diff --git a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/GarbageCollectorThread.java b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/GarbageCollectorThread.java
index d5cde9b4343..bc55af1fe2a 100644
--- a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/GarbageCollectorThread.java
+++ b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/bookie/GarbageCollectorThread.java
@@ -679,6 +679,7 @@ public synchronized void shutdown() throws InterruptedException {
         if (!this.running) {
             return;
         }
+        this.running = false;
         LOG.info("Shutting down GarbageCollectorThread");
 
         throttler.cancelledAcquire();
@@ -688,7 +689,6 @@ public synchronized void shutdown() throws InterruptedException {
             Thread.sleep(100);
         }
 
-        this.running = false;
         // Interrupt GC executor thread
         gcExecutor.shutdownNow();
         try {