diff --git a/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node.cpp b/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node.cpp
index 0c448cf5e6..ccbc388fd8 100644
--- a/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node.cpp
+++ b/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node.cpp
@@ -152,6 +152,26 @@ LifecycleNode::LifecycleNode(
 
 LifecycleNode::~LifecycleNode()
 {
+  auto current_state = LifecycleNode::get_current_state().id();
+  // shutdown if necessary to avoid leaving the device in any other primary state
+  if (current_state < lifecycle_msgs::msg::State::PRIMARY_STATE_FINALIZED) {
+    auto ret = rclcpp_lifecycle::node_interfaces::LifecycleNodeInterface::CallbackReturn::ERROR;
+    auto finalized = LifecycleNode::shutdown(ret);
+    if (finalized.id() != lifecycle_msgs::msg::State::PRIMARY_STATE_FINALIZED ||
+      ret != rclcpp_lifecycle::node_interfaces::LifecycleNodeInterface::CallbackReturn::SUCCESS)
+    {
+      RCLCPP_WARN(
+        rclcpp::get_logger("rclcpp_lifecycle"),
+        "Shutdown error in destruction of LifecycleNode: final state(%s)",
+        finalized.label().c_str());
+    }
+  } else if (current_state > lifecycle_msgs::msg::State::PRIMARY_STATE_FINALIZED) {
+    RCLCPP_WARN(
+      rclcpp::get_logger("rclcpp_lifecycle"),
+      "Shutdown error in destruction of LifecycleNode: Node still in transition state(%u)",
+      current_state);
+  }
+
   // release sub-interfaces in an order that allows them to consult with node_base during tear-down
   node_waitables_.reset();
   node_time_source_.reset();
diff --git a/rclcpp_lifecycle/test/test_lifecycle_node.cpp b/rclcpp_lifecycle/test/test_lifecycle_node.cpp
index fdb9be6153..58ce89897c 100644
--- a/rclcpp_lifecycle/test/test_lifecycle_node.cpp
+++ b/rclcpp_lifecycle/test/test_lifecycle_node.cpp
@@ -447,6 +447,146 @@ TEST_F(TestDefaultStateMachine, bad_mood) {
   EXPECT_EQ(1u, test_node->number_of_callbacks);
 }
 
+
+TEST_F(TestDefaultStateMachine, shutdown_from_each_primary_state) {
+  auto success = rclcpp_lifecycle::node_interfaces::LifecycleNodeInterface::CallbackReturn::SUCCESS;
+  auto reset_key = rclcpp_lifecycle::node_interfaces::LifecycleNodeInterface::CallbackReturn::ERROR;
+
+  // PRIMARY_STATE_UNCONFIGURED to shutdown
+  {
+    auto ret = reset_key;
+    auto test_node = std::make_shared<EmptyLifecycleNode>("testnode");
+    auto finalized = test_node->shutdown(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(finalized.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_FINALIZED);
+  }
+
+  // PRIMARY_STATE_INACTIVE to shutdown
+  {
+    auto ret = reset_key;
+    auto test_node = std::make_shared<EmptyLifecycleNode>("testnode");
+    auto configured = test_node->configure(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(configured.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_INACTIVE);
+    ret = reset_key;
+    auto finalized = test_node->shutdown(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(finalized.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_FINALIZED);
+  }
+
+  // PRIMARY_STATE_ACTIVE to shutdown
+  {
+    auto ret = reset_key;
+    auto test_node = std::make_shared<EmptyLifecycleNode>("testnode");
+    auto configured = test_node->configure(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(configured.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_INACTIVE);
+    ret = reset_key;
+    auto activated = test_node->activate(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(activated.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_ACTIVE);
+    ret = reset_key;
+    auto finalized = test_node->shutdown(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(finalized.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_FINALIZED);
+  }
+
+  // PRIMARY_STATE_FINALIZED to shutdown
+  {
+    auto ret = reset_key;
+    auto test_node = std::make_shared<EmptyLifecycleNode>("testnode");
+    auto configured = test_node->configure(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(configured.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_INACTIVE);
+    ret = reset_key;
