diff --git a/src/runtime/PythonEngine.cs b/src/runtime/PythonEngine.cs
index f184ebe88..5d1069db0 100644
--- a/src/runtime/PythonEngine.cs
+++ b/src/runtime/PythonEngine.cs
@@ -355,12 +355,26 @@ public static void Shutdown()
             {
                 return;
             }
+
+            // If we're embedded, we need to take the GIL, if it wasn't already 
+            // taken, as we may get called from the DomainUnload handler.
+            var pyGILState = PyGILState.PyGILState_UNLOCKED;
+            if (!Runtime.HostedInPython)
+            {
+                pyGILState = Runtime.PyGILState_Ensure();
+            }
+
             if (Exceptions.ErrorOccurred())
             {
                 throw new InvalidOperationException(
                     "Python error indicator is set",
                     innerException: PythonException.PeekCurrentOrNull(out _));
             }
+
+            if (!Runtime.HostedInPython)
+            {
+                Runtime.PyGILState_Release(pyGILState);
+            }
             // If the shutdown handlers trigger a domain unload,
             // don't call shutdown again.
             AppDomain.CurrentDomain.DomainUnload -= OnDomainUnload;