diff --git a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/DelayedClientTransport.java b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/DelayedClientTransport.java
index c3d1aeee78..c628c3d029 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/DelayedClientTransport.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/DelayedClientTransport.java
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ import io.grpc.Status;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
-import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.LinkedHashSet;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executor;
 import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
@@ -65,9 +64,6 @@ final class DelayedClientTransport implements ManagedClientTransport {
   @GuardedBy("lock")
   private Collection<PendingStream> pendingStreams = new LinkedHashSet<PendingStream>();
 
-  @GuardedBy("lock")
-  private Collection<ClientStream> uncommittedRetriableStreams = new HashSet<ClientStream>();
-
   /**
    * When {@code shutdownStatus != null && !hasPendingStreams()}, then the transport is considered
    * terminated.
@@ -243,23 +239,16 @@ final class DelayedClientTransport implements ManagedClientTransport {
     Runnable savedReportTransportTerminated;
     synchronized (lock) {
       savedPendingStreams = pendingStreams;
-      savedUncommittedRetriableStreams = uncommittedRetriableStreams;
       savedReportTransportTerminated = reportTransportTerminated;
       reportTransportTerminated = null;
       if (!pendingStreams.isEmpty()) {
         pendingStreams = Collections.<PendingStream>emptyList();
       }
-      if (!uncommittedRetriableStreams.isEmpty()) {
-        uncommittedRetriableStreams = Collections.<ClientStream>emptyList();
-      }
     }
     if (savedReportTransportTerminated != null) {
       for (PendingStream stream : savedPendingStreams) {
         stream.cancel(status);
       }
-      for (ClientStream stream : savedUncommittedRetriableStreams) {
-        stream.cancel(status);
-      }
       channelExecutor.executeLater(savedReportTransportTerminated).drain();
     }
     // If savedReportTransportTerminated == null, transportTerminated() has already been called in
@@ -268,49 +257,14 @@ final class DelayedClientTransport implements ManagedClientTransport {
 
   public final boolean hasPendingStreams() {
     synchronized (lock) {
-      return !pendingStreams.isEmpty() || !uncommittedRetriableStreams.isEmpty();
+      return !pendingStreams.isEmpty();
     }
   }
 
   @VisibleForTesting
   final int getPendingStreamsCount() {
     synchronized (lock) {
-      return pendingStreams.size() + uncommittedRetriableStreams.size();
-    }
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Registers a RetriableStream and return null if not shutdown, otherwise just returns the
-   * shutdown Status.
-   */
-  @Nullable
-  final Status addUncommittedRetriableStream(RetriableStream<?> retriableStream) {
-    synchronized (lock) {
-      if (shutdownStatus != null) {
-        return shutdownStatus;
-      }
-      uncommittedRetriableStreams.add(retriableStream);
-      if (getPendingStreamsCount() == 1) {
-        channelExecutor.executeLater(reportTransportInUse);
-      }
-      return null;
-    }
-  }
-
-  final void removeUncommittedRetriableStream(RetriableStream<?> retriableStream) {
-    synchronized (lock) {
-      uncommittedRetriableStreams.remove(retriableStream);
-      if (!hasPendingStreams()) {
-        channelExecutor.executeLater(reportTransportNotInUse);
-        if (shutdownStatus != null && reportTransportTerminated != null) {
-          channelExecutor.executeLater(reportTransportTerminated);
-          reportTransportTerminated = null;
-        } else {
-          // Because delayed transport is long-lived, we take this opportunity to down-size the
-          // hashmap.
-          uncommittedRetriableStreams = new HashSet<ClientStream>();
-        }
-      }
+      return pendingStreams.size();
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/ManagedChannelImpl.java b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/ManagedChannelImpl.java
index 4458dd6c2b..215d1a6c3a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/ManagedChannelImpl.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/io/grpc/internal/ManagedChannelImpl.java
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ import java.lang.ref.SoftReference;
 import java.lang.ref.WeakReference;
 import java.net.URI;
 import java.net.URISyntaxException;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Set;
@@ -162,6 +164,8 @@ public final class ManagedChannelImpl extends ManagedChannel {
 
   // reprocess() must be run from channelExecutor
   private final DelayedClientTransport delayedTransport;
+  private final UncommittedRetriableStreamsRegistry uncommittedRetriableStreamsRegistry
+      = new UncommittedRetriableStreamsRegistry();
 
   // Shutdown states.
   //
@@ -412,12 +416,12 @@ public final class ManagedChannelImpl extends ManagedChannel {
       return new RetriableStream<ReqT>(method) {
         @Override
         Status prestart() {
-          return delayedTransport.addUncommittedRetriableStream(this);
+          return uncommittedRetriableStreamsRegistry.add(this);
         }
 
         @Override
         void postCommit() {
-          delayedTransport.removeUncommittedRetriableStream(this);
+          uncommittedRetriableStreamsRegistry.remove(this);
         }
 
         @Override
@@ -551,7 +555,7 @@ public final class ManagedChannelImpl extends ManagedChannel {
       }
     });
 
-    delayedTransport.shutdown(SHUTDOWN_STATUS);
+    uncommittedRetriableStreamsRegistry.onShutdown(SHUTDOWN_STATUS);
     channelExecutor.executeLater(new Runnable() {
         @Override
         public void run() {
@@ -572,7 +576,7 @@ public final class ManagedChannelImpl extends ManagedChannel {
     logger.log(Level.FINE, "[{0}] shutdownNow() called", getLogId());
     shutdown();
     phantom.shutdownNow = true;
-    delayedTransport.shutdownNow(SHUTDOWN_NOW_STATUS);
+    uncommittedRetriableStreamsRegistry.onShutdownNow(SHUTDOWN_NOW_STATUS);
     channelExecutor.executeLater(new Runnable() {
         @Override
         public void run() {
@@ -710,6 +714,91 @@ public final class ManagedChannelImpl extends ManagedChannel {
         }).drain();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * A registry that prevents channel shutdown from killing existing retry attempts that are in
+   * backoff.
+   */
+  // TODO(zdapeng): add test coverage for shutdown during retry backoff once retry backoff is
+  //                implemented.
+  private final class UncommittedRetriableStreamsRegistry {
+    // TODO(zdapeng): This means we would acquire a lock for each new retry-able stream,
+    // it's worthwhile to look for a lock-free approach.
+    final Object lock = new Object();
+
+    @GuardedBy("lock")
+    Collection<ClientStream> uncommittedRetriableStreams = new HashSet<ClientStream>();
+
+    @GuardedBy("lock")
+    Status shutdownStatus;
+
+    void onShutdown(Status reason) {
+      boolean shouldShutdownDelayedTransport = false;
+      synchronized (lock) {
+        if (shutdownStatus != null) {
+          return;
+        }
+        shutdownStatus = reason;
+        // Keep the delayedTransport open until there is no more uncommitted streams, b/c those
+        // retriable streams, which may be in backoff and not using any transport, are already
+        // started RPCs.
+        if (uncommittedRetriableStreams.isEmpty()) {
+          shouldShutdownDelayedTransport = true;
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (shouldShutdownDelayedTransport) {
+        delayedTransport.shutdown(reason);
+      }
+    }
+
+    void onShutdownNow(Status reason) {
+      onShutdown(reason);
+      Collection<ClientStream> streams;
+
+      synchronized (lock) {
+        streams = new ArrayList<ClientStream>(uncommittedRetriableStreams);
+      }
+
+      for (ClientStream stream : streams) {
+        stream.cancel(reason);
+      }
+      delayedTransport.shutdownNow(reason);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Registers a RetriableStream and return null if not shutdown, otherwise just returns the
+     * shutdown Status.
+     */
+    @Nullable
+    Status add(RetriableStream<?> retriableStream) {
+      synchronized (lock) {
+        if (shutdownStatus != null) {
+          return shutdownStatus;
+        }
+        uncommittedRetriableStreams.add(retriableStream);
+        return null;
+      }
+    }
+
+    void remove(RetriableStream<?> retriableStream) {
+      Status shutdownStatusCopy = null;
+
+      synchronized (lock) {
+        uncommittedRetriableStreams.remove(retriableStream);
+        if (uncommittedRetriableStreams.isEmpty()) {
+          shutdownStatusCopy = shutdownStatus;
+          // Because retriable transport is long-lived, we take this opportunity to down-size the
+          // hashmap.
+          uncommittedRetriableStreams = new HashSet<ClientStream>();
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (shutdownStatusCopy != null) {
+        delayedTransport.shutdown(shutdownStatusCopy);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   private class LbHelperImpl extends LoadBalancer.Helper {
     LoadBalancer lb;
     final NameResolver nr;