diff --git a/playbooks/roles/zuul-executor/tasks/graceful.yaml b/playbooks/roles/zuul-executor/tasks/graceful.yaml
index 71a6a4940f..997699169e 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/zuul-executor/tasks/graceful.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/zuul-executor/tasks/graceful.yaml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     chdir: /etc/zuul-executor
   become: true
   become_user: root
+  when: executor_container_list.stdout_lines | length > 0
 - name: Remove Zuul Executor containers
   shell:
     cmd: docker-compose down
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/zuul-merger/tasks/graceful.yaml b/playbooks/roles/zuul-merger/tasks/graceful.yaml
index 72f7d4d705..7c801088f1 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/zuul-merger/tasks/graceful.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/zuul-merger/tasks/graceful.yaml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     chdir: /etc/zuul-merger
   become: true
   become_user: root
+  when: merger_container_list.stdout_lines | length > 0
 - name: Down Zuul Merger containers
   shell:
     cmd: docker-compose down