diff --git a/nomad/volumewatcher/volume_watcher.go b/nomad/volumewatcher/volume_watcher.go
index efa54e78c..6579564d6 100644
--- a/nomad/volumewatcher/volume_watcher.go
+++ b/nomad/volumewatcher/volume_watcher.go
@@ -124,6 +124,9 @@ func (vw *volumeWatcher) watch() {
 				}
 				vw.volumeReap(vol)
 			}
+		default:
+			vw.Stop() // no pending work
+			return
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/nomad/volumewatcher/volumes_watcher_test.go b/nomad/volumewatcher/volumes_watcher_test.go
index 4236068a8..3d00fa13b 100644
--- a/nomad/volumewatcher/volumes_watcher_test.go
+++ b/nomad/volumewatcher/volumes_watcher_test.go
@@ -92,10 +92,9 @@ func TestVolumeWatch_Checkpoint(t *testing.T) {
 	// step-up again
 	watcher.SetEnabled(true, srv.State())
 	require.Eventually(func() bool {
-		return 1 == len(watcher.watchers)
+		return 1 == len(watcher.watchers) &&
+			!watcher.watchers[vol.ID+vol.Namespace].isRunning()
 	}, time.Second, 10*time.Millisecond)
-
-	require.True(watcher.watchers[vol.ID+vol.Namespace].isRunning())
 }
 
 // TestVolumeWatch_StartStop tests the start and stop of the watcher when
@@ -123,33 +122,33 @@ func TestVolumeWatch_StartStop(t *testing.T) {
 
 	plugin := mock.CSIPlugin()
 	node := testNode(nil, plugin, srv.State())
-	alloc := mock.Alloc()
-	alloc.ClientStatus = structs.AllocClientStatusRunning
+	alloc1 := mock.Alloc()
+	alloc1.ClientStatus = structs.AllocClientStatusRunning
 	alloc2 := mock.Alloc()
-	alloc2.Job = alloc.Job
+	alloc2.Job = alloc1.Job
 	alloc2.ClientStatus = structs.AllocClientStatusRunning
 	index++
-	err := srv.State().UpsertJob(index, alloc.Job)
+	err := srv.State().UpsertJob(index, alloc1.Job)
 	require.NoError(err)
 	index++
-	err = srv.State().UpsertAllocs(index, []*structs.Allocation{alloc, alloc2})
+	err = srv.State().UpsertAllocs(index, []*structs.Allocation{alloc1, alloc2})
 	require.NoError(err)
 
 	// register a volume
-	vol := testVolume(nil, plugin, alloc, node.ID)
+	vol := testVolume(nil, plugin, alloc1, node.ID)
 	index++
 	err = srv.State().CSIVolumeRegister(index, []*structs.CSIVolume{vol})
 	require.NoError(err)
 
-	// assert we get a running watcher
+	// assert we get a watcher; there are no claims so it should immediately stop
 	require.Eventually(func() bool {
-		return 1 == len(watcher.watchers)
-	}, time.Second, 10*time.Millisecond)
-	require.True(watcher.watchers[vol.ID+vol.Namespace].isRunning())
+		return 1 == len(watcher.watchers) &&
+			!watcher.watchers[vol.ID+vol.Namespace].isRunning()
+	}, time.Second*2, 10*time.Millisecond)
 
 	// claim the volume for both allocs
 	claim := &structs.CSIVolumeClaim{
-		AllocationID: alloc.ID,
+		AllocationID: alloc1.ID,
 		NodeID:       node.ID,
 		Mode:         structs.CSIVolumeClaimRead,
 	}
@@ -163,33 +162,38 @@ func TestVolumeWatch_StartStop(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// reap the volume and assert nothing has happened
 	claim = &structs.CSIVolumeClaim{
-		AllocationID: alloc.ID,
+		AllocationID: alloc1.ID,
 		NodeID:       node.ID,
 		Mode:         structs.CSIVolumeClaimRelease,
 	}
 	index++
 	err = srv.State().CSIVolumeClaim(index, vol.Namespace, vol.ID, claim)
 	require.NoError(err)
-	require.True(watcher.watchers[vol.ID+vol.Namespace].isRunning())
+
+	ws := memdb.NewWatchSet()
+	vol, _ = srv.State().CSIVolumeByID(ws, vol.Namespace, vol.ID)
+	require.Equal(2, len(vol.ReadAllocs))
 
 	// alloc becomes terminal
-	alloc.ClientStatus = structs.AllocClientStatusComplete
+	alloc1.ClientStatus = structs.AllocClientStatusComplete
 	index++
-	err = srv.State().UpsertAllocs(index, []*structs.Allocation{alloc})
+	err = srv.State().UpsertAllocs(index, []*structs.Allocation{alloc1})
 	require.NoError(err)
 	index++
 	claim.State = structs.CSIVolumeClaimStateReadyToFree
 	err = srv.State().CSIVolumeClaim(index, vol.Namespace, vol.ID, claim)
 	require.NoError(err)
 
-	// 1 claim has been released but watcher is still running
+	// 1 claim has been released and watcher stops
 	require.Eventually(func() bool {
 		ws := memdb.NewWatchSet()
 		vol, _ := srv.State().CSIVolumeByID(ws, vol.Namespace, vol.ID)
 		return len(vol.ReadAllocs) == 1 && len(vol.PastClaims) == 0
 	}, time.Second*2, 10*time.Millisecond)
 
-	require.True(watcher.watchers[vol.ID+vol.Namespace].isRunning())
+	require.Eventually(func() bool {
+		return !watcher.watchers[vol.ID+vol.Namespace].isRunning()
+	}, time.Second*5, 10*time.Millisecond)
 
 	// the watcher will have incremented the index so we need to make sure
 	// our inserts will trigger new events
@@ -209,16 +213,16 @@ func TestVolumeWatch_StartStop(t *testing.T) {
 	err = srv.State().CSIVolumeClaim(index, vol.Namespace, vol.ID, claim)
 	require.NoError(err)
 
-	// all claims have been released and watcher is stopped
+	// all claims have been released and watcher has stopped again
 	require.Eventually(func() bool {
 		ws := memdb.NewWatchSet()
 		vol, _ := srv.State().CSIVolumeByID(ws, vol.Namespace, vol.ID)
-		return len(vol.ReadAllocs) == 1 && len(vol.PastClaims) == 0
+		return len(vol.ReadAllocs) == 0 && len(vol.PastClaims) == 0
 	}, time.Second*2, 10*time.Millisecond)
 
 	require.Eventually(func() bool {
 		return !watcher.watchers[vol.ID+vol.Namespace].isRunning()
-	}, time.Second*1, 10*time.Millisecond)
+	}, time.Second*5, 10*time.Millisecond)
 
 	// the watcher will have incremented the index so we need to make sure
 	// our inserts will trigger new events
@@ -242,7 +246,7 @@ func TestVolumeWatch_StartStop(t *testing.T) {
 	// a stopped watcher should restore itself on notification
 	require.Eventually(func() bool {
 		return watcher.watchers[vol.ID+vol.Namespace].isRunning()
-	}, time.Second*1, 10*time.Millisecond)
+	}, time.Second*5, 10*time.Millisecond)
 }
 
 // TestVolumeWatch_RegisterDeregister tests the start and stop of