diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/fate/zookeeper/ServiceLock.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/fate/zookeeper/ServiceLock.java
index ea963f9ec88..bb9ab5183c9 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/fate/zookeeper/ServiceLock.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/core/fate/zookeeper/ServiceLock.java
@@ -745,7 +745,7 @@ public static void deleteLocks(ZooReaderWriter zk, String zPath,
 
     List<String> servers = zk.getChildren(zPath);
     if (servers.isEmpty()) {
-      throw new IllegalStateException("No server locks are held at " + zPath);
+      return;
     }
 
     for (String server : servers) {
@@ -771,7 +771,7 @@ public static void deleteScanServerLocks(ZooReaderWriter zk, String zPath,
 
     List<String> servers = zk.getChildren(zPath);
     if (servers.isEmpty()) {
-      throw new IllegalStateException("No server locks are held at " + zPath);
+      return;
     }
 
     ZooKeeper z = zk.getZooKeeper();