diff --git a/inmem_transport.go b/inmem_transport.go
index ce37f63aa..b6b523b1e 100644
--- a/inmem_transport.go
+++ b/inmem_transport.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ type inmemPipeline struct {
 
 	shutdown     bool
 	shutdownCh   chan struct{}
-	shutdownLock sync.Mutex
+	shutdownLock sync.RWMutex
 }
 
 type inmemPipelineInflight struct {
@@ -288,6 +288,16 @@ func (i *inmemPipeline) AppendEntries(args *AppendEntriesRequest, resp *AppendEn
 		Command:  args,
 		RespChan: respCh,
 	}
+
+	// Check if we have been already shutdown, otherwise the random choose
+	// made by select statement below might pick consumerCh even if
+	// shutdownCh was closed.
+	i.shutdownLock.RLock()
+	if i.shutdown {
+		return nil, ErrPipelineShutdown
+	}
+	i.shutdownLock.RUnlock()
+
 	select {
 	case i.peer.consumerCh <- rpc:
 	case <-timeout: