diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/NodesShutdownRequest.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/NodesShutdownRequest.java
index bf067fbfcad..c394d509e16 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/NodesShutdownRequest.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/NodesShutdownRequest.java
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ public class NodesShutdownRequest extends MasterNodeOperationRequest {
 
     TimeValue delay = TimeValue.timeValueSeconds(1);
 
+    boolean exit = true;
+
     NodesShutdownRequest() {
     }
 
@@ -70,6 +72,21 @@ public class NodesShutdownRequest extends MasterNodeOperationRequest {
         return delay(TimeValue.parseTimeValue(delay, null));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Should the JVM be exited as well or not. Defaults to <tt>true</tt>.
+     */
+    public NodesShutdownRequest exit(boolean exit) {
+        this.exit = exit;
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Should the JVM be exited as well or not. Defaults to <tt>true</tt>.
+     */
+    public boolean exit() {
+        return exit;
+    }
+
     @Override public ActionRequestValidationException validate() {
         return null;
     }
@@ -84,6 +101,7 @@ public class NodesShutdownRequest extends MasterNodeOperationRequest {
                 nodesIds[i] = in.readUTF();
             }
         }
+        exit = in.readBoolean();
     }
 
     @Override public void writeTo(StreamOutput out) throws IOException {
@@ -97,5 +115,6 @@ public class NodesShutdownRequest extends MasterNodeOperationRequest {
                 out.writeUTF(nodeId);
             }
         }
+        out.writeBoolean(exit);
     }
 }
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/TransportNodesShutdownAction.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/TransportNodesShutdownAction.java
index faf393cdf67..4bece575de4 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/TransportNodesShutdownAction.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/TransportNodesShutdownAction.java
@@ -30,13 +30,21 @@ import org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterState;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNode;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.collect.Sets;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.inject.Inject;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamInput;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamOutput;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.Streamable;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.VoidStreamable;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.unit.TimeValue;
 import org.elasticsearch.node.Node;
 import org.elasticsearch.threadpool.ThreadPool;
-import org.elasticsearch.transport.*;
+import org.elasticsearch.transport.BaseTransportRequestHandler;
+import org.elasticsearch.transport.TransportChannel;
+import org.elasticsearch.transport.TransportException;
+import org.elasticsearch.transport.TransportService;
+import org.elasticsearch.transport.VoidTransportResponseHandler;
 
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
 
@@ -119,7 +127,7 @@ public class TransportNodesShutdownAction extends TransportMasterNodeOperationAc
                             latch.countDown();
                         } else {
                             logger.trace("[cluster_shutdown]: sending shutdown request to [{}]", node);
-                            transportService.sendRequest(node, NodeShutdownRequestHandler.ACTION, VoidStreamable.INSTANCE, new VoidTransportResponseHandler(ThreadPool.Names.SAME) {
+                            transportService.sendRequest(node, NodeShutdownRequestHandler.ACTION, new NodeShutdownRequest(request.exit), new VoidTransportResponseHandler(ThreadPool.Names.SAME) {
                                 @Override public void handleResponse(VoidStreamable response) {
                                     logger.trace("[cluster_shutdown]: received shutdown response from [{}]", node);
                                     latch.countDown();
@@ -141,7 +149,7 @@ public class TransportNodesShutdownAction extends TransportMasterNodeOperationAc
 
                     // now, kill the master
                     logger.trace("[cluster_shutdown]: shutting down the master [{}]", state.nodes().masterNode());
-                    transportService.sendRequest(state.nodes().masterNode(), NodeShutdownRequestHandler.ACTION, VoidStreamable.INSTANCE, new VoidTransportResponseHandler(ThreadPool.Names.SAME) {
+                    transportService.sendRequest(state.nodes().masterNode(), NodeShutdownRequestHandler.ACTION, new NodeShutdownRequest(request.exit), new VoidTransportResponseHandler(ThreadPool.Names.SAME) {
                         @Override public void handleResponse(VoidStreamable response) {
                             logger.trace("[cluster_shutdown]: received shutdown response from master");
                         }
@@ -182,7 +190,7 @@ public class TransportNodesShutdownAction extends TransportMasterNodeOperationAc
                         }
 
                         logger.trace("[partial_cluster_shutdown]: sending shutdown request to [{}]", node);
-                        transportService.sendRequest(node, NodeShutdownRequestHandler.ACTION, VoidStreamable.INSTANCE, new VoidTransportResponseHandler(ThreadPool.Names.SAME) {
+                        transportService.sendRequest(node, NodeShutdownRequestHandler.ACTION, new NodeShutdownRequest(request.exit), new VoidTransportResponseHandler(ThreadPool.Names.SAME) {
                             @Override public void handleResponse(VoidStreamable response) {
                                 logger.trace("[partial_cluster_shutdown]: received shutdown response from [{}]", node);
                                 latch.countDown();
@@ -209,19 +217,19 @@ public class TransportNodesShutdownAction extends TransportMasterNodeOperationAc
         return new NodesShutdownResponse(clusterName, nodes.toArray(new DiscoveryNode[nodes.size()]));
     }
 
