diff --git a/src/runtime/PythonEngine.cs b/src/runtime/PythonEngine.cs
index f184ebe88..6e9c4d1f1 100644
--- a/src/runtime/PythonEngine.cs
+++ b/src/runtime/PythonEngine.cs
@@ -355,12 +355,17 @@ public static void Shutdown()
             {
                 return;
             }
-            if (Exceptions.ErrorOccurred())
+
+            using (Py.GIL())
             {
-                throw new InvalidOperationException(
-                    "Python error indicator is set",
-                    innerException: PythonException.PeekCurrentOrNull(out _));
+                if (Exceptions.ErrorOccurred())
+                {
+                    throw new InvalidOperationException(
+                        "Python error indicator is set",
+                        innerException: PythonException.PeekCurrentOrNull(out _));
+                }
             }
+
             // If the shutdown handlers trigger a domain unload,
             // don't call shutdown again.
             AppDomain.CurrentDomain.DomainUnload -= OnDomainUnload;