diff --git a/coolamqp/clustering/cluster.py b/coolamqp/clustering/cluster.py
index 35be5bbb8a53e929c24f39fb51f5a9be492d1462..9d2a39dcbac95d229a5ded78a8aeb61f45cf2aea 100644
--- a/coolamqp/clustering/cluster.py
+++ b/coolamqp/clustering/cluster.py
@@ -333,9 +333,7 @@ class Cluster(object):
         :raise RuntimeError: if called without start() being called first
         """
         self.connected = False
-        try:
-            self.listener
-        except AttributeError:
+        if not self.started:
             raise RuntimeError(u'shutdown without start')
 
         logger.info('[%s] Commencing shutdown', self.name)