diff --git a/gax/src/main/java/com/google/api/gax/rpc/Watchdog.java b/gax/src/main/java/com/google/api/gax/rpc/Watchdog.java
index ddf399ff7..038bb1f3e 100644
--- a/gax/src/main/java/com/google/api/gax/rpc/Watchdog.java
+++ b/gax/src/main/java/com/google/api/gax/rpc/Watchdog.java
@@ -124,7 +124,6 @@ public void run() {
   @Override
   public void shutdown() {
     future.cancel(false);
-    executor.shutdown();
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/gax/src/test/java/com/google/api/gax/rpc/WatchdogTest.java b/gax/src/test/java/com/google/api/gax/rpc/WatchdogTest.java
index b63e80cc6..65fa5f205 100644
--- a/gax/src/test/java/com/google/api/gax/rpc/WatchdogTest.java
+++ b/gax/src/test/java/com/google/api/gax/rpc/WatchdogTest.java
@@ -188,7 +188,6 @@ public void testWatchdogBeingClosed() {
         .scheduleAtFixedRate(
             underTest, checkInterval.toMillis(), checkInterval.toMillis(), TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
     Mockito.verify(future, Mockito.times(2)).cancel(false);
-    Mockito.verify(mockExecutor, Mockito.times(2)).shutdown();
 
     underTest.shutdownNow();
     Mockito.verify(future).cancel(true);