diff --git a/node-repository/src/main/java/com/yahoo/vespa/hosted/provision/maintenance/NodeFailer.java b/node-repository/src/main/java/com/yahoo/vespa/hosted/provision/maintenance/NodeFailer.java
index 27301c9bf2a9..3f614dddb365 100644
--- a/node-repository/src/main/java/com/yahoo/vespa/hosted/provision/maintenance/NodeFailer.java
+++ b/node-repository/src/main/java/com/yahoo/vespa/hosted/provision/maintenance/NodeFailer.java
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ protected double maintain() {
         int throttledNodeFailures = 0;
 
         for (FailingNode failing : findActiveFailingNodes()) {
+            if (shuttingDown())
+                return asSuccessFactorDeviation(attempts, failures);
+
             attempts++;
             if (!failAllowedFor(failing.node().type())) continue;