diff --git a/VERSION21.cmake b/VERSION21.cmake
index 41a573525..361a61bcc 100644
--- a/VERSION21.cmake
+++ b/VERSION21.cmake
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 set(MAXSCALE_VERSION_MAJOR "2" CACHE STRING "Major version")
 set(MAXSCALE_VERSION_MINOR "1" CACHE STRING "Minor version")
-set(MAXSCALE_VERSION_PATCH "8" CACHE STRING "Patch version")
+set(MAXSCALE_VERSION_PATCH "9" CACHE STRING "Patch version")
 
 # This should only be incremented if a package is rebuilt
 set(MAXSCALE_BUILD_NUMBER 1 CACHE STRING "Release number")
diff --git a/server/core/gateway.cc b/server/core/gateway.cc
index afa547856..6ba816046 100644
--- a/server/core/gateway.cc
+++ b/server/core/gateway.cc
@@ -1278,6 +1278,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     void   (*exitfunp[4])(void) = { mxs_log_finish, cleanup_process_datadir, write_footer, NULL };
     MXS_CONFIG* cnf = NULL;
     int numlocks = 0;
+    bool pid_file_created = false;
     Worker* worker;
 
     *syslog_enabled = 1;
@@ -1895,6 +1896,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
             rc = MAXSCALE_ALREADYRUNNING;
             goto return_main;
         }
+
+        pid_file_created = true;
     }
 
     if (!redirect_output_to.empty())
@@ -2124,18 +2127,21 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     utils_end();
     cleanup_process_datadir();
     MXS_NOTICE("MaxScale shutdown completed.");
+
     if (unload_modules_at_exit)
     {
         unload_all_modules();
     }
-    /* Remove Pidfile */
-    unlock_pidfile();
-    unlink_pidfile();
 
     ERR_free_strings();
     EVP_cleanup();
 
 return_main:
+    if (pid_file_created)
+    {
+        unlock_pidfile();
+        unlink_pidfile();
+    }
 
     mxs_log_flush_sync();