diff --git a/weed/mq/topic/local_partition.go b/weed/mq/topic/local_partition.go
index 371697529..bff0ec17a 100644
--- a/weed/mq/topic/local_partition.go
+++ b/weed/mq/topic/local_partition.go
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ func (p *LocalPartition) closeSubscribers() {
 
 func (p *LocalPartition) WaitUntilNoPublishers() {
 	for {
-		if p.Publishers.IsEmpty() {
+		if p.Publishers.Size() == 0 {
 			return
 		}
 		time.Sleep(113 * time.Millisecond)
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ func (p *LocalPartition) MaybeConnectToFollowers(initMessage *mq_pb.PublishMessa
 
 func (p *LocalPartition) MaybeShutdownLocalPartition() (hasShutdown bool) {
 
-	if p.Publishers.IsEmpty() {
+	if p.Publishers.Size() == 0 {
 		if p.followerStream != nil {
 			// send close to the follower
 			if followErr := p.followerStream.Send(&mq_pb.PublishFollowMeRequest{
@@ -196,10 +196,11 @@ func (p *LocalPartition) MaybeShutdownLocalPartition() (hasShutdown bool) {
 			glog.V(4).Infof("closing grpcConnection to follower")
 			p.followerGrpcConnection.Close()
 			p.followerStream = nil
+			p.follower = ""
 		}
 	}
 
-	if p.Publishers.IsEmpty() && p.Subscribers.IsEmpty() {
+	if p.Publishers.Size() == 0 && p.Subscribers.Size() == 0 {
 		p.LogBuffer.ShutdownLogBuffer()
 		hasShutdown = true
 	}
diff --git a/weed/mq/topic/local_partition_publishers.go b/weed/mq/topic/local_partition_publishers.go
index c12f66336..e3c4e3ca6 100644
--- a/weed/mq/topic/local_partition_publishers.go
+++ b/weed/mq/topic/local_partition_publishers.go
@@ -44,13 +44,6 @@ func (p *LocalPartitionPublishers) SignalShutdown() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (p *LocalPartitionPublishers) IsEmpty() bool {
-	p.publishersLock.RLock()
-	defer p.publishersLock.RUnlock()
-
-	return len(p.publishers) == 0
-}
-
 func (p *LocalPartitionPublishers) Size() int {
 	p.publishersLock.RLock()
 	defer p.publishersLock.RUnlock()
diff --git a/weed/mq/topic/local_partition_subscribers.go b/weed/mq/topic/local_partition_subscribers.go
index d3b989d72..24341ce7e 100644
--- a/weed/mq/topic/local_partition_subscribers.go
+++ b/weed/mq/topic/local_partition_subscribers.go
@@ -48,13 +48,6 @@ func (p *LocalPartitionSubscribers) SignalShutdown() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (p *LocalPartitionSubscribers) IsEmpty() bool {
-	p.SubscribersLock.RLock()
-	defer p.SubscribersLock.RUnlock()
-
-	return len(p.Subscribers) == 0
-}
-
 func (p *LocalPartitionSubscribers) Size() int {
 	p.SubscribersLock.RLock()
 	defer p.SubscribersLock.RUnlock()