diff --git a/db/commitlog/commitlog.cc b/db/commitlog/commitlog.cc
index 4cd4f579bf..2e456a442a 100644
--- a/db/commitlog/commitlog.cc
+++ b/db/commitlog/commitlog.cc
@@ -288,6 +288,7 @@ public:
     void flush_segments(bool = false);
 
 private:
+    size_t max_request_controller_units() const;
     segment_id_type _ids = 0;
     std::vector<sseg_ptr> _segments;
     std::deque<sseg_ptr> _reserve_segments;
@@ -911,7 +912,7 @@ db::commitlog::segment_manager::segment_manager(config c)
     // an existing in-flight buffer. Since we'll force the cycling() of any buffer that is bigger
     // than default_size at the end of the allocation, that allows for every valid mutation to
     // always be admitted for processing.
-    , _request_controller(max_mutation_size + db::commitlog::segment::default_size)
+    , _request_controller(max_request_controller_units())
 {
     assert(max_size > 0);
 
@@ -922,6 +923,10 @@ db::commitlog::segment_manager::segment_manager(config c)
     _regs = create_counters();
 }
 
+size_t db::commitlog::segment_manager::max_request_controller_units() const {
+    return max_mutation_size + db::commitlog::segment::default_size;
+}
+
 future<std::vector<db::commitlog::descriptor>>
 db::commitlog::segment_manager::list_descriptors(sstring dirname) {
     struct helper {
@@ -1235,9 +1240,12 @@ future<> db::commitlog::segment_manager::shutdown() {
     if (!_shutdown) {
         _shutdown = true; // no re-arm, no create new segments.
         _timer.cancel(); // no more timer calls
-        // Now first wait for periodic task to finish, then sync and close all
-        // segments, flushing out any remaining data.
-        return _gate.close().then(std::bind(&segment_manager::sync_all_segments, this, true));
+        // Wait for all pending requests to finish
+        return get_units(_request_controller, max_request_controller_units()).then([this] (auto permits) {
+            // Now first wait for periodic task to finish, then sync and close all
+            // segments, flushing out any remaining data.
+            return _gate.close().then(std::bind(&segment_manager::sync_all_segments, this, true));
+        });
     }
     return make_ready_future<>();
 }