--- old/src/hotspot/share/runtime/thread.cpp	2018-03-23 15:32:33.000000000 -0400
+++ new/src/hotspot/share/runtime/thread.cpp	2018-03-23 15:32:33.000000000 -0400
@@ -2392,11 +2392,13 @@
 }
 
 #ifdef ASSERT
-// verify the JavaThread has not yet been published in the Threads::list, and
-// hence doesn't need protection from concurrent access at this stage
+// Verify the JavaThread has not yet been published in the Threads::list, and
+// hence doesn't need protection from concurrent access at this stage.
 void JavaThread::verify_not_published() {
-  ThreadsListHandle tlh;
-  assert(!tlh.includes(this), "JavaThread shouldn't have been published yet!");
+  // Cannot create a ThreadsListHandle here and check !tlh.includes(this)
+  // since an unpublished JavaThread doesn't participate in the
+  // Thread-SMR protocol for keeping a ThreadsList alive.
+  assert(!on_thread_list(), "JavaThread shouldn't have been published yet!");
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -4254,7 +4256,13 @@
     VMThread::destroy();
   }
 
-  // clean up ideal graph printers
+  // Remember the Thread that is shutting down the VM because it needs
+  // to be immune to some of the sanity checks and policies that have
+  // to happen at VM shutdown time.
+  VM_Exit::set_shutdown_thread(thread);
+
+  // Clean up ideal graph printers after the VMThread has started
+  // the final safepoint which will block all the Compiler threads.
 #if defined(COMPILER2) && !defined(PRODUCT)
   IdealGraphPrinter::clean_up();
 #endif