The surface of the glass-ceramics calender roll is frequently subject to steep temperature gradient, causing cracks. It is expected to obtain a high-performance protective coating with outstanding thermal fatigue resistance to prolong the service life of glass-ceramics calender roll. In this study, Hastelloy C276 nickel base alloy coating was prepared on martensitic stainless steel 2Cr13 substrate by laser cladding technology. The thermal shock resistance of Hastelloy C276 coating was compared with that of 2Cr13, a commonly used material for glass-ceramics calendar roll. The Hastelloy C276 coating was prepared by laser cladding technology with a scanning speed of 800 mm/min, a powder feeding rate of 26 g/min, a spot size of 4 mm, an overlap ratio of 50% and a laser power of 2 200 W. The microstructure, elemental distribution and phase compositions of the cladding coating were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-Ray diffraction (XRD). SEM and EDS were also used to study the microstructure and element distribution at the crack due to thermal shock failure. The thermal shock tests of Hastelloy C276 coating and 2Cr13 substrate were carried out by a box-type resistance furnace. The test results showed no crack on the Hastelloy C276 coating, and the good forming indicated that the coating and the substrate maintained metallurgical bonding. The coating was composed of γ-Ni, M6C and M23C6 phases. The planar, cellular, columnar dendrites and equiaxed dendrites were formed in the cladding coating from the base joint to the surface, and the carbide phases were precipitated in the dendrites. The thermal shock resistance of Hastelloy C276 coating was superior to that of 2Cr13 substrate based on the thermal shock test results. The thermal shock failure cycles of Hastelloy C276 coating were about 3 times of that of 2Cr13 substrate, and the maximum thermal shock failure cycles of Hastelloy C276 coating could reach 202. After the cross-sectional morphology of the crack of Hastelloy C276 coating was observed, it could be inferred that, in the process of thermal shock, the crack initiated at the bonding interface of the cladding, then gradually propagated to the coating surface and finally failed. By scanning the elemental distribution near the cracks, the enrichment of oxygen was detected. It was supposed that crack propagation was also affected by oxidation during the thermal shock tests. According to the analysis, because Hastelloy C276 coating was tightly bonded to 2Cr13 substrate and there was a difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the coating and substrate, large thermal stress was generated at the cladding interface during thermal shock. The crack initiated at the cladding interface. At the same time, the cracks gradually propagated to the coating surface and finally failed. The crack initiation and propagation mechanisms of Hastelloy C276 coating make the crack appear late on the coating surface, which effectively prolongs the thermal fatigue life of 2Cr13 glass-ceramics calender roll. This study has significance for the improvement of thermal fatigue resistance of glass-ceramics calender roll to some extent.