diff --git a/pkg/pluginmanager_service/plugin_manager.go b/pkg/pluginmanager_service/plugin_manager.go
index aa03c9fff..8e6f808bc 100644
--- a/pkg/pluginmanager_service/plugin_manager.go
+++ b/pkg/pluginmanager_service/plugin_manager.go
@@ -266,8 +266,10 @@ func (m *PluginManager) Shutdown(*pb.ShutdownRequest) (resp *pb.ShutdownResponse
 	m.startPluginWg.Wait()
 
 	// close our pool
-	log.Printf("[INFO] PluginManager closing pool")
-	m.pool.Close()
+	if m.pool != nil {
+		log.Printf("[INFO] PluginManager closing pool")
+		m.pool.Close()
+	}
 
 	m.mut.RLock()
 	defer func() {
@@ -798,9 +800,14 @@ func (m *PluginManager) updateConnectionSchema(ctx context.Context, connectionNa
 	// also send a postgres notification
 	notification := steampipeconfig.NewSchemaUpdateNotification()
 
+	if m.pool == nil {
+		log.Printf("[WARN] cannot send schema update notification: pool is nil")
+		return
+	}
 	conn, err := