diff --git a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/BrokerService.java b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/BrokerService.java
index f2b5b302e1..8ce8fd950b 100644
--- a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/BrokerService.java
+++ b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/BrokerService.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.WeakHashMap;
 
 import javax.management.MalformedObjectNameException;
 import javax.management.ObjectName;
@@ -96,6 +97,8 @@ public class BrokerService implements Service
    private PolicyMap destinationPolicy;
    private SystemUsage systemUsage;
 
+   public static WeakHashMap<Broker, Exception> map = new WeakHashMap<>();
+
    static
    {
       InputStream in;
@@ -135,7 +138,10 @@ public class BrokerService implements Service
    @Override
    public void start() throws Exception
    {
+      Exception e = new Exception();
+      e.fillInStackTrace();
       startBroker(startAsync);
+      map.put(broker, e);
    }
 
    private void startBroker(boolean async) throws Exception
@@ -605,7 +611,7 @@ public class BrokerService implements Service
 
    public boolean isStopped()
    {
-      return broker.isStopped();
+      return broker != null ? broker.isStopped() : true;
    }
 
    public void setBrokerId(String brokerId)
@@ -744,6 +750,30 @@ public class BrokerService implements Service
    {
       return "tcp://localhost:61616";
    }
+
+   public static boolean checkStopped()
+   {
+      boolean runningBrokers = false;
+      for (Map.Entry<Broker, Exception> brokerExceptionEntry : map.entrySet())
+      {
+         Broker b = brokerExceptionEntry.getKey();
+         if (!b.isStopped())
+         {
+            try
+            {
+               b.stop();
+            }
+            catch (Exception e)
+            {
+               e.printStackTrace();
+            }
+            brokerExceptionEntry.getValue().printStackTrace();
+            runningBrokers = true;
+         }
+      }
+      map.clear();
+      return runningBrokers;
+   }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/ActiveMQXAConnectionFactoryTest.java b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/ActiveMQXAConnectionFactoryTest.java
index 4b89851ffb..bafcaa6120 100644
--- a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/ActiveMQXAConnectionFactoryTest.java
+++ b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/ActiveMQXAConnectionFactoryTest.java
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ public class ActiveMQXAConnectionFactoryTest extends CombinationTestSupport {
             broker.stop();
         } catch (Throwable ignore) {
         }
+        super.tearDown();
     }
 
     public void testCopy() throws URISyntaxException, JMSException {
diff --git a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/CombinationTestSupport.java b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/CombinationTestSupport.java
index a11505c610..f26a97542c 100644
--- a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/CombinationTestSupport.java
+++ b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/CombinationTestSupport.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import java.io.IOException;
 import java.lang.reflect.Field;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 import java.lang.reflect.Modifier;
+import java.net.ServerSocket;
 import java.security.ProtectionDomain;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
@@ -35,6 +36,9 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import junit.framework.Test;
 import junit.framework.TestSuite;
 
+import org.apache.activemq.artemiswrapper.ArtemisBrokerHelper;
+import org.apache.activemq.broker.BrokerService;
+import org.apache.activemq.transport.tcp.TcpTransportFactory;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
@@ -101,6 +105,44 @@ public abstract class CombinationTestSupport extends AutoFailTestSupport {
         }
     }
 
+    @Override
+    protected void tearDown() throws Exception
+    {
+        super.tearDown();
+        checkStopped();
+    }
+
+    public static void checkStopped() throws Exception
+    {
+        ArtemisBrokerHelper.stopArtemisBroker();
+        boolean notStopped = BrokerService.checkStopped();
+        TcpTransportFactory.setBrokerName(null);
+        if (notStopped)
+        {
+            fail("brokers not stopped see exceptions above");
+        }
+        ServerSocket socket = null;
+        try
+        {
+            socket = new ServerSocket(61616);
+        }
+        catch (IOException e)
+        {
+            fail("61616 port not released");
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            if (socket != null)
+            try
+            {
+                socket.close();
+            }
+            catch (IOException e)
+            {
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void runBare() throws Throwable {
         if (combosEvaluated) {
diff --git a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/JmsRedeliveredTest.java b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/JmsRedeliveredTest.java
index e5d90d681e..8a2cd62576 100644
--- a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/JmsRedeliveredTest.java
+++ b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/JmsRedeliveredTest.java
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ public class JmsRedeliveredTest extends TestCase {
             connection.close();
             connection = null;
         }
+        CombinationTestSupport.checkStopped();
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/MessageEvictionTest.java b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/MessageEvictionTest.java
index b079070296..efa86a9330 100644
--- a/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/MessageEvictionTest.java
+++ b/tests/activemq5-unit-tests/src/test/java/org/apache/activemq/MessageEvictionTest.java
@@ -80,8 +80,14 @@ public class MessageEvictionTest {
 
     @After
     public void tearDown() throws Exception {
-        connection.stop();
-        broker.stop();
+        if (connection != null)
+        {
+            connection.stop();
+        }
+        if (broker != null)
+        {
+            broker.stop();
+        }
     }
 
     @Test