diff --git a/wgengine/bench/wg.go b/wgengine/bench/wg.go
index 412799e15..f4275d674 100644
--- a/wgengine/bench/wg.go
+++ b/wgengine/bench/wg.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"io"
 	"log"
 	"os"
@@ -89,6 +90,9 @@ func setupWGTest(b *testing.B, logf logger.Logf, traf *TrafficGen, a1, a2 netadd
 
 	var e1waitDoneOnce sync.Once
 	e1.SetStatusCallback(func(st *wgengine.Status, err error) {
+		if errors.Is(err, wgengine.ErrEngineClosing) {
+			return
+		}
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatalf("e1 status err: %v", err)
 		}
@@ -124,6 +128,9 @@ func setupWGTest(b *testing.B, logf logger.Logf, traf *TrafficGen, a1, a2 netadd
 
 	var e2waitDoneOnce sync.Once
 	e2.SetStatusCallback(func(st *wgengine.Status, err error) {
+		if errors.Is(err, wgengine.ErrEngineClosing) {
+			return
+		}
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatalf("e2 status err: %v", err)
 		}
diff --git a/wgengine/userspace.go b/wgengine/userspace.go
index d90cb8533..4a7f56545 100644
--- a/wgengine/userspace.go
+++ b/wgengine/userspace.go
@@ -880,6 +880,8 @@ func (e *userspaceEngine) getStatusCallback() StatusCallback {
 
 var singleNewline = []byte{'\n'}
 
+var ErrEngineClosing = errors.New("engine closing; no status")
+
 func (e *userspaceEngine) getStatus() (*Status, error) {
 	// Grab derpConns before acquiring wgLock to not violate lock ordering;
 	// the DERPs method acquires magicsock.Conn.mu.
@@ -893,7 +895,7 @@ func (e *userspaceEngine) getStatus() (*Status, error) {
 	closing := e.closing
 	e.mu.Unlock()
 	if closing {
-		return nil, errors.New("engine closing; no status")
+		return nil, ErrEngineClosing
 	}
 
 	if e.wgdev == nil {