diff --git a/headers/private/kernel/kernel.h b/headers/private/kernel/kernel.h
index 56117b9f26..1fabbad0c0 100644
--- a/headers/private/kernel/kernel.h
+++ b/headers/private/kernel/kernel.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 
 /* during kernel startup, interrupts are disabled (among other things) */
 extern bool gKernelStartup;
+extern bool gKernelShutdown;
 
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/acpi/acpi_embedded_controller.cpp b/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/acpi/acpi_embedded_controller.cpp
index 3bf86385b1..01e1135feb 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/acpi/acpi_embedded_controller.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/bus_managers/acpi/acpi_embedded_controller.cpp
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ EcSpaceHandler(uint32 function, acpi_physical_address address, uint32 width,
 	 * (Not sure if it's needed)
 	 */
 
-	if (gKernelStartup || sc->ec_suspending) {
+	if (gKernelStartup || gKernelShutdown || sc->ec_suspending) {
 		if ((EC_GET_CSR(sc) & EC_EVENT_SCI)) {
 			//CTR0(KTR_ACPI, "ec running gpe handler directly");
 			EcGpeQueryHandler(sc);
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ EcWaitEvent(struct acpi_ec_cookie* sc, EC_EVENT event, int32 generationCount)
 	int32 count, i;
 
 	// int need_poll = cold || rebooting || ec_polled_mode || sc->ec_suspending;
-	int needPoll = ec_polled_mode || sc->ec_suspending || gKernelStartup;
+	int needPoll = ec_polled_mode || sc->ec_suspending || gKernelStartup || gKernelShutdown;
 
 	// The main CPU should be much faster than the EC.  So the status should
 	// be "not ready" when we start waiting.  But if the main CPU is really
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/main.cpp b/src/system/kernel/main.cpp
index bd5cee8c12..b56c334557 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/main.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/main.cpp
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@
 #endif
 
 bool gKernelStartup = true;
+bool gKernelShutdown = false;
 
 static kernel_args sKernelArgs;
 static uint32 sCpuRendezvous;
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/shutdown.cpp b/src/system/kernel/shutdown.cpp
index 16b8056fb6..7759b677de 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/shutdown.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/shutdown.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ system_shutdown(bool reboot)
 	int32 cookie = 0;
 	team_info info;
 	
+	gKernelShutdown = true;
+	
 	// Now shutdown all system services!
 	// TODO: Once we are sure we can shutdown the system on all hardware
 	// checking reboot may not be necessary anymore.