diff --git a/src/backup/chunk_store.rs b/src/backup/chunk_store.rs
index 4be684e83..03c431981 100644
--- a/src/backup/chunk_store.rs
+++ b/src/backup/chunk_store.rs
@@ -271,6 +271,9 @@ impl ChunkStore {
         min_atime -= 300; // add 5 mins gap for safety
 
         for entry in self.get_chunk_iterator(true)? {
+
+            tools::fail_on_shutdown()?;
+
             let (dirfd, entry) = match entry {
                 Ok(entry) => (entry.parent_fd(), entry),
                 Err(_) => continue, // ignore errors
diff --git a/src/backup/datastore.rs b/src/backup/datastore.rs
index cfd7c36af..994cea878 100644
--- a/src/backup/datastore.rs
+++ b/src/backup/datastore.rs
@@ -209,6 +209,9 @@ impl DataStore {
         let image_list = self.list_images()?;
 
         for path in image_list {
+
+            tools::fail_on_shutdown()?;
+
             if let Some(ext) = path.extension() {
                 if ext == "fidx" {
                     let index = self.open_fixed_reader(&path)?;
diff --git a/src/backup/dynamic_index.rs b/src/backup/dynamic_index.rs
index 2087b58c0..7bd26f9f8 100644
--- a/src/backup/dynamic_index.rs
+++ b/src/backup/dynamic_index.rs
@@ -149,6 +149,9 @@ impl DynamicIndexReader {
     pub fn mark_used_chunks(&self, _status: &mut GarbageCollectionStatus) -> Result<(), Error> {
 
         for pos in 0..self.index_entries {
+
+            tools::fail_on_shutdown()?;
+
             let digest = self.chunk_digest(pos);
             if let Err(err) = self.store.touch_chunk(digest) {
                 bail!("unable to access chunk {}, required by {:?} - {}",
diff --git a/src/backup/fixed_index.rs b/src/backup/fixed_index.rs
index fc7d0a3ff..7d0cf0928 100644
--- a/src/backup/fixed_index.rs
+++ b/src/backup/fixed_index.rs
@@ -147,6 +147,8 @@ impl FixedIndexReader {
 
         for pos in 0..index_count {
 
+            tools::fail_on_shutdown()?;
+
             let digest = self.index_digest(pos).unwrap();
             if let Err(err) = self.store.touch_chunk(digest) {
                 bail!("unable to access chunk {}, required by {:?} - {}",
diff --git a/src/tools.rs b/src/tools.rs
index 52640f731..156ba1f71 100644
--- a/src/tools.rs
+++ b/src/tools.rs
@@ -557,3 +557,10 @@ pub fn request_shutdown() {
 pub fn shutdown_requested() -> bool {
     unsafe { SHUTDOWN_REQUESTED }
 }
+
+pub fn fail_on_shutdown() -> Result<(), Error> {
+    if shutdown_requested() {
+        bail!("Server shutdown requested - aborting task");
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}