diff --git a/src/autoscale_poller.ts b/src/autoscale_poller.ts
index 3d5e6b2..0b4b5f2 100644
--- a/src/autoscale_poller.ts
+++ b/src/autoscale_poller.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ export default class AutoscalePoller {
      */
     async reportShutdown(): Promise<void> {
         try {
+            if (!this.shutdownUrl) {
+                throw('No shutdown URL configured');
+            }
             await this.asapRequest.postJson(this.shutdownUrl, this.instanceDetails);
         } catch (err) {
             logger.error('Error sending shutdown report', { err,
diff --git a/src/config.ts b/src/config.ts
index a36f140..c2088d6 100644
--- a/src/config.ts
+++ b/src/config.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ const env = envalid.cleanEnv(process.env, {
     ASAP_JWT_AUD: envalid.str({ default: 'jitsi-autoscaler' }),
     ENABLE_REPORT_STATS: envalid.bool({ default: false }),
     POLLING_URL: envalid.str(),
-    SHUTDOWN_URL: envalid.str(),
+    SHUTDOWN_URL: envalid.str({ default: '' }),
     STATUS_URL: envalid.str(),
     STATS_RETRIEVE_URL: envalid.str({ default: '' }),
     STATS_REPORT_URL: envalid.str({ default: '' }),