diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index 0837da0c2a..80ad7e9cf3 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -1893,6 +1893,11 @@ To start the scylla server proper, simply invoke as: scylla server (or just scyl
             sl_controller.invoke_on_all([&lifecycle_notifier] (qos::service_level_controller& controller) {
                 lifecycle_notifier.local().register_subscriber(&controller);
             }).get();
+            auto unsubscribe_sl_controller = defer_verbose_shutdown("service level controller subscription", [&lifecycle_notifier] {
+                sl_controller.invoke_on_all([&lifecycle_notifier] (qos::service_level_controller& controller) {
+                    return lifecycle_notifier.local().unregister_subscriber(&controller);
+                }).get();
+            });
 
             supervisor::notify("starting batchlog manager");
             db::batchlog_manager_config bm_cfg;
@@ -2034,10 +2039,7 @@ To start the scylla server proper, simply invoke as: scylla server (or just scyl
             supervisor::notify("serving");
             // Register at_exit last, so that storage_service::drain_on_shutdown will be called first
 
-            auto drain_sl_controller = defer_verbose_shutdown("service level controller update loop", [&lifecycle_notifier] {
-                sl_controller.invoke_on_all([&lifecycle_notifier] (qos::service_level_controller& controller) {
-                    return lifecycle_notifier.local().unregister_subscriber(&controller);
-                }).get();
+            auto drain_sl_controller = defer_verbose_shutdown("service level controller update loop", [] {
                 sl_controller.invoke_on_all(&qos::service_level_controller::drain).get();
             });