diff --git a/python/ray/tests/test_actor.py b/python/ray/tests/test_actor.py
index 6b7ec5b84..0babe563d 100644
--- a/python/ray/tests/test_actor.py
+++ b/python/ray/tests/test_actor.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import pytest
 import signal
 import sys
 import time
+from pyarrow import plasma
 
 import ray
 import ray.ray_constants as ray_constants
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ import ray.tests.cluster_utils
 from ray.tests.conftest import generate_internal_config_map
 from ray.tests.utils import (
     relevant_errors,
+    wait_for_condition,
     wait_for_errors,
 )
 
@@ -2162,6 +2164,39 @@ def test_actor_reconstruction(ray_start_regular):
         ray.get(actor.increase.remote())
 
 
+def test_actor_reconstruction_without_task(ray_start_regular):
+    """Test a dead actor can be reconstructed without sending task to it."""
+
+    def object_exists(obj_id):
+        """Check wether an object exists in plasma store."""
+        plasma_client = ray.worker.global_worker.plasma_client
+        plasma_id = plasma.ObjectID(obj_id.binary())
+        return plasma_client.get(
+            plasma_id, timeout_ms=0) != plasma.ObjectNotAvailable
+
+    @ray.remote(max_reconstructions=1)
+    class ReconstructableActor(object):
+        def __init__(self, obj_ids):
+            for obj_id in obj_ids:
+                # Every time the actor gets constructed,
+                # put a new object in plasma store.
+                if not object_exists(obj_id):
+                    ray.worker.global_worker.put_object(obj_id, 1)
+                    break
+
+        def get_pid(self):
+            return os.getpid()
+
+    obj_ids = [ray.ObjectID.from_random() for _ in range(2)]
+    actor = ReconstructableActor.remote(obj_ids)
+    # Kill the actor.
+    pid = ray.get(actor.get_pid.remote())
+    os.kill(pid, signal.SIGKILL)
+    # Wait until the actor is reconstructed.
+    assert wait_for_condition(
+        lambda: object_exists(obj_ids[1]), timeout_ms=5000)
+
+
 def test_actor_reconstruction_on_node_failure(ray_start_cluster_head):
     """Test actor reconstruction when node dies unexpectedly."""
     cluster = ray_start_cluster_head
diff --git a/python/ray/tests/utils.py b/python/ray/tests/utils.py
index bd9291d8f..98ee13017 100644
--- a/python/ray/tests/utils.py
+++ b/python/ray/tests/utils.py
@@ -94,3 +94,25 @@ def wait_for_errors(error_type, num_errors, timeout=10):
             return
         time.sleep(0.1)
     raise Exception("Timing out of wait.")
+
+
+def wait_for_condition(condition_predictor,
+                       timeout_ms=1000,
+                       retry_interval_ms=100):
+    """A helper function that waits until a condition is met.
+
+    Args:
+        condition_predictor: A function that predicts the condition.
+        timeout_ms: Maximum timeout in milliseconds.
+        retry_interval_ms: Retry interval in milliseconds.
+
+    Return:
+        Whether the condition is met within the timeout.
+    """
+    time_elapsed = 0
+    while time_elapsed <= timeout_ms:
+        if condition_predictor():
+            return True
+        time_elapsed += retry_interval_ms
+        time.sleep(retry_interval_ms / 1000.0)
+    return False
diff --git a/src/ray/raylet/node_manager.cc b/src/ray/raylet/node_manager.cc
index 2b26579ae..4eb8a8938 100644
--- a/src/ray/raylet/node_manager.cc
+++ b/src/ray/raylet/node_manager.cc
@@ -655,6 +655,10 @@ void NodeManager::HandleActorStateTransition(const ActorID &actor_id,
                  << actor_registration.GetRemainingReconstructions();
 
   if (actor_registration.GetState() == ActorTableData::ALIVE) {
+    // The actor is now alive (created for the first time or reconstructed). We can
+    // stop listening for the actor creation task. This is needed because we use
+    // `ListenAndMaybeReconstruct` to reconstruct the actor.
+    reconstruction_policy_.Cancel(actor_registration.GetActorCreationDependency());
     // The actor's location is now known. Dequeue any methods that were
     // submitted before the actor's location was known.
     // (See design_docs/task_states.rst for the state transition diagram.)
@@ -692,6 +696,10 @@ void NodeManager::HandleActorStateTransition(const ActorID &actor_id,
   } else {
     RAY_CHECK(actor_registration.GetState() == ActorTableData::RECONSTRUCTING);
     RAY_LOG(DEBUG) << "Actor is being reconstructed: " << actor_id;
+    // The actor is dead and needs reconstruction. Attempting to reconstruct its
+    // creation task.
+    reconstruction_policy_.ListenAndMaybeReconstruct(
+        actor_registration.GetActorCreationDependency());
     // When an actor fails but can be reconstructed, resubmit all of the queued
     // tasks for that actor. This will mark the tasks as waiting for actor
     // creation.
@@ -2056,8 +2064,8 @@ void NodeManager::HandleTaskReconstruction(const TaskID &task_id) {
         // The task was not in the GCS task table. It must therefore be in the
         // lineage cache.
         RAY_CHECK(lineage_cache_.ContainsTask(task_id))
-            << "Task metadata not found in either GCS or lineage cache. It may have been "
-               "evicted "
+            << "Metadata of task " << task_id
+            << " not found in either GCS or lineage cache. It may have been evicted "
             << "by the redis LRU configuration. Consider increasing the memory "
                "allocation via "
             << "ray.init(redis_max_memory=<max_memory_bytes>).";