT::TableUtils->get_site_Master();
   if (!$master) { $master=hostname(); }