diff --git a/system-test/maxtest/src/testconnections.cc b/system-test/maxtest/src/testconnections.cc
index 70e7ddc28..8a80a24d5 100644
--- a/system-test/maxtest/src/testconnections.cc
+++ b/system-test/maxtest/src/testconnections.cc
@@ -561,15 +561,18 @@ TestConnections::~TestConnections()
         repl->create_users();
     }
 
-    // stop all Maxscales to detect crashes on exit
-    for (int i = 0; i < maxscales->N; i++)
+    if (!m_local_maxscale)
     {
-        stop_maxscale(i);
-    }
+        // stop all Maxscales to detect crashes on exit
+        for (int i = 0; i < maxscales->N; i++)
+        {
+            stop_maxscale(i);
+        }
 
-    if (maxscales->use_valgrind)
-    {
-        sleep(15);      // sleep to let logs be written do disks
+        if (maxscales->use_valgrind)
+        {
+            sleep(15);      // sleep to let logs be written do disks
+        }
     }
 
     copy_all_logs();