diff --git a/oxenmq/oxenmq.cpp b/oxenmq/oxenmq.cpp
index 73706bd..06bfdd2 100644
--- a/oxenmq/oxenmq.cpp
+++ b/oxenmq/oxenmq.cpp
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ OxenMQ::~OxenMQ() {
             // up, so signal them so that they can end themselves.
             {
                 std::lock_guard lock{tagged_startup_mutex};
-                tagged_go = true;
+                tagged_go = tagged_go_mode::SHUTDOWN;
             }
             tagged_cv.notify_all();
             for (auto& [run, busy, queue] : tagged_workers)
diff --git a/oxenmq/oxenmq.h b/oxenmq/oxenmq.h
index a3e3361..fe53627 100644
--- a/oxenmq/oxenmq.h
+++ b/oxenmq/oxenmq.h
@@ -788,7 +788,8 @@ private:
     /// then wait via this bool/c.v. to synchronize startup with the proxy thread.  This mutex isn't
     /// used after startup is complete.
     std::mutex tagged_startup_mutex;
-    bool tagged_go{false};
+    enum class tagged_go_mode { WAIT, GO, SHUTDOWN };
+    tagged_go_mode tagged_go = tagged_go_mode::WAIT;
     std::condition_variable tagged_cv;
 
 public:
diff --git a/oxenmq/proxy.cpp b/oxenmq/proxy.cpp
index 5732fe1..aa0c166 100644
--- a/oxenmq/proxy.cpp
+++ b/oxenmq/proxy.cpp
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ void OxenMQ::proxy_loop_init() {
         OMQ_LOG(debug, "Waiting for tagged workers");
         {
             std::unique_lock lock{tagged_startup_mutex};
-            tagged_go = true;
+            tagged_go = tagged_go_mode::GO;
         }
         tagged_cv.notify_all();
         std::unordered_set<std::string_view> waiting_on;
diff --git a/oxenmq/worker.cpp b/oxenmq/worker.cpp
index fb54735..b54ad93 100644
--- a/oxenmq/worker.cpp
+++ b/oxenmq/worker.cpp
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ void OxenMQ::worker_thread(unsigned int index, std::optional<std::string> tagged
         // is running).
         {
             std::unique_lock lock{tagged_startup_mutex};
-            tagged_cv.wait(lock, [this] { return tagged_go; });
+            tagged_cv.wait(lock, [this] { return tagged_go != tagged_go_mode::WAIT; });
         }
-        if (!proxy_thread.joinable()) // OxenMQ destroyed without starting
+        if (tagged_go == tagged_go_mode::SHUTDOWN) // OxenMQ destroyed without starting
             return;
         tagged_socket.emplace(context, zmq::socket_type::dealer);
     }