diff --git a/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/graph_listener.hpp b/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/graph_listener.hpp
index 901ba46..2adbad4 100644
--- a/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/graph_listener.hpp
+++ b/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/graph_listener.hpp
@@ -177,7 +177,6 @@ private:
   std::vector<rclcpp::node_interfaces::NodeGraphInterface *> node_graph_interfaces_;
 
   rcl_guard_condition_t interrupt_guard_condition_ = rcl_get_zero_initialized_guard_condition();
-  std::shared_ptr<rcl_context_t> interrupt_guard_condition_context_;
   rcl_guard_condition_t * shutdown_guard_condition_;
   rcl_wait_set_t wait_set_ = rcl_get_zero_initialized_wait_set();
 };
diff --git a/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/graph_listener.cpp b/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/graph_listener.cpp
index 2936932..5c5407a 100644
--- a/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/graph_listener.cpp
+++ b/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/graph_listener.cpp
@@ -39,17 +39,15 @@ GraphListener::GraphListener(std::shared_ptr<rclcpp::Context> parent_context)
 : parent_context_(parent_context),
   is_started_(false),
   is_shutdown_(false),
-  interrupt_guard_condition_context_(nullptr),
   shutdown_guard_condition_(nullptr)
 {
   // TODO(wjwwood): make a guard condition class in rclcpp so this can be tracked
   //   automatically with the rcl guard condition
   // hold on to this context to prevent it from going out of scope while this
   // guard condition is using it.
-  interrupt_guard_condition_context_ = parent_context->get_rcl_context();
   rcl_ret_t ret = rcl_guard_condition_init(
     &interrupt_guard_condition_,
-    interrupt_guard_condition_context_.get(),
+    parent_context->get_rcl_context().get(),
     rcl_guard_condition_get_default_options());
   if (RCL_RET_OK != ret) {
     throw_from_rcl_error(ret, "failed to create interrupt guard condition");
@@ -72,6 +70,10 @@ GraphListener::start_if_not_started()
   }
   if (!is_started_) {
     // Initialize the wait set before starting.
+    auto parent_context = parent_context_.lock();
+    if (!parent_context) {
+      throw std::runtime_error("parent context was destroyed");
+    }
     rcl_ret_t ret = rcl_wait_set_init(
       &wait_set_,
       0,  // number_of_subscriptions
@@ -80,7 +82,7 @@ GraphListener::start_if_not_started()
       0,  // number_of_clients
       0,  // number_of_services
       0,  // number_of_events
-      interrupt_guard_condition_context_.get(),
+      parent_context->get_rcl_context().get(),
       rcl_get_default_allocator());
     if (RCL_RET_OK != ret) {
       throw_from_rcl_error(ret, "failed to initialize wait set");
@@ -141,6 +143,13 @@ GraphListener::run_loop()
     }
     // This lock is released when the loop continues or exits.
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> nodes_lock(node_graph_interfaces_mutex_, std::adopt_lock);
+    // Ensure that the context doesn't go out of scope.
+    auto parent_context = parent_context_.lock();
+    if (!parent_context) {
+      // The parent context may be destroyed before this loop is stopped.
+      // In that case, the loop is broken and the function just returns silently.
+      return;
+    }
 
     // Resize the wait set if necessary.
     const size_t node_graph_interfaces_size = node_graph_interfaces_.size();
@@ -350,7 +359,6 @@ GraphListener::__shutdown(bool should_throw)
       listener_thread_.join();
     }
     rcl_ret_t ret = rcl_guard_condition_fini(&interrupt_guard_condition_);
-    interrupt_guard_condition_context_.reset();  // release context guard condition was using
     if (RCL_RET_OK != ret) {
       throw_from_rcl_error(ret, "failed to finalize interrupt guard condition");
     }