diff --git a/server/cache.go b/server/cache.go
index f8c6881a82c..5516d1f0e45 100644
--- a/server/cache.go
+++ b/server/cache.go
@@ -30,8 +30,25 @@ var (
 	errStoreNotFound = func(storeID uint64) error {
 		return errors.Errorf("store %v not found", storeID)
 	}
+	errRegionNotFound = func(regionID uint64) error {
+		return errors.Errorf("region %v not found", regionID)
+	}
+	errRegionIsStale = func(region *metapb.Region, origin *metapb.Region) error {
+		return errors.Errorf("region is stale: region %v origin %v", region, origin)
+	}
 )
 
+func checkStaleRegion(origin *metapb.Region, region *metapb.Region) error {
+	o := origin.GetRegionEpoch()
+	e := region.GetRegionEpoch()
+
+	if e.GetVersion() < o.GetVersion() || e.GetConfVer() < o.GetConfVer() {
+		return errors.Trace(errRegionIsStale(region, origin))
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 type storesInfo struct {
 	stores map[uint64]*storeInfo
 }
@@ -98,18 +115,6 @@ func cloneRegion(r *metapb.Region) *metapb.Region {
 	return proto.Clone(r).(*metapb.Region)
 }
 
-func checkStaleRegion(region *metapb.Region, checkRegion *metapb.Region) error {
-	epoch := region.GetRegionEpoch()
-	checkEpoch := checkRegion.GetRegionEpoch()
-
-	if checkEpoch.GetVersion() >= epoch.GetVersion() &&
-		checkEpoch.GetConfVer() >= epoch.GetConfVer() {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	return errors.Errorf("epoch %s is staler than %s", checkEpoch, epoch)
-}
-
 type leaders struct {
 	// store id -> region id -> struct{}
 	storeRegions map[uint64]map[uint64]struct{}
@@ -379,11 +384,11 @@ func (r *regionsInfo) heartbeat(region *metapb.Region, leaderPeer *metapb.Peer)
 	return resp, nil
 }
 
-func (r *regionsInfo) getStoreRegionCount(storeID uint64) uint64 {
+func (r *regionsInfo) getStoreRegionCount(storeID uint64) int {
 	r.RLock()
 	defer r.RUnlock()
 
-	return r.storeRegionCount[storeID]
+	return int(r.storeRegionCount[storeID])
 }
 
 func (r *regionsInfo) getStoreLeaderCount(storeID uint64) int {
@@ -552,10 +557,22 @@ func (c *clusterInfo) updateRegion(region *regionInfo) {
 	c.regions.updateRegion(region.Region)
 }
 
+func (c *clusterInfo) getMetaRegions() []*metapb.Region {
+	return c.regions.getRegions()
+}
+
 func (c *clusterInfo) getRegionCount() int {
 	return c.regions.getRegionCount()
 }
 
+func (c *clusterInfo) getStoreRegionCount(storeID uint64) int {
+	return c.regions.getStoreRegionCount(storeID)
+}
+
+func (c *clusterInfo) getStoreLeaderCount(storeID uint64) int {
+	return c.regions.getStoreLeaderCount(storeID)
+}
+
 func (c *clusterInfo) randLeaderRegion(storeID uint64) *regionInfo {
 	region := c.regions.randLeaderRegion(storeID)
 	if region == nil {
diff --git a/server/cache_test.go b/server/cache_test.go
index 8c40369bef5..69341861679 100644
--- a/server/cache_test.go
+++ b/server/cache_test.go
@@ -85,6 +85,36 @@ func newTestRegions(n, np uint64) []*regionInfo {
 	return regions
 }
 
+func checkRegion(c *C, a *regionInfo, b *regionInfo) {
+	c.Assert(a.Region, DeepEquals, b.Region)
+	c.Assert(a.Leader, DeepEquals, b.Leader)
+}
+
+func checkRegions(c *C, cache *regionsInfo, regions []*regionInfo) {
+	regionCount := make(map[uint64]int)
+	leaderCount := make(map[uint64]int)
+	for _, region := range regions {
+		for _, peer := range region.Peers {
+			regionCount[peer.StoreId]++
+			if peer.Id == region.Leader.Id {
+				leaderCount[peer.StoreId]++
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	c.Assert(cache.getRegionCount(), Equals, len(regions))
+	for id, count := range regionCount {
+		c.Assert(cache.getStoreRegionCount(id), Equals, count)
+	}
+	for id, count := range leaderCount {
+		c.Assert(cache.getStoreLeaderCount(id), Equals, count)
+	}
+
+	for _, region := range cache.getRegions() {
+		c.Assert(region, DeepEquals, regions[region.GetId()].Region)
+	}
+}
+
 var _ = Suite(&testClusterInfoSuite{})
 
 type testClusterInfoSuite struct{}
@@ -126,6 +156,88 @@ func (s *testClusterInfoSuite) TestStoreHeartbeat(c *C) {
 	c.Assert(cache.getStoreCount(), Equals, int(n))
 }
 
