diff --git a/bin/oe/run.rs b/bin/oe/run.rs
index 92dc4feb5..c58504c86 100644
--- a/bin/oe/run.rs
+++ b/bin/oe/run.rs
@@ -723,7 +723,7 @@ impl RunningClient {
                     .name("diamond-node-force-quit".to_string())
                     .spawn(move || {
 
-                        let duration_soft = 5;
+                        let duration_soft = 15;
                         // we make a force quit if after 90 seconds, if this shutdown routine 
                         std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_secs(duration_soft));
                         warn!(target: "shutdown", "shutdown not happened within {duration_soft} seconds, starting force exiting the process.");
diff --git a/crates/ethcore/src/engines/hbbft/hbbft_state.rs b/crates/ethcore/src/engines/hbbft/hbbft_state.rs
index 725e5b75f..fe94ec2bd 100644
--- a/crates/ethcore/src/engines/hbbft/hbbft_state.rs
+++ b/crates/ethcore/src/engines/hbbft/hbbft_state.rs
@@ -222,10 +222,29 @@ impl HbbftState {
         }
 
         if sks.is_none() {
-            info!(target: "engine", "We are not part of the HoneyBadger validator set - running as regular node.");
+            info!(target: "engine", "We are not part of the HoneyBadger validator set - Running as regular node.");
             peers_service
                 .send_message(HbbftConnectToPeersMessage::DisconnectAllValidators)
                 .ok()?;
+
+            if self.is_validator() {
+                let is_syncing = if let Some(full) = client.as_full_client() {
+                    full.is_major_syncing()
+                } else {
+                    info!(target: "engine", "Node was a validator: cannot be determinated, because client is not a full client. (https://github.com/DMDcoin/diamond-node/issues/322.)");
+                    return Some(());
+                };
+
+                if is_syncing {
+                    debug!(target: "engine", "Node was a validator, and became regular node, but we are syncing, not shutting down Node as defined in https://github.com/DMDcoin/diamond-node/issues/322.");
+                } else {
+                    info!(target: "engine", "Node was a validator, and became regular node. shutting down Node as defined in https://github.com/DMDcoin/diamond-node/issues/322.");
+                    // for unit tests no problem, demand shutddown won't to anything if its a unit test.
+                    // e2e tests needs adaptation.
+                    // this gracefully shuts down a node, if it was a validator before, but now it is not anymore.
+                    client.demand_shutdown();
+                }
+            }
             return Some(());
         }