diff --git a/consensus/src/consensus/mod.rs b/consensus/src/consensus/mod.rs
index 03b51e394..16b72e917 100644
--- a/consensus/src/consensus/mod.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/consensus/mod.rs
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ impl Consensus {
     }
 
     pub fn signal_exit(&self) {
-        self.is_consensus_exiting.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
+        self.is_consensus_exiting.store(true, Ordering::Relaxed);
         self.block_sender.send(BlockProcessingMessage::Exit).unwrap();
     }
 
diff --git a/consensus/src/pipeline/pruning_processor/processor.rs b/consensus/src/pipeline/pruning_processor/processor.rs
index 3a04b489d..fe3d2a15d 100644
--- a/consensus/src/pipeline/pruning_processor/processor.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/pipeline/pruning_processor/processor.rs
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ impl PruningProcessor {
             if lock_acquire_time.elapsed() > Duration::from_millis(5) {
                 drop(reachability_read);
                 // An exit signal was received. Exit from this long running process.
-                if self.is_consensus_exiting.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
+                if self.is_consensus_exiting.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
                     drop(prune_guard);
                     info!("Header and Block pruning interrupted: Process is exiting");
                     return;
diff --git a/consensus/src/processes/pruning_proof/mod.rs b/consensus/src/processes/pruning_proof/mod.rs
index e7f703c6a..a31c3d2d4 100644
--- a/consensus/src/processes/pruning_proof/mod.rs
+++ b/consensus/src/processes/pruning_proof/mod.rs
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ impl PruningProofManager {
         let mut selected_tip_by_level = vec![None; self.max_block_level as usize + 1];
         for level in (0..=self.max_block_level).rev() {
             // Before processing this level, check if the process is exiting so we can end early
-            if self.is_consensus_exiting.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
+            if self.is_consensus_exiting.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
                 return Err(PruningImportError::PruningValidationInterrupted);
             }