-    private class NodeShutdownRequestHandler extends BaseTransportRequestHandler<VoidStreamable> {
+    private class NodeShutdownRequestHandler extends BaseTransportRequestHandler<NodeShutdownRequest> {
 
         static final String ACTION = "/cluster/nodes/shutdown/node";
 
-        @Override public VoidStreamable newInstance() {
-            return VoidStreamable.INSTANCE;
+        @Override public NodeShutdownRequest newInstance() {
+            return new NodeShutdownRequest();
         }
 
         @Override public String executor() {
             return ThreadPool.Names.SAME;
         }
 
-        @Override public void messageReceived(VoidStreamable request, TransportChannel channel) throws Exception {
+        @Override public void messageReceived(final NodeShutdownRequest request, TransportChannel channel) throws Exception {
             if (disabled) {
                 throw new ElasticSearchIllegalStateException("Shutdown is disabled");
             }
@@ -233,6 +241,15 @@ public class TransportNodesShutdownAction extends TransportMasterNodeOperationAc
                     } catch (InterruptedException e) {
                         // ignore
                     }
+                    if (!request.exit) {
+                        logger.info("initiating requested shutdown (no exit)...");
+                        try {
+                            node.close();
+                        } catch (Exception e) {
+                            logger.warn("Failed to shutdown", e);
+                        }
+                        return;
+                    }
                     boolean shutdownWithWrapper = false;
                     if (System.getProperty("elasticsearch-service") != null) {
                         try {
@@ -262,4 +279,24 @@ public class TransportNodesShutdownAction extends TransportMasterNodeOperationAc
             channel.sendResponse(VoidStreamable.INSTANCE);
         }
     }
+
+    static class NodeShutdownRequest implements Streamable {
+
+        boolean exit;
+
+        NodeShutdownRequest() {
+        }
+
+        NodeShutdownRequest(boolean exit) {
+            this.exit = exit;
+        }
+
+        @Override public void readFrom(StreamInput in) throws IOException {
+            exit = in.readBoolean();
+        }
+
+        @Override public void writeTo(StreamOutput out) throws IOException {
+            out.writeBoolean(exit);
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/NodesShutdownRequestBuilder.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/NodesShutdownRequestBuilder.java
index 6a409c5fcde..ffe4ac462ed 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/NodesShutdownRequestBuilder.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/NodesShutdownRequestBuilder.java
@@ -59,6 +59,14 @@ public class NodesShutdownRequestBuilder extends BaseClusterRequestBuilder<Nodes
         return this;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Should the JVM be exited as well or not. Defaults to <tt>true</tt>.
+     */
+    public NodesShutdownRequestBuilder setExit(boolean exit) {
+        request.exit(exit);
+        return this;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Sets the master node timeout in case the master has not yet been discovered.
      */
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/Node.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/Node.java
index 3ba34033446..c2eb023e1a0 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/Node.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/Node.java
@@ -57,4 +57,9 @@ public interface Node {
      * Closes the node (and {@link #stop}s if its running).
      */
     void close();
+
+    /**
+     * Returns <tt>true</tt> if the node is closed.
+     */
+    boolean isClosed();
 }
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/internal/InternalNode.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/internal/InternalNode.java
index 3186f5ba48e..0c1705e5cf7 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/internal/InternalNode.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/internal/InternalNode.java
@@ -320,6 +320,10 @@ public final class InternalNode implements Node {
         logger.info("{{}}[{}]: closed", Version.full(), JvmInfo.jvmInfo().pid());
     }
 
+    @Override public boolean isClosed() {
+        return lifecycle.closed();
+    }
+
     public Injector injector() {
         return this.injector;
     }
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/RestNodesShutdownAction.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/RestNodesShutdownAction.java
index 8a851252a01..4d06a0a51a8 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/RestNodesShutdownAction.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/cluster/node/shutdown/RestNodesShutdownAction.java
@@ -27,7 +27,13 @@ import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNode;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.inject.Inject;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder;
-import org.elasticsearch.rest.*;
+import org.elasticsearch.rest.BaseRestHandler;
+import org.elasticsearch.rest.RestChannel;
+import org.elasticsearch.rest.RestController;
+import org.elasticsearch.rest.RestRequest;
+import org.elasticsearch.rest.RestStatus;
+import org.elasticsearch.rest.XContentRestResponse;
+import org.elasticsearch.rest.XContentThrowableRestResponse;
 import org.elasticsearch.rest.action.support.RestActions;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -52,6 +58,7 @@ public class RestNodesShutdownAction extends BaseRestHandler {
         NodesShutdownRequest nodesShutdownRequest = new NodesShutdownRequest(nodesIds);
         nodesShutdownRequest.listenerThreaded(false);
         nodesShutdownRequest.delay(request.paramAsTime("delay", nodesShutdownRequest.delay()));
+        nodesShutdownRequest.exit(request.paramAsBoolean("exit", nodesShutdownRequest.exit()));
         client.admin().cluster().nodesShutdown(nodesShutdownRequest, new ActionListener<NodesShutdownResponse>() {
             @Override public void onResponse(NodesShutdownResponse response) {
                 try {