diff --git a/cluster-sharding/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/sharding/ShardRegion.scala b/cluster-sharding/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/sharding/ShardRegion.scala
index 18b002c4767..6aa943e0b8b 100644
--- a/cluster-sharding/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/sharding/ShardRegion.scala
+++ b/cluster-sharding/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/sharding/ShardRegion.scala
@@ -1003,8 +1003,9 @@ private[pekko] class ShardRegion(
       shardsByRef = shardsByRef - ref
       shards = shards - shardId
       startingShards -= shardId
-      if (settings.passivationStrategy != ClusterShardingSettings.NoPassivationStrategy) {
-        shards.values.foreach(_ ! ShardsUpdated(shards.size))
+      if (settings.passivationStrategy != ClusterShardingSettings.NoPassivationStrategy && !gracefulShutdownInProgress) {
+        val update = ShardsUpdated(shards.size)
+        shards.values.foreach(_ ! update)
       }
       if (handingOff.contains(ref)) {
         handingOff = handingOff - ref
@@ -1348,7 +1349,8 @@ private[pekko] class ShardRegion(
             shards = shards.updated(id, shard)
             startingShards += id
             if (settings.passivationStrategy != ClusterShardingSettings.NoPassivationStrategy) {
-              shards.values.foreach(_ ! ShardsUpdated(shards.size))
+              val update = ShardsUpdated(shards.size)
+              shards.values.foreach(_ ! update)
             }
             None
           case Some(_) =>