diff --git a/server/core/config_runtime.cc b/server/core/config_runtime.cc
index e0da08d49..0acb9b454 100644
--- a/server/core/config_runtime.cc
+++ b/server/core/config_runtime.cc
@@ -760,21 +760,14 @@ bool do_alter_monitor(Monitor* monitor, const char* key, const char* value)
 
 bool runtime_alter_monitor(Monitor* monitor, const char* key, const char* value)
 {
-    // If the monitor is already stopped, don't stop/start it.
-    bool was_running = (monitor->state() == MONITOR_STATE_RUNNING);
-    if (was_running)
-    {
-        MonitorManager::stop_monitor(monitor);
-    }
+    MonitorStop stop(monitor);
     bool success = do_alter_monitor(monitor, key, value);
+
     if (success)
     {
         MonitorManager::monitor_serialize(monitor);
     }
-    if (was_running)
-    {
-        MonitorManager::start_monitor(monitor);
-    }
+
     return success;
 }
 
diff --git a/server/core/internal/monitor.hh b/server/core/internal/monitor.hh
index 1c5d9c543..a0cd9d0f2 100644
--- a/server/core/internal/monitor.hh
+++ b/server/core/internal/monitor.hh
@@ -178,3 +178,28 @@ public:
      */
     static void debug_wait_one_tick();
 };
+
+// RAII helper class for temprarily stopping monitors
+class MonitorStop
+{
+public:
+    MonitorStop(mxs::Monitor* monitor)
+        : m_monitor(monitor->state() == MONITOR_STATE_RUNNING ? monitor : nullptr)
+    {
+        if (m_monitor)
+        {
+            MonitorManager::stop_monitor(m_monitor);
+        }
+    }
+
+    ~MonitorStop()
+    {
+        if (m_monitor)
+        {
+            MonitorManager::start_monitor(m_monitor);
+        }
+    }
+
+private:
+    mxs::Monitor* m_monitor;
+};