diff --git a/go/vt/vtgate/plugin_mysql_server.go b/go/vt/vtgate/plugin_mysql_server.go
index f880b6c0412..df1911a6759 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtgate/plugin_mysql_server.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtgate/plugin_mysql_server.go
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ type vtgateHandler struct {
 
 	vtg         *VTGate
 	connections map[*mysql.Conn]bool
+
+	shutdown atomic.Bool
 }
 
 func newVtgateHandler(vtg *VTGate) *vtgateHandler {
@@ -147,6 +149,14 @@ func (vh *vtgateHandler) ConnectionClosed(c *mysql.Conn) {
 	_ = vh.vtg.CloseSession(ctx, session)
 }
 
+func (vh *vtgateHandler) Shutdown() bool {
+	return vh.shutdown.CompareAndSwap(false, true)
+}
+
+func (vh *vtgateHandler) IsShutdown() bool {
+	return vh.shutdown.Load()
+}
+
 // Regexp to extract parent span id over the sql query
 var r = regexp.MustCompile(`/\*VT_SPAN_CONTEXT=(.*)\*/`)
 
@@ -182,6 +192,13 @@ func startSpan(ctx context.Context, query, label string) (trace.Span, context.Co
 }
 
 func (vh *vtgateHandler) ComQuery(c *mysql.Conn, query string, callback func(*sqltypes.Result) error) error {
+	session := vh.session(c)
+	if vh.IsShutdown() {
+		if !session.InTransaction {
+			return mysql.NewSQLError(mysql.ERServerShutdown, mysql.SSNetError, "VTGate shutdown in progress")
+		}
+	}
+
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	var cancel context.CancelFunc
 	if *mysqlQueryTimeout != 0 {
@@ -209,7 +226,6 @@ func (vh *vtgateHandler) ComQuery(c *mysql.Conn, query string, callback func(*sq
 		"VTGate MySQL Connector" /* subcomponent: part of the client */)
 	ctx = callerid.NewContext(ctx, ef, im)
 
-	session := vh.session(c)
 	if !session.InTransaction {
 		atomic.AddInt32(&busyConnections, 1)
 	}
@@ -535,12 +551,14 @@ func newMysqlUnixSocket(address string, authServer mysql.AuthServer, handler mys
 }
 
 func shutdownMysqlProtocolAndDrain() {
+	vtgateHandle.Shutdown()
+
 	if mysqlListener != nil {
-		mysqlListener.Close()
+		mysqlListener.Shutdown()
 		mysqlListener = nil
 	}
 	if mysqlUnixListener != nil {
-		mysqlUnixListener.Close()
+		mysqlUnixListener.Shutdown()
 		mysqlUnixListener = nil
 	}
 	if sigChan != nil {