diff --git a/python/morpheus/morpheus/pipeline/pipeline.py b/python/morpheus/morpheus/pipeline/pipeline.py
index 117a57bbe6..6f719e4d54 100644
--- a/python/morpheus/morpheus/pipeline/pipeline.py
+++ b/python/morpheus/morpheus/pipeline/pipeline.py
@@ -19,16 +19,18 @@
 import sys
 import threading
 import typing
-from collections import OrderedDict, defaultdict
+from collections import OrderedDict
+from collections import defaultdict
 from enum import Enum
 from functools import partial
 
-import morpheus.pipeline as _pipeline  # pylint: disable=cyclic-import
 import mrc
 import networkx
+from tqdm import tqdm
+
+import morpheus.pipeline as _pipeline  # pylint: disable=cyclic-import
 from morpheus.config import Config
 from morpheus.utils.type_utils import pretty_print_type_name
-from tqdm import tqdm
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -89,8 +91,6 @@ def __init__(self, config: Config):
         # Future that allows post_start to propagate exceptions back to pipeline
         self._post_start_future: asyncio.Future = None
 
-        self.__exit_count = 0
-
     @property
     def state(self) -> PipelineState:
         return self._state
@@ -302,12 +302,7 @@ def build(self):
         exec_options.topology.user_cpuset = f"0-{self._num_threads - 1}"
         exec_options.engine_factories.default_engine_type = mrc.core.options.EngineType.Thread
 
-        def state_change_handler(state: mrc.State):
-            logger.debug("MRC Executor State change: %s", state)
-            if ((state == mrc.State.Stop and self.__exit_count == 0) or state == mrc.State.Kill):
-                self._shutdown_handler("MRC Executor stopped. Stopping pipeline... Press Ctrl+C to kill.")
-
-        self._mrc_executor = mrc.Executor(exec_options, state_change_handler)
+        self._mrc_executor = mrc.Executor(exec_options)
 
         mrc_pipeline = mrc.Pipeline()
 
@@ -370,19 +365,32 @@ async def _start(self):
         self._loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
 
         # Setup error handling and cancellation of the pipeline
-        def exception_handler(_, context: dict):
+        def error_handler(_, context: dict):
 
             msg = f"Unhandled exception in async loop! Exception: \n{context['message']}"
             exception = context.get("exception", Exception())
 
             logger.critical(msg, exc_info=exception)
 
-        self._loop.set_exception_handler(exception_handler)
+        self._loop.set_exception_handler(error_handler)
+
+        exit_count = 0
 
         # Handles Ctrl+C for graceful shutdown
-        shutdown_msg="Stopping pipeline. Please wait... Press Ctrl+C again to kill."
+        def term_signal():
+
+            nonlocal exit_count
+            exit_count = exit_count + 1
+
+            if (exit_count == 1):
+                tqdm.write("Stopping pipeline. Please wait... Press Ctrl+C again to kill.")
+                self.stop()
+            else:
+                tqdm.write("Killing")
+                sys.exit(1)
+
         for sig in [signal.SIGINT, signal.SIGTERM]:
-            self._loop.add_signal_handler(sig, partial(self._shutdown_handler, shutdown_msg=shutdown_msg))
+            self._loop.add_signal_handler(sig, term_signal)
 
         logger.info("====Starting Pipeline====")
 
@@ -432,16 +440,6 @@ def stop(self):
         logger.info("====Pipeline Stopped====")
         self._on_stop()
 
-    def _shutdown_handler(self, shutdown_msg: str):
-        self.__exit_count += 1
-
-        if (self.__exit_count == 1):
-            tqdm.write(shutdown_msg)
-            self.stop()
-        else:
-            tqdm.write("Killing")
-            sys.exit(1)
-
     async def join(self):
         """
         Wait until pipeline completes upon which join methods of sources and stages will be called.