diff --git a/controller/internal/controller/lease_controller_test.go b/controller/internal/controller/lease_controller_test.go
index 42b6d035e..99d6936d5 100755
--- a/controller/internal/controller/lease_controller_test.go
+++ b/controller/internal/controller/lease_controller_test.go
@@ -1947,3 +1947,86 @@ var _ = Describe("Scheduled Leases", func() {
 		})
 	})
 })
+
+var _ = Describe("filterOutNotReadyExporters", func() {
+	makeExporter := func(name string, status string) ApprovedExporter {
+		return ApprovedExporter{
+			Policy: jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.Policy{Priority: 0},
+			Exporter: jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.Exporter{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      name,
+					Namespace: "default",
+				},
+				Status: jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.ExporterStatus{
+					ExporterStatusValue: status,
+				},
+			},
+		}
+	}
+
+	When("all exporters are in hook-failed states", func() {
+		It("should exclude them all", func() {
+			exporters := []ApprovedExporter{
+				makeExporter("exp-before-failed", jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.ExporterStatusBeforeLeaseHookFailed),
+				makeExporter("exp-after-failed", jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.ExporterStatusAfterLeaseHookFailed),
+			}
+
+			result := filterOutNotReadyExporters(exporters)
+			Expect(result).To(BeEmpty())
+		})
+	})
+
+	When("exporters are in Offline status", func() {
+		It("should exclude them", func() {
+			exporters := []ApprovedExporter{
+				makeExporter("exp-offline", jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.ExporterStatusOffline),
+			}
+
+			result := filterOutNotReadyExporters(exporters)
+			Expect(result).To(BeEmpty())
+		})
+	})
+
+	When("exporters are in mixed states", func() {
+		It("should only keep Available and unset exporters", func() {
+			exporters := []ApprovedExporter{
+				makeExporter("exp-available", jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.ExporterStatusAvailable),
+				makeExporter("exp-unset", ""),
+				makeExporter("exp-unspecified", jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.ExporterStatusUnspecified),
+				makeExporter("exp-offline", jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.ExporterStatusOffline),
+				makeExporter("exp-before-hook", jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.ExporterStatusBeforeLeaseHook),
+				makeExporter("exp-after-hook", jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.ExporterStatusAfterLeaseHook),
+				makeExporter("exp-before-failed", jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.ExporterStatusBeforeLeaseHookFailed),
+				makeExporter("exp-after-failed", jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.ExporterStatusAfterLeaseHookFailed),
+			}
+
+			result := filterOutNotReadyExporters(exporters)
+			Expect(result).To(HaveLen(3))
+
+			names := make([]string, len(result))
+			for i, ae := range result {
+				names[i] = ae.Exporter.Name
+			}
+			Expect(names).To(ConsistOf("exp-available", "exp-unset", "exp-unspecified"))
+		})
+	})
+
+	When("all exporters are Available", func() {
+		It("should keep them all", func() {
+			exporters := []ApprovedExporter{
+				makeExporter("exp1", jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.ExporterStatusAvailable),
+				makeExporter("exp2", jumpstarterdevv1alpha1.ExporterStatusAvailable),
+			}
+
+			result := filterOutNotReadyExporters(exporters)
+			Expect(result).To(HaveLen(2))
+		})
+	})
+
+	When("input is empty", func() {
+		It("should return empty", func() {
+			result := filterOutNotReadyExporters([]ApprovedExporter{})
+			Expect(result).To(BeEmpty())
+		})
+	})
+})
diff --git a/python/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/exporter/exporter_test.py b/python/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/exporter/exporter_test.py
index a25c496e2..31041c7d6 100644
--- a/python/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/exporter/exporter_test.py
+++ b/python/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/exporter/exporter_test.py
@@ -391,6 +391,59 @@ async def test_finally_sets_before_lease_hook_on_early_cancel(self):
         )
 
 
+class TestStopRequestedGuard:
+    async def test_cleanup_does_not_report_available_when_stop_requested_with_skip(self):
+        """When _stop_requested is True and skip_after_lease_hook is True,
+        _cleanup_after_lease must NOT report AVAILABLE. This prevents the
+        controller from assigning new leases to a dying exporter (issue #245)."""
+        lease_ctx = make_lease_context()
+        lease_ctx.before_lease_hook.set()
+        lease_ctx.skip_after_lease_hook = True
+
+        statuses = []
+
+        async def track_status(status, message=""):
+            statuses.append(status)
+
+        exporter = make_exporter(lease_ctx)
+        exporter._stop_requested = True
+        exporter._report_status = AsyncMock(side_effect=track_status)
+
+        await exporter._cleanup_after_lease(lease_ctx)
+
+        available_statuses = [s for s in statuses if s == ExporterStatus.AVAILABLE]
+        assert len(available_statuses) == 0, (
+            f"AVAILABLE must NOT be reported when _stop_requested is True, "
+            f"got statuses: {statuses}"
+        )
+        assert lease_ctx.after_lease_hook_done.is_set()
+
+    async def test_cleanup_does_not_report_available_when_stop_requested_no_hooks(self):
+        """When _stop_requested is True and no hook executor is configured,
+        _cleanup_after_lease must NOT report AVAILABLE. Even without hooks,
+        the _stop_requested guard prevents AVAILABLE during shutdown."""
+        lease_ctx = make_lease_context()
+        lease_ctx.before_lease_hook.set()
+
+        statuses = []
+
+        async def track_status(status, message=""):
+            statuses.append(status)
+
+        exporter = make_exporter(lease_ctx, hook_executor=None)
+        exporter._stop_requested = True
+        exporter._report_status = AsyncMock(side_effect=track_status)
+
+        await exporter._cleanup_after_lease(lease_ctx)
+
+        available_statuses = [s for s in statuses if s == ExporterStatus.AVAILABLE]
+        assert len(available_statuses) == 0, (
+            f"AVAILABLE must NOT be reported when _stop_requested is True "
+            f"(no hooks), got statuses: {statuses}"
+        )
+        assert lease_ctx.after_lease_hook_done.is_set()
+
+
 class TestIdempotentLeaseEnd:
     async def test_duplicate_cleanup_is_noop(self):
         """Calling _cleanup_after_lease twice for the same LeaseContext