diff --git a/http/base/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/http/base/internal/service/HttpServiceFactory.java b/http/base/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/http/base/internal/service/HttpServiceFactory.java
index 69790d3..5bf81b7 100644
--- a/http/base/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/http/base/internal/service/HttpServiceFactory.java
+++ b/http/base/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/http/base/internal/service/HttpServiceFactory.java
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
     /** Compatibility property with previous versions. */
     private static final String OBSOLETE_REG_PROPERTY_ENDPOINTS = "osgi.http.service.endpoints";
 
+    private volatile boolean active = false;
     private final BundleContext bundleContext;
     private final boolean sharedContextAttributes;
 
@@ -111,10 +112,14 @@
 
         final String[] ifaces = new String[] { HttpService.class.getName(), ExtHttpService.class.getName() };
         this.httpServiceReg = bundleContext.registerService(ifaces, this, this.httpServiceProps);
+
+        this.active = true;
     }
 
     public void stop()
     {
+        this.active = false;
+
         if ( this.httpServiceReg != null )
         {
             this.httpServiceReg.unregister();
@@ -134,8 +139,7 @@
     @Override
     public HttpService getService(final Bundle bundle, final ServiceRegistration<HttpService> reg)
     {
-        final ServletContext servletContext = this.context;
-        if ( servletContext != null ) {
+        if ( active ) {
             return new PerBundleHttpServiceImpl(bundle,
                     this.sharedHttpService,
                     this.context,
diff --git a/http/base/src/test/java/org/apache/felix/http/base/internal/service/HttpServiceFactoryTest.java b/http/base/src/test/java/org/apache/felix/http/base/internal/service/HttpServiceFactoryTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a2a66fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/http/base/src/test/java/org/apache/felix/http/base/internal/service/HttpServiceFactoryTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information
+ * regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+ * to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ * with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+package org.apache.felix.http.base.internal.service;
+
+import javax.servlet.ServletContext;
+
+import org.apache.felix.http.base.internal.registry.HandlerRegistry;
+import org.junit.Assert;
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.mockito.Mockito;
+import org.mockito.invocation.InvocationOnMock;
+import org.mockito.stubbing.Answer;
+import org.osgi.framework.Bundle;
+import org.osgi.framework.BundleContext;
+import org.osgi.framework.Filter;
+import org.osgi.framework.FrameworkUtil;
+import org.osgi.service.http.HttpService;
+
+public class HttpServiceFactoryTest {
+    @Test
+    public void testGetServiceActiveInActive() throws Exception {
+        BundleContext bc = Mockito.mock(BundleContext.class);
+        Mockito.when(bc.createFilter(Mockito.anyString())).then(new Answer<Filter>() {
+            @Override
+            public Filter answer(InvocationOnMock invocation) throws Throwable {
+                return FrameworkUtil.createFilter((String) invocation.getArguments()[0]);
+            }
+        });
+        HttpServiceFactory hsf = new HttpServiceFactory(bc, new HandlerRegistry());
+
+        Assert.assertNull("Not yet active",
+                hsf.getService(Mockito.mock(Bundle.class), null));
+
+        ServletContext sctx = Mockito.mock(ServletContext.class);
+        hsf.start(sctx);
+        HttpService svc = hsf.getService(Mockito.mock(Bundle.class), null);
+        Assert.assertNotNull(svc);
+
+        hsf.stop();
+        Assert.assertNull("Not active any more",
+                hsf.getService(Mockito.mock(Bundle.class), null));
+    }
+}