diff --git a/src/controller/controller.cpp b/src/controller/controller.cpp
index a28f0ff4..3988ac02 100644
--- a/src/controller/controller.cpp
+++ b/src/controller/controller.cpp
@@ -302,6 +302,7 @@ int main_loop(int argc, char **argv){
   Controller::prometheus = Controller::Storage["config"]["prometheus"].asStringRef();
   Controller::accesslog = Controller::Storage["config"]["accesslog"].asStringRef();
   Controller::writeConfig();
+  if (!Controller::conf.is_active){return 0;}
   Controller::checkAvailProtocols();
   Controller::checkAvailTriggers();
   Controller::writeCapabilities();
diff --git a/src/controller/controller_storage.cpp b/src/controller/controller_storage.cpp
index 1d6edadf..52cf9d9d 100644
--- a/src/controller/controller_storage.cpp
+++ b/src/controller/controller_storage.cpp
@@ -422,7 +422,10 @@ namespace Controller{
 
     static bool serverStartTriggered;
     if (!serverStartTriggered){
-      if (!Triggers::doTrigger("SYSTEM_START")){conf.is_active = false;}
+      if (!Triggers::doTrigger("SYSTEM_START")){
+        INFO_MSG("Shutting down because of SYSTEM_START trigger response");
+        conf.is_active = false;
+      }
       serverStartTriggered = true;
     }
     /*LTS-END*/