diff --git a/qa/workunits/cephtool/test.sh b/qa/workunits/cephtool/test.sh
index 41a036e8514..f7f45ccc41a 100755
--- a/qa/workunits/cephtool/test.sh
+++ b/qa/workunits/cephtool/test.sh
@@ -2377,6 +2377,7 @@ function test_mon_pool_application()
 
   expect_false ceph osd pool application disable app_for_test rgw
   ceph osd pool application disable app_for_test rgw --yes-i-really-mean-it
+  ceph osd pool application disable app_for_test rgw --yes-i-really-mean-it # should be idempotent
   ceph osd pool ls detail | grep "application rbd"
   ceph osd pool ls detail --format=json | grep '"application_metadata":{"rbd":{}}'
 
diff --git a/src/mon/OSDMonitor.cc b/src/mon/OSDMonitor.cc
index 3315e366eec..d39c3eed061 100644
--- a/src/mon/OSDMonitor.cc
+++ b/src/mon/OSDMonitor.cc
@@ -6435,6 +6435,12 @@ int OSDMonitor::prepare_command_pool_application(const string &prefix,
       return -EPERM;
     }
 
+    if (!app_exists) {
+      ss << "application '" << app << "' is not enabled on pool '" << pool_name
+         << "'";
+      return 0; // idempotent
+    }
+
     p.application_metadata.erase(app);
     ss << "disable application '" << app << "' on pool '" << pool_name << "'";