diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index 23f52bd9a0..cc10cce3aa 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -767,7 +767,9 @@ int main(int ac, char** av) {
             db::hints::manager::rebalance(cfg->view_hints_directory()).get();
 
             proxy.invoke_on_all([] (service::storage_proxy& local_proxy) {
-                local_proxy.start_hints_manager(gms::get_local_gossiper().shared_from_this(), service::get_local_storage_service().shared_from_this());
+                auto& ss = service::get_local_storage_service();
+                ss.register_subscriber(&local_proxy);
+                local_proxy.start_hints_manager(gms::get_local_gossiper().shared_from_this(), ss.shared_from_this());
             }).get();
 
             supervisor::notify("starting messaging service");
diff --git a/service/storage_service.cc b/service/storage_service.cc
index cca6df7f18..3b46fd0ab5 100644
--- a/service/storage_service.cc
+++ b/service/storage_service.cc
@@ -1383,7 +1383,8 @@ future<> storage_service::drain_on_shutdown() {
             ss._sys_dist_ks.invoke_on_all(&db::system_distributed_keyspace::stop).get();
             slogger.info("Drain on shutdown: system distributed keyspace stopped");
 
-            get_storage_proxy().invoke_on_all([] (storage_proxy& local_proxy) {
+            get_storage_proxy().invoke_on_all([&ss] (storage_proxy& local_proxy) mutable {
+                ss.unregister_subscriber(&local_proxy);
                 return local_proxy.stop_hints_manager();
             }).get();
             slogger.info("Drain on shutdown: hints manager is stopped");