diff --git a/ompi/mca/mtl/mxm/mtl_mxm.c b/ompi/mca/mtl/mxm/mtl_mxm.c
index 09f9c2bb4e7..53b84a34454 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/mtl/mxm/mtl_mxm.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/mtl/mxm/mtl_mxm.c
@@ -599,6 +599,8 @@ int ompi_mtl_mxm_del_procs(struct mca_mtl_base_module_t *mtl, size_t nprocs,
 
 #if MXM_API >= MXM_VERSION(3,1)
     if (ompi_mtl_mxm.bulk_disconnect && nprocs == ompi_proc_world_size ()) {
+        /* avoid disconnecting from a process which is still doing communication */
+        opal_pmix.fence(NULL, 0);
         mxm_ep_powerdown(ompi_mtl_mxm.ep);
     }
 #endif
diff --git a/ompi/mca/pml/yalla/pml_yalla.c b/ompi/mca/pml/yalla/pml_yalla.c
index 436519ef2a3..233060aa3a7 100644
--- a/ompi/mca/pml/yalla/pml_yalla.c
+++ b/ompi/mca/pml/yalla/pml_yalla.c
@@ -257,6 +257,8 @@ int mca_pml_yalla_del_procs(struct ompi_proc_t **procs, size_t nprocs)
 
     if (ompi_mpi_finalized) {
         PML_YALLA_VERBOSE(3, "using bulk powerdown");
+        /* avoid disconnecting from a process which is still doing communication */
+        opal_pmix.fence(NULL, 0);
         mxm_ep_powerdown(ompi_pml_yalla.mxm_ep);
     }