+func (s *testClusterInfoSuite) TestRegionHeartbeat(c *C) {
+	n, np := uint64(3), uint64(3)
+	cache := newClusterInfo(newMockIDAllocator())
+	regions := newTestRegions(n, np)
+
+	for i, region := range regions {
+		// region does not exist.
+		_, err := cache.handleRegionHeartbeat(region)
+		c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+		checkRegions(c, cache.regions, regions[0:i+1])
+
+		// region is the same, not updated.
+		_, err = cache.handleRegionHeartbeat(region)
+		c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+		checkRegions(c, cache.regions, regions[0:i+1])
+
+		epoch := region.clone().GetRegionEpoch()
+
+		// region is updated.
+		region.RegionEpoch = &metapb.RegionEpoch{
+			Version: epoch.GetVersion() + 1,
+		}
+		_, err = cache.handleRegionHeartbeat(region)
+		c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+		checkRegions(c, cache.regions, regions[0:i+1])
+
+		// region is stale (Version).
+		stale := region.clone()
+		stale.RegionEpoch = &metapb.RegionEpoch{
+			ConfVer: epoch.GetConfVer() + 1,
+		}
+		_, err = cache.handleRegionHeartbeat(stale)
+		c.Assert(err, NotNil)
+		checkRegions(c, cache.regions, regions[0:i+1])
+
+		// region is updated.
+		region.RegionEpoch = &metapb.RegionEpoch{
+			Version: epoch.GetVersion() + 1,
+			ConfVer: epoch.GetConfVer() + 1,
+		}
+		_, err = cache.handleRegionHeartbeat(region)
+		c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+		checkRegions(c, cache.regions, regions[0:i+1])
+
+		// region is stale (ConfVer).
+		stale = region.clone()
+		stale.RegionEpoch = &metapb.RegionEpoch{
+			Version: epoch.GetVersion() + 1,
+		}
+		_, err = cache.handleRegionHeartbeat(stale)
+		c.Assert(err, NotNil)
+		checkRegions(c, cache.regions, regions[0:i+1])
+	}
+}
+
+var _ = Suite(&testClusterUtilSuite{})
+
+type testClusterUtilSuite struct{}
+
+func (s *testClusterUtilSuite) TestCheckStaleRegion(c *C) {
+	// (0, 0) v.s. (0, 0)
+	region := newRegion([]byte{}, []byte{})
+	origin := newRegion([]byte{}, []byte{})
+	c.Assert(checkStaleRegion(region, origin), IsNil)
+	c.Assert(checkStaleRegion(origin, region), IsNil)
+
+	// (1, 0) v.s. (0, 0)
+	region.RegionEpoch.Version++
+	c.Assert(checkStaleRegion(origin, region), IsNil)
+	c.Assert(checkStaleRegion(region, origin), NotNil)
+
+	// (1, 1) v.s. (0, 0)
+	region.RegionEpoch.ConfVer++
+	c.Assert(checkStaleRegion(origin, region), IsNil)
+	c.Assert(checkStaleRegion(region, origin), NotNil)
+
+	// (0, 1) v.s. (0, 0)
+	region.RegionEpoch.Version--
+	c.Assert(checkStaleRegion(origin, region), IsNil)
+	c.Assert(checkStaleRegion(region, origin), NotNil)
+}
+
 var _ = Suite(&testClusterCacheSuite{})
 
 type testClusterCacheSuite struct {
@@ -323,7 +435,7 @@ func randRegions(count int) []*metapb.Region {
 }
 
 func checkStoreRegionCount(c *C, r *regionsInfo, regions []*metapb.Region) {
-	stores := make(map[uint64]uint64)
+	stores := make(map[uint64]int)
 	for _, region := range regions {
 		for _, peer := range region.GetPeers() {
 			stores[peer.GetStoreId()]++
diff --git a/server/cluster.go b/server/cluster.go
index 801ff95d001..eebb43cdc6c 100644
--- a/server/cluster.go
+++ b/server/cluster.go
@@ -30,9 +30,6 @@ import (
 
 var (
 	errClusterNotBootstrapped = errors.New("cluster is not bootstrapped")
-	errRegionNotFound         = func(regionID uint64) error {
-		return errors.Errorf("region %v not found", regionID)
-	}
 )
 
 const (
@@ -352,22 +349,25 @@ func (c *RaftCluster) cacheAllRegions() error {
 }
 
 func (c *RaftCluster) getRegion(regionKey []byte) (*metapb.Region, *metapb.Peer) {
-	return c.cachedCluster.regions.getRegion(regionKey)
+	region := c.cachedCluster.searchRegion(regionKey)
+	if region == nil {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	return region.Region, region.Leader
 }
 
