diff --git a/extensions-core/kubernetes-overlord-extensions/src/main/java/org/apache/druid/k8s/overlord/KubernetesWorkItem.java b/extensions-core/kubernetes-overlord-extensions/src/main/java/org/apache/druid/k8s/overlord/KubernetesWorkItem.java
index 5eb55b097b4b..6e0794a1e45f 100644
--- a/extensions-core/kubernetes-overlord-extensions/src/main/java/org/apache/druid/k8s/overlord/KubernetesWorkItem.java
+++ b/extensions-core/kubernetes-overlord-extensions/src/main/java/org/apache/druid/k8s/overlord/KubernetesWorkItem.java
@@ -29,12 +29,15 @@
 import org.apache.druid.java.util.common.ISE;
 
 import java.io.InputStream;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
 
 public class KubernetesWorkItem extends TaskRunnerWorkItem
 {
   private final Task task;
   private final KubernetesPeonLifecycle kubernetesPeonLifecycle;
 
+  private final AtomicBoolean isShutdown = new AtomicBoolean(false);
+
   public KubernetesWorkItem(Task task, ListenableFuture<TaskStatus> statusFuture, KubernetesPeonLifecycle kubernetesPeonLifecycle)
   {
     super(task.getId(), statusFuture);
@@ -42,10 +45,17 @@ public KubernetesWorkItem(Task task, ListenableFuture<TaskStatus> statusFuture,
     this.kubernetesPeonLifecycle = kubernetesPeonLifecycle;
   }
 
-  protected synchronized void shutdown()
+  /**
+   * Shuts down this work item. Subsequent calls to this method return immediately.
+   */
+  protected void shutdown()
   {
-    this.kubernetesPeonLifecycle.startWatchingLogs();
-    this.kubernetesPeonLifecycle.shutdown();
+    if (isShutdown.compareAndSet(false, true)) {
+      synchronized (this) {
+        this.kubernetesPeonLifecycle.startWatchingLogs();
+        this.kubernetesPeonLifecycle.shutdown();
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   protected boolean isPending()