diff --git a/internal/maintenance/rescuer.go b/internal/maintenance/rescuer.go
index 8da51b98..aaef7d24 100644
--- a/internal/maintenance/rescuer.go
+++ b/internal/maintenance/rescuer.go
@@ -112,11 +112,13 @@ func (s *Rescuer) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 	s.CancellableSleepRandomBetween(ctx, JitterMin, JitterMax)
 
 	go func() {
+		// This defer should come first so that it's last out, thereby avoiding
+		// races.
+		defer close(stopped)
+
 		s.Logger.InfoContext(ctx, s.Name+logPrefixRunLoopStarted)
 		defer s.Logger.InfoContext(ctx, s.Name+logPrefixRunLoopStopped)
 
-		defer close(stopped)
-
 		ticker := timeutil.NewTickerWithInitialTick(ctx, s.Config.Interval)
 		for {
 			select {