diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/shard/IndexShard.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/shard/IndexShard.java
index d6b99afb9f66c..3679321b96539 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/shard/IndexShard.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/shard/IndexShard.java
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ public void onFailure(Exception e) {
             indexEventListener.shardRoutingChanged(this, currentRouting, newRouting);
         }
 
-        if (indexSettings.isSoftDeleteEnabled() && useRetentionLeasesInPeerRecovery == false) {
+        if (indexSettings.isSoftDeleteEnabled() && useRetentionLeasesInPeerRecovery == false && state() == IndexShardState.STARTED) {
             final RetentionLeases retentionLeases = replicationTracker.getRetentionLeases();
             final Set<ShardRouting> shardRoutings = new HashSet<>(routingTable.getShards());
             shardRoutings.addAll(routingTable.assignedShards()); // include relocation targets