diff --git a/plugin/manager.go b/plugin/manager.go
index 1430871c79..f292c09a5e 100644
--- a/plugin/manager.go
+++ b/plugin/manager.go
@@ -253,20 +253,24 @@ func LookupWithCapability(name, capability string) (Plugin, error) {
 	return nil, ErrInadequateCapability{name, capability}
 }
 
-// StateChanged updates plugin internals using from libcontainerd events.
+// StateChanged updates plugin internals using libcontainerd events.
 func (pm *Manager) StateChanged(id string, e libcontainerd.StateInfo) error {
 	logrus.Debugf("plugin state changed %s %#v", id, e)
 
 	switch e.State {
 	case libcontainerd.StateExit:
+		var shutdown bool
 		pm.RLock()
-		p, idOk := pm.plugins[id]
+		shutdown = pm.shutdown
 		pm.RUnlock()
-		if !idOk {
-			return ErrNotFound(id)
-		}
-		if pm.shutdown == true {
-			p.exitChan <- true
+		if shutdown {
+			pm.RLock()
+			p, idOk := pm.plugins[id]
+			pm.RUnlock()
+			if !idOk {
+				return ErrNotFound(id)
+			}
+			close(p.exitChan)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/plugin/manager_linux.go b/plugin/manager_linux.go
index 8542ecec67..401e4d1cdb 100644
--- a/plugin/manager_linux.go
+++ b/plugin/manager_linux.go
@@ -143,10 +143,12 @@ func (pm *Manager) disable(p *plugin) error {
 
 // Shutdown stops all plugins and called during daemon shutdown.
 func (pm *Manager) Shutdown() {
+	pm.Lock()
+	pm.shutdown = true
+	pm.Unlock()
+
 	pm.RLock()
 	defer pm.RUnlock()
-
-	pm.shutdown = true
 	for _, p := range pm.plugins {
 		if pm.liveRestore && p.PluginObj.Active {
 			logrus.Debug("Plugin active when liveRestore is set, skipping shutdown")
@@ -173,7 +175,6 @@ func (pm *Manager) Shutdown() {
 					}
 				}
 			}
-			close(p.exitChan)
 		}
 		if err := os.RemoveAll(p.runtimeSourcePath); err != nil {
 			logrus.Errorf("Remove plugin runtime failed with error: %v", err)