diff --git a/sstables/compaction_manager.cc b/sstables/compaction_manager.cc
index 044efc4f94..ae3b22931a 100644
--- a/sstables/compaction_manager.cc
+++ b/sstables/compaction_manager.cc
@@ -254,8 +254,12 @@ void compaction_manager::signal_less_busy_task() {
     (*result)->compaction_sem.signal();
 }
 
+bool compaction_manager::can_submit() {
+    return !_stopped && !_tasks.empty();
+}
+
 void compaction_manager::submit(column_family* cf) {
-    if (_stopped || _tasks.empty()) {
+    if (!can_submit()) {
         return;
     }
     // To avoid having two or more entries of the same cf stored in the queue.
@@ -268,7 +272,7 @@ void compaction_manager::submit(column_family* cf) {
 }
 
 void compaction_manager::submit_cleanup_job(column_family* cf) {
-    if (_stopped || _tasks.empty()) {
+    if (!can_submit()) {
         return;
     }
     // To avoid having two or more entries of the same cf stored in the queue.
diff --git a/sstables/compaction_manager.hh b/sstables/compaction_manager.hh
index 142a9b9086..ae895f304e 100644
--- a/sstables/compaction_manager.hh
+++ b/sstables/compaction_manager.hh
@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ private:
     // This function is called when a cf is submitted for compaction and we need
     // to wake up a handler.
     void signal_less_busy_task();
+    // Returns if this compaction manager is accepting new requests.
+    // It will not accept new requests in case the manager was stopped and/or there
+    // is no task to handle them.
+    bool can_submit();
 public:
     compaction_manager();
     ~compaction_manager();