 // GetRegionByID gets region and leader peer by regionID from cluster.
 func (c *RaftCluster) GetRegionByID(regionID uint64) (*metapb.Region, *metapb.Peer) {
-	return c.cachedCluster.regions.getRegionByID(regionID)
-}
-
-// GetRegion returns the region from cluster.
-func (c *RaftCluster) getRegionByID(regionID uint64) *regionInfo {
-	return c.cachedCluster.getRegion(regionID)
+	region := c.cachedCluster.getRegion(regionID)
+	if region == nil {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	return region.Region, region.Leader
 }
 
 // GetRegions gets regions from cluster.
 func (c *RaftCluster) GetRegions() []*metapb.Region {
-	return c.cachedCluster.regions.getRegions()
+	return c.cachedCluster.getMetaRegions()
 }
 
 // GetStores gets stores from cluster.
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ func (c *RaftCluster) checkStores() {
 		if store.GetState() != metapb.StoreState_Offline {
 			continue
 		}
-		if cluster.regions.getStoreRegionCount(store.GetId()) == 0 {
+		if cluster.getStoreRegionCount(store.GetId()) == 0 {
 			err := c.BuryStore(store.GetId(), false)
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Errorf("bury store %v failed: %v", store, err)
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ func (c *RaftCluster) putConfig(meta *metapb.Cluster) error {
 // NewAddPeerOperator creates an operator to add a peer to the region.
 // If storeID is 0, it will be chosen according to the balance rules.
 func (c *RaftCluster) NewAddPeerOperator(regionID uint64, storeID uint64) (Operator, error) {
-	region := c.getRegionByID(regionID)
+	region := c.cachedCluster.getRegion(regionID)
 	if region == nil {
 		return nil, errRegionNotFound(regionID)
 	}
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ func (c *RaftCluster) NewRemovePeerOperator(regionID uint64, peerID uint64) (Ope
 
 // SetAdminOperator sets the balance operator of the region.
 func (c *RaftCluster) SetAdminOperator(regionID uint64, ops []Operator) error {
-	region := c.getRegionByID(regionID)
+	region := c.cachedCluster.getRegion(regionID)
 	if region == nil {
 		return errRegionNotFound(regionID)
 	}
diff --git a/server/cluster_test.go b/server/cluster_test.go
index 359ff92cd9f..720a7546616 100644
--- a/server/cluster_test.go
+++ b/server/cluster_test.go
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ func (s *testClusterSuite) testCheckStores(c *C, conn net.Conn, clusterID uint64
 	regionInfo := newRegionInfo(region, leader)
 	_, err := cluster.handleRegionHeartbeat(regionInfo)
 	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
-	c.Assert(cluster.cachedCluster.regions.getStoreRegionCount(store.GetId()), Equals, 1)
+	c.Assert(cluster.cachedCluster.getStoreRegionCount(store.GetId()), Equals, 1)
 
 	// store is up w/ region peers will not be buried.
 	cluster.checkStores()
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ func (s *testClusterSuite) testCheckStores(c *C, conn net.Conn, clusterID uint64
 	region.Peers = []*metapb.Peer{leader}
 	_, err = cluster.handleRegionHeartbeat(regionInfo)
 	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
-	c.Assert(cluster.cachedCluster.regions.getStoreRegionCount(store.GetId()), Equals, 0)
+	c.Assert(cluster.cachedCluster.getStoreRegionCount(store.GetId()), Equals, 0)
 
 	// store is offline w/o region peers will be buried.
 	cluster.checkStores()
diff --git a/server/region_test.go b/server/region_test.go
index 693e504c889..d16b5b43ee1 100644
--- a/server/region_test.go
+++ b/server/region_test.go
@@ -94,9 +94,9 @@ func (s *testRegionSuite) TestRegionTree(c *C) {
 
 	c.Assert(tree.search([]byte("a")), IsNil)
 
-	regionA := newRegionItem([]byte("a"), []byte("b")).region
-	regionC := newRegionItem([]byte("c"), []byte("d")).region
-	regionD := newRegionItem([]byte("d"), []byte{}).region
+	regionA := newRegion([]byte("a"), []byte("b"))
+	regionC := newRegion([]byte("c"), []byte("d"))
+	regionD := newRegion([]byte("d"), []byte{})
 
 	tree.insert(regionA)
 	tree.insert(regionC)
@@ -119,11 +119,14 @@ func (s *testRegionSuite) TestRegionTree(c *C) {
 	c.Assert(tree.search([]byte("e")), Equals, regionD)
 }
 
-func newRegionItem(start, end []byte) *regionItem {
-	return &regionItem{
-		region: &metapb.Region{
-			StartKey: start,
-			EndKey:   end,
-		},
+func newRegion(start, end []byte) *metapb.Region {
+	return &metapb.Region{
+		StartKey:    start,
+		EndKey:      end,
+		RegionEpoch: &metapb.RegionEpoch{},
 	}
 }
+
+func newRegionItem(start, end []byte) *regionItem {
+	return &regionItem{region: newRegion(start, end)}
+}