diff --git a/src/include/dbconnector/pool/connection_pool.hpp b/src/include/dbconnector/pool/connection_pool.hpp
index e4c5c67..ea0cf71 100644
--- a/src/include/dbconnector/pool/connection_pool.hpp
+++ b/src/include/dbconnector/pool/connection_pool.hpp
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ class ConnectionPool : public std::enable_shared_from_this<ConnectionPool<Connec
 	uint64_t GetIdleTimeoutMillis() const;
 	void SetIdleTimeoutMillis(uint64_t new_idle_timeout_millis);
 
+	bool IsReaperRunning();
 	bool EnsureReaperRunning();
 	void ShutdownReaper();
 
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ class ConnectionPool : public std::enable_shared_from_this<ConnectionPool<Connec
 
 	std::thread reaper_thread;
 	std::condition_variable reaper_cv;
-	std::atomic<bool> reaper_shutdown_flag {false};
+	std::atomic<bool> reaper_shutdown_flag {true};
 
 	std::atomic<bool> tl_cache_enabled {false};
 	std::atomic<uint64_t> tl_cache_hits {0};
diff --git a/src/include/dbconnector/pool/connection_pool_impl.hpp b/src/include/dbconnector/pool/connection_pool_impl.hpp
index c52d83e..3e95bd8 100644
--- a/src/include/dbconnector/pool/connection_pool_impl.hpp
+++ b/src/include/dbconnector/pool/connection_pool_impl.hpp
@@ -590,6 +590,11 @@ void ConnectionPool<ConnectionT>::ReaperLoop() {
 	}
 }
 
+template <typename ConnectionT>
+bool ConnectionPool<ConnectionT>::IsReaperRunning() {
+	return !reaper_shutdown_flag.load(std::memory_order_relaxed);
+}
+
 template <typename ConnectionT>
 bool ConnectionPool<ConnectionT>::EnsureReaperRunning() {
 	if (!TimeoutEnabled()) {
diff --git a/test/test_pool.cpp b/test/test_pool.cpp
index 5da8823..8b646f7 100644
--- a/test/test_pool.cpp
+++ b/test/test_pool.cpp
@@ -232,10 +232,12 @@ TEST_CASE("Test pool disable running", group_name) {
 
 TEST_CASE("Test pool with a reaper", group_name) {
 	auto pool = std::make_shared<TestConnectionPool>(4, 1000, false);
+	REQUIRE(!pool->IsReaperRunning());
 	REQUIRE(!pool->EnsureReaperRunning());
 	pool->SetMaxLifetimeMillis(1000);
 	REQUIRE(pool->EnsureReaperRunning());
 	REQUIRE(pool->EnsureReaperRunning());
+	REQUIRE(pool->IsReaperRunning());
 
 	{
 		auto conn = pool->WaitAcquire();
@@ -269,10 +271,13 @@ TEST_CASE("Test pool with a reaper", group_name) {
 
 TEST_CASE("Test pool with a reaper restart", group_name) {
 	auto pool = std::make_shared<TestConnectionPool>(4, 1000, false);
+	REQUIRE(!pool->IsReaperRunning());
 	REQUIRE(!pool->EnsureReaperRunning());
 	pool->SetMaxLifetimeMillis(1000);
 	REQUIRE(pool->EnsureReaperRunning());
+	REQUIRE(pool->IsReaperRunning());
 	pool->ShutdownReaper();
+	REQUIRE(!pool->IsReaperRunning());
 
 	{
 		auto conn = pool->WaitAcquire();