diff --git a/src/vt/termination/term_state.cc b/src/vt/termination/term_state.cc
index 57c5dc10e4..76cb40d251 100644
--- a/src/vt/termination/term_state.cc
+++ b/src/vt/termination/term_state.cc
@@ -121,15 +121,14 @@ TermCounterType TermState::decrementDependency() {
   return --deps_;
 }
 
-bool TermState::readySubmitParent(bool const needs_active) const {
+bool TermState::readySubmitParent() const {
   vtAssert(
     num_children_ != uninitialized_destination, "Children must be valid"
   );
 
-  auto const ret = (epoch_active_ or not needs_active) and
-    recv_child_count_ == num_children_ and local_terminated_ and
-    submitted_wave_ == cur_wave_ - 1 and not term_detected_ and
-    deps_ == 0;
+  auto const ret = epoch_active_ and local_terminated_ and
+    deps_ == 0 and recv_child_count_ == num_children_ and
+    submitted_wave_ == cur_wave_ - 1 and not term_detected_;
 
   vt_debug_print(
     verbose, term,
diff --git a/src/vt/termination/term_state.h b/src/vt/termination/term_state.h
index 5cbae03b5d..1e0d2aaa25 100644
--- a/src/vt/termination/term_state.h
+++ b/src/vt/termination/term_state.h
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ struct TermState : EpochDependency, EpochLabel {
   void notifyLocalTerminated(bool const terminated = true);
   void submitToParent(bool const is_root, bool const setup = false);
   void receiveContinueSignal(TermWaveType const& wave);
-  bool readySubmitParent(bool const needs_active = true) const;
+  bool readySubmitParent() const;
   EventCountType getRecvChildCount() const;
   EpochType getEpoch() const;
   TermWaveType getCurWave() const;
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ struct TermState : EpochDependency, EpochLabel {
   void incrementDependency();
   TermCounterType decrementDependency();
 
+  inline bool isActive() const { return epoch_active_; }
+
   TermState(
     EpochType const& in_epoch, bool const in_local_terminated, bool const active,
     NodeType const& children
diff --git a/src/vt/termination/termination.cc b/src/vt/termination/termination.cc
index a413df460c..4d3eb497fb 100644
--- a/src/vt/termination/termination.cc
+++ b/src/vt/termination/termination.cc
@@ -172,16 +172,16 @@ TerminationDetector::getDSTerm(EpochType epoch, bool is_root) {
 }
 
 void TerminationDetector::maybePropagate() {
-  if (any_epoch_state_.readySubmitParent()) {
+  if (any_epoch_state_.isActive() and any_epoch_state_.readySubmitParent()) {
     propagateEpoch(any_epoch_state_);
   }
 
-  if (hang_.readySubmitParent()) {
+  if (hang_.isActive() and hang_.readySubmitParent()) {
     propagateEpoch(hang_);
   }
 
   for (auto&& state : epoch_state_) {
-    if (state.second.readySubmitParent()) {
+    if (state.second.isActive() and state.second.readySubmitParent()) {
       propagateEpoch(state.second);
     }
   }
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ void TerminationDetector::propagateEpochExternalState(
 
   state.notifyChildReceive();
 
-  if (state.readySubmitParent()) {
+  if (state.isActive() and state.readySubmitParent()) {
     propagateEpoch(state);
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/vt/termination/termination.impl.h b/src/vt/termination/termination.impl.h
index 6b61c87e6f..f9c2b4730e 100644
--- a/src/vt/termination/termination.impl.h
+++ b/src/vt/termination/termination.impl.h
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ inline void TerminationDetector::produceConsumeState(
     print_bool(produce)
   );
 
-  if (state.readySubmitParent()) {
+  if (state.isActive() and state.readySubmitParent()) {
     propagateEpoch(state);
   }
 }