diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/Node.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/Node.java
index 38da5eff95a..059ab09de97 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/Node.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/node/Node.java
@@ -379,9 +379,6 @@ public class Node implements Closeable {
     }
 
     private Node stop() {
-        if (lifecycle.moveToStarted()) {
-            return this;
-        }
         if (!lifecycle.moveToStopped()) {
             return this;
         }