diff --git a/py/api/annotations.py b/py/api/annotations.py
index ad602b4..8c799ff 100644
--- a/py/api/annotations.py
+++ b/py/api/annotations.py
@@ -284,14 +284,16 @@ class AnnotationRoutesMixin:
         if store is not None:
             store.invalidate_all()
 
-    def close_annotation_captures(self) -> None:
+    def close_annotation_captures(self, *, final: bool = False) -> None:
         """Remove every capture file and the owned directory. Idempotent.
 
-        Taken under the store lock, and final: ``_capture_store`` refuses to
-        create another store afterwards.
+        Taken under the store lock. ``final`` (the shutdown cleanup) also makes
+        ``_capture_store`` refuse to create another store, so a recording
+        still in flight cannot leak a new temp directory after it.
         """
         with _CAPTURE_STORE_LOCK:
-            self._captures_closed = True
+            if final:
+                self._captures_closed = True
             unsubscribe, self._captures_unsubscribe = self._captures_unsubscribe, None
             store, self._captures = self._captures, None
         if unsubscribe is not None:
@@ -300,7 +302,7 @@ class AnnotationRoutesMixin:
             store.close()
 
     async def cleanup_annotation_captures(self, app: web.Application) -> None:
-        self.close_annotation_captures()
+        self.close_annotation_captures(final=True)
 
     # -- shared request steps --------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -346,7 +348,10 @@ class AnnotationRoutesMixin:
         root, error = self._scoped_root(index, scope)
         if error is not None:
             return error
-        store = self._capture_store()
+        try:
+            store = self._capture_store()
+        except CaptureError as exc:  # the server is shutting down
+            return _capture_error(exc)
         try:
             epoch = await self._run_in_executor(self.db.get_execution_epoch)
             capture = await _settled(
diff --git a/tests/test_api_annotations.py b/tests/test_api_annotations.py
index e59a65f..6476ea7 100644
--- a/tests/test_api_annotations.py
+++ b/tests/test_api_annotations.py
@@ -1045,7 +1045,15 @@ class TestFailures(AnnotationAPITestCase):
         await self.api.cleanup_annotation_captures(None)
         self.assertFalse(os.path.exists(directory))
         self.assertNotIn(identity, observers._restore_observers)
-        # A later observation starts a fresh store.
+        # The shutdown cleanup is final: a later observation (or a monitor
+        # recording still in flight) creates no new store or directory.
+        status, body = await self.observe({"target": self.target("sub/a.png")})
+        self.assertEqual((status, body["code"]), (500, "capture-error"), body)
+        self.assertIsNone(self.api._captures)
+        self.assertNotIn(identity, observers._restore_observers)
+        # An explicit, non-final close still lets a later observation start
+        # a fresh store (the tests' own store swaps rely on it).
+        self.api._captures_closed = False
         await self.observe_ok()
         self.assertNotEqual(self.api._captures.directory, directory)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_review.py b/tests/test_review.py
index 16ebf6a..bcafb50 100644
--- a/tests/test_review.py
+++ b/tests/test_review.py
@@ -901,7 +901,7 @@ class TestCaptureStoreShutdown(ReviewTestCase):
         self._roots()
         path = self.output_dir / "two.png"
         write_png(path, prompt=ambiguous_graph("cat", "dog"))
-        self.api.close_annotation_captures()
+        await self.api.cleanup_annotation_captures(None)  # the shutdown hook
         self.assertIsNone(self.api._captures)
         with patch("utils.media_capture.tempfile.mkdtemp") as mkdtemp:
             with self.assertRaises(CaptureError):