diff --git a/src/lib/memory/shard_manager.cpp b/src/lib/memory/shard_manager.cpp
index 9f389532..60f56242 100644
--- a/src/lib/memory/shard_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/memory/shard_manager.cpp
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ ShardManager::Result< ShardInfo > MemoryHomeObject::_create_shard(pg_id pg_owner
 ShardManager::Result< ShardInfo > MemoryHomeObject::_seal_shard(shard_id id) {
     auto lg = std::scoped_lock(_shard_lock);
     auto shard_it = _shard_map.find(id);
-    if (_shard_map.end() == shard_it) return folly::makeUnexpected(ShardError::UNKNOWN_SHARD);
+    RELEASE_ASSERT(_shard_map.end() != shard_it, "Missing ShardIterator!");
     auto& shard_info = (*shard_it->second).info;
     shard_info.state = ShardInfo::State::SEALED;
-    return shard_info;    
+    return shard_info;
 }
 
 } // namespace homeobject
diff --git a/src/lib/memory/tests/ShardManagerTest.cpp b/src/lib/memory/tests/ShardManagerTest.cpp
index 9bfc9fe1..f2b1f8ef 100644
--- a/src/lib/memory/tests/ShardManagerTest.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/memory/tests/ShardManagerTest.cpp
@@ -117,13 +117,15 @@ TEST_F(ShardManagerFixtureWShard, SealShardNoShard) {
 }
 
 TEST_F(ShardManagerFixtureWShard, SealShard) {
-    auto e = m_memory_homeobj->shard_manager()->seal_shard(_shard.id).get();
-    ASSERT_TRUE(!!e);
-    e.then([this](auto const& info) {
-        EXPECT_TRUE(info.id == _shard.id);
-        EXPECT_TRUE(info.placement_group == _shard.placement_group);
-        EXPECT_EQ(info.state, ShardInfo::State::SEALED);
-    });
+    for (auto i = 0; 2 > i; ++i) {
+        auto e = m_memory_homeobj->shard_manager()->seal_shard(_shard.id).get();
+        ASSERT_TRUE(!!e);
+        e.then([this](auto const& info) {
+            EXPECT_TRUE(info.id == _shard.id);
+            EXPECT_TRUE(info.placement_group == _shard.placement_group);
+            EXPECT_EQ(info.state, ShardInfo::State::SEALED);
+        });
+    }
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
diff --git a/src/lib/shard_manager.cpp b/src/lib/shard_manager.cpp
index d83593a6..79d3fb3f 100644
--- a/src/lib/shard_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/shard_manager.cpp
@@ -31,8 +31,11 @@ ShardManager::AsyncResult< InfoList > HomeObjectImpl::list_shards(pg_id pg) cons
 }
 
 ShardManager::AsyncResult< ShardInfo > HomeObjectImpl::seal_shard(shard_id id) {
-    return _defer().thenValue(
-        [this, id](auto) mutable -> ShardManager::Result< ShardInfo > { return _seal_shard(id); });
+    return _get_shard(id).thenValue([this](auto const e) mutable -> ShardManager::Result< ShardInfo > {
+        if (!e) return folly::makeUnexpected(ShardError::UNKNOWN_SHARD);
+        if (ShardInfo::State::SEALED == e.value().info.state) return e.value().info;
+        return _seal_shard(e.value().info.id);
+    });
 }