diff --git a/lib/thread/thread.c b/lib/thread/thread.c
index 65ddd5bde..71c483154 100644
--- a/lib/thread/thread.c
+++ b/lib/thread/thread.c
@@ -512,10 +512,6 @@ spdk_thread_poll(struct spdk_thread *thread, uint32_t max_msgs, uint64_t now)
 				   active_pollers_head, tailq, tmp) {
 		int poller_rc;
 
-		if (thread->exit) {
-			break;
-		}
-
 		if (poller->state == SPDK_POLLER_STATE_UNREGISTERED) {
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->active_pollers, poller, tailq);
 			free(poller);
@@ -551,10 +547,6 @@ spdk_thread_poll(struct spdk_thread *thread, uint32_t max_msgs, uint64_t now)
 	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(poller, &thread->timed_pollers, tailq, tmp) {
 		int timer_rc = 0;
 
-		if (thread->exit) {
-			break;
-		}
-
 		if (poller->state == SPDK_POLLER_STATE_UNREGISTERED) {
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->timed_pollers, poller, tailq);
 			free(poller);
@@ -778,6 +770,11 @@ spdk_poller_register(spdk_poller_fn fn,
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
+	if (spdk_unlikely(thread->exit)) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("thread %s is marked as exited\n", thread->name);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	poller = calloc(1, sizeof(*poller));
 	if (poller == NULL) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Poller memory allocation failed\n");