diff --git a/Core/src/gambit.cpp b/Core/src/gambit.cpp
index 9cdc94067..372ffae88 100755
--- a/Core/src/gambit.cpp
+++ b/Core/src/gambit.cpp
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     }
 
     #ifdef WITH_MPI
+    if (signaldata().shutdown_begun())
       signaldata().discard_excess_shutdown_messages();
       // If all processes receive a POSIX signal to shutdown there might be many of these
       // (e.g. says 1000 processes all independently get a POSIX signal to shut down;