diff --git a/mycroft/skills/container.py b/mycroft/skills/container.py
index 85a8e5c92a..a4f34db431 100644
--- a/mycroft/skills/container.py
+++ b/mycroft/skills/container.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class SkillContainer(object):
 
     def stop(self):
         if self.skill:
-            self.skill.shutdown()
+            self.skill._shutdown()
 
 
 def main():
diff --git a/mycroft/skills/core.py b/mycroft/skills/core.py
index ab47e37217..5c39946b11 100644
--- a/mycroft/skills/core.py
+++ b/mycroft/skills/core.py
@@ -882,6 +882,11 @@ class MycroftSkill(object):
         process termination. The skill implementation must
         shutdown all processes and operations in execution.
         """
+        pass
+
+    def _shutdown(self):
+        """Parent function called internally to shut down everything"""
+        self.shutdown()
         # Store settings
         self.settings.store()
         self.settings.is_alive = False
@@ -1154,9 +1159,9 @@ class FallbackSkill(MycroftSkill):
             handler = self.instance_fallback_handlers.pop()
             self.remove_fallback(handler)
 
-    def shutdown(self):
+    def _shutdown(self):
         """
             Remove all registered handlers and perform skill shutdown.
         """
         self.remove_instance_handlers()
-        super(FallbackSkill, self).shutdown()
+        super(FallbackSkill, self)._shutdown()
diff --git a/mycroft/skills/main.py b/mycroft/skills/main.py
index e8345fb614..5c51d1b1da 100644
--- a/mycroft/skills/main.py
+++ b/mycroft/skills/main.py
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ class SkillManager(Thread):
             LOG.debug("Reloading Skill: " + skill_folder)
             # removing listeners and stopping threads
             try:
-                skill["instance"].shutdown()
+                skill["instance"]._shutdown()
             except Exception:
                 LOG.exception("An error occured while shutting down {}"
                               .format(skill["instance"].name))
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ class SkillManager(Thread):
             instance = skill_info.get('instance')
             if instance:
                 try:
-                    instance.shutdown()
+                    instance._shutdown()
                 except Exception:
                     LOG.exception('Shutting down skill: ' + name)
 
diff --git a/test/integrationtests/skills/skill_tester.py b/test/integrationtests/skills/skill_tester.py
index 6aeb8f316d..33ab776acb 100644
--- a/test/integrationtests/skills/skill_tester.py
+++ b/test/integrationtests/skills/skill_tester.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def load_skills(emitter, skills_root):
 
 def unload_skills(skills):
     for s in skills:
-        s.shutdown()
+        s._shutdown()
 
 
 class RegistrationOnlyEmitter(object):