diff --git a/sql/mysql_priv.h b/sql/mysql_priv.h
index 159613c58a0..74c5af92229 100644
--- a/sql/mysql_priv.h
+++ b/sql/mysql_priv.h
@@ -1047,6 +1047,7 @@ bool compare_record(TABLE *table);
 bool append_file_to_dir(THD *thd, const char **filename_ptr, 
                         const char *table_name);
 bool table_def_init(void);
+void table_def_start_shutdown(void);
 void table_def_free(void);
 void assign_new_table_id(TABLE_SHARE *share);
 uint cached_open_tables(void);
diff --git a/sql/mysqld.cc b/sql/mysqld.cc
index 1055d5fed8b..ed1572853bc 100644
--- a/sql/mysqld.cc
+++ b/sql/mysqld.cc
@@ -1294,9 +1294,7 @@ void clean_up(bool print_message)
   grant_free();
 #endif
   query_cache_destroy();
-  table_def_free();
   hostname_cache_free();
-  mdl_destroy();
   item_user_lock_free();
   lex_free();				/* Free some memory */
   item_create_cleanup();
@@ -1308,12 +1306,15 @@ void clean_up(bool print_message)
     udf_free();
 #endif
   }
+  table_def_start_shutdown();
   plugin_shutdown();
   ha_end();
   if (tc_log)
     tc_log->close();
   delegates_destroy();
   xid_cache_free();
+  table_def_free();
+  mdl_destroy();
   delete_elements(&key_caches, (void (*)(const char*, uchar*)) free_key_cache);
   multi_keycache_free();
   free_status_vars();
diff --git a/sql/sql_base.cc b/sql/sql_base.cc
index 42fc3ba0566..4f8c6be8e7b 100644
--- a/sql/sql_base.cc
+++ b/sql/sql_base.cc
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ TABLE *unused_tables;
 HASH table_def_cache;
 static TABLE_SHARE *oldest_unused_share, end_of_unused_share;
 static bool table_def_inited= 0;
+static bool table_def_shutdown_in_progress= 0;
 
 static bool check_and_update_table_version(THD *thd, TABLE_LIST *tables,
                                            TABLE_SHARE *table_share);
@@ -279,13 +280,36 @@ bool table_def_init(void)
 }
 
 
+/**
+  Notify table definition cache that process of shutting down server
+  has started so it has to keep number of TABLE and TABLE_SHARE objects
+  minimal in order to reduce number of references to pluggable engines.
+*/
+
+void table_def_start_shutdown(void)
+{
+  if (table_def_inited)
+  {
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&LOCK_open);
+    /* Free all cached but unused TABLEs and TABLE_SHAREs first. */
+    close_cached_tables(NULL, NULL, TRUE, FALSE);
+    /*
+      Ensure that TABLE and TABLE_SHARE objects which are created for
+      tables that are open during process of plugins' shutdown are
+      immediately released. This keeps number of references to engine
+      plugins minimal and allows shutdown to proceed smoothly.
+    */
+    table_def_shutdown_in_progress= TRUE;
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&LOCK_open);
+  }
+}
+
+
 void table_def_free(void)
 {
   DBUG_ENTER("table_def_free");
   if (table_def_inited)
   {
-    /* Free all open TABLEs first. */
-    close_cached_tables(NULL, NULL, FALSE, FALSE);
     table_def_inited= 0;
     /* Free table definitions. */
     my_hash_free(&table_def_cache);
@@ -646,7 +670,8 @@ void release_table_share(TABLE_SHARE *share)
   DBUG_ASSERT(share->ref_count);
   if (!--share->ref_count)
   {
-    if (share->version != refresh_version)
+    if (share->version != refresh_version ||
+        table_def_shutdown_in_progress)
       to_be_deleted=1;
     else
     {
@@ -1513,7 +1538,8 @@ bool close_thread_table(THD *thd, TABLE **table_ptr)
 
   table->mdl_ticket= NULL;
   if (table->needs_reopen() ||
-      thd->version != refresh_version || !table->db_stat)
+      thd->version != refresh_version || !table->db_stat ||
+      table_def_shutdown_in_progress)
   {
     free_cache_entry(table);
     found_old_table=1;