+    auto activated = test_node->activate(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(activated.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_ACTIVE);
+    ret = reset_key;
+    auto finalized = test_node->shutdown(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(finalized.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_FINALIZED);
+    ret = reset_key;
+    auto finalized_again = test_node->shutdown(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(reset_key, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(finalized_again.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_FINALIZED);
+  }
+}
+
+TEST_F(TestDefaultStateMachine, test_shutdown_on_dtor) {
+  auto success = rclcpp_lifecycle::node_interfaces::LifecycleNodeInterface::CallbackReturn::SUCCESS;
+  auto reset_key = rclcpp_lifecycle::node_interfaces::LifecycleNodeInterface::CallbackReturn::ERROR;
+
+  bool shutdown_cb_called = false;
+  auto on_shutdown_callback =
+    [&shutdown_cb_called](const rclcpp_lifecycle::State &) ->
+    rclcpp_lifecycle::node_interfaces::LifecycleNodeInterface::CallbackReturn {
+      shutdown_cb_called = true;
+      return rclcpp_lifecycle::node_interfaces::LifecycleNodeInterface::CallbackReturn::SUCCESS;
+    };
+
+  // PRIMARY_STATE_UNCONFIGURED to shutdown via dtor
+  shutdown_cb_called = false;
+  {
+    auto test_node = std::make_shared<rclcpp_lifecycle::LifecycleNode>("testnode");
+    test_node->register_on_shutdown(std::bind(on_shutdown_callback, std::placeholders::_1));
+    EXPECT_EQ(State::PRIMARY_STATE_UNCONFIGURED, test_node->get_current_state().id());
+    EXPECT_FALSE(shutdown_cb_called);
+  }
+  EXPECT_TRUE(shutdown_cb_called);
+
+  // PRIMARY_STATE_INACTIVE to shutdown via dtor
+  shutdown_cb_called = false;
+  {
+    auto ret = reset_key;
+    auto test_node = std::make_shared<rclcpp_lifecycle::LifecycleNode>("testnode");
+    test_node->register_on_shutdown(std::bind(on_shutdown_callback, std::placeholders::_1));
+    auto configured = test_node->configure(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(configured.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_INACTIVE);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(shutdown_cb_called);
+  }
+  EXPECT_TRUE(shutdown_cb_called);
+
+  // PRIMARY_STATE_ACTIVE to shutdown via dtor
+  shutdown_cb_called = false;
+  {
+    auto ret = reset_key;
+    auto test_node = std::make_shared<rclcpp_lifecycle::LifecycleNode>("testnode");
+    test_node->register_on_shutdown(std::bind(on_shutdown_callback, std::placeholders::_1));
+    auto configured = test_node->configure(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(configured.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_INACTIVE);
+    ret = reset_key;
+    auto activated = test_node->activate(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(activated.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_ACTIVE);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(shutdown_cb_called);
+  }
+  EXPECT_TRUE(shutdown_cb_called);
+
+  // PRIMARY_STATE_FINALIZED to shutdown via dtor
+  shutdown_cb_called = false;
+  {
+    auto ret = reset_key;
+    auto test_node = std::make_shared<rclcpp_lifecycle::LifecycleNode>("testnode");
+    test_node->register_on_shutdown(std::bind(on_shutdown_callback, std::placeholders::_1));
+    auto configured = test_node->configure(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(configured.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_INACTIVE);
+    ret = reset_key;
+    auto activated = test_node->activate(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(activated.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_ACTIVE);
+    ret = reset_key;
+    auto finalized = test_node->shutdown(ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(success, ret);
+    EXPECT_EQ(finalized.id(), State::PRIMARY_STATE_FINALIZED);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(shutdown_cb_called);  // should be called already
+  }
+  EXPECT_TRUE(shutdown_cb_called);
+}
+
 TEST_F(TestDefaultStateMachine, lifecycle_subscriber) {
   auto test_node = std::make_shared<MoodyLifecycleNode<GoodMood>>("testnode");