diff --git a/environment/kubernetes/power.go b/environment/kubernetes/power.go
index 7576d8c2..69d4e3a6 100644
--- a/environment/kubernetes/power.go
+++ b/environment/kubernetes/power.go
@@ -117,6 +117,23 @@ func (e *Environment) Stop(ctx context.Context) error {
 // terminate. If the timeout is reached and terminate is true, the Pod is
 // forcefully deleted.
 func (e *Environment) WaitForStop(ctx context.Context, duration time.Duration, terminate bool) error {
+	// If the Pod is already gone, or exists but is no longer running, the server
+	// is effectively stopped and there is nothing to wait for. A stopped Pod is
+	// not automatically removed, so proceeding into waitForPodDeletion would block
+	// for the full duration (holding the power lock) waiting for a deletion that
+	// never happens. This is what gets hit when a stop/restart is issued against a
+	// server that is already offline.
+	if pod, err := e.getPod(ctx); err != nil {
+		if isNotFound(err) {
+			e.markOffline()
+			return nil
+		}
+		// Fall through on unexpected errors and attempt the normal stop flow.
+	} else if !isPodRunning(pod) {
+		e.markOffline()
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	tctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), duration)
 	defer cancel()
 
@@ -161,10 +178,7 @@ func (e *Environment) Terminate(ctx context.Context, signal string) error {
 	}
 
 	if !isPodRunning(pod) {
-		if e.st.Load() != environment.ProcessOfflineState {
-			e.SetState(environment.ProcessStoppingState)
-			e.SetState(environment.ProcessOfflineState)
-		}
+		e.markOffline()
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -182,6 +196,16 @@ func (e *Environment) Terminate(ctx context.Context, signal string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// markOffline transitions the environment to the offline state, first passing
+// through the stopping state so that crash detection is not triggered. It is a
+// no-op if the environment already considers itself offline.
+func (e *Environment) markOffline() {
+	if e.st.Load() != environment.ProcessOfflineState {
+		e.SetState(environment.ProcessStoppingState)
+		e.SetState(environment.ProcessOfflineState)
+	}
+}
+
 // waitForPodRunning blocks until the Pod reaches Running phase or the context
 // is canceled.
 func (e *Environment) waitForPodRunning(ctx context.Context) error {
diff --git a/environment/kubernetes/power_test.go b/environment/kubernetes/power_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..115c1e73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/environment/kubernetes/power_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+package kubernetes
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	. "github.com/franela/goblin"
+	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/fake"
+
+	"github.com/exonical/wings/config"
+	"github.com/exonical/wings/environment"
+	"github.com/exonical/wings/events"
+	"github.com/exonical/wings/system"
+)
+
+func TestWaitForStop(t *testing.T) {
+	g := Goblin(t)
+
+	config.Update(func(c *config.Configuration) {
+		c.Kubernetes.Namespace = "pelican"
+	})
+
+	newEnv := func(state string, objects ...runtime.Object) *Environment {
+		return &Environment{
+			Id:      "test-uuid",
+			meta:    &Metadata{},
+			client:  fake.NewSimpleClientset(objects...),
+			st:      system.NewAtomicString(state),
+			emitter: events.NewBus(),
+		}
+	}
+
+	g.Describe("WaitForStop when the server is already offline", func() {
+		g.It("returns immediately when the Pod does not exist", func() {
+			env := newEnv(environment.ProcessOfflineState)
+
+			done := make(chan error, 1)
+			go func() {
+				// A long duration would previously block here for the full period.
+				done <- env.WaitForStop(context.Background(), time.Minute, true)
+			}()
+
+			select {
+			case err := <-done:
+				g.Assert(err).IsNil()
+			case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+				g.Fail("WaitForStop blocked when the Pod was absent")
+			}
+		})
+
+		g.It("returns immediately when the Pod exists but is not running", func() {
+			pod := &corev1.Pod{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "test-uuid", Namespace: "pelican"},
+				Status:     corev1.PodStatus{Phase: corev1.PodSucceeded},
+			}
+			// Start from a non-offline state to prove the helper drives it offline.
+			env := newEnv(environment.ProcessRunningState, pod)
+
+			done := make(chan error, 1)
+			go func() {
+				done <- env.WaitForStop(context.Background(), time.Minute, true)
+			}()
+
+			select {
+			case err := <-done:
+				g.Assert(err).IsNil()
+				g.Assert(env.State()).Equal(environment.ProcessOfflineState)
+			case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+				g.Fail("WaitForStop blocked when the Pod was not running")
+			}
+		})
+	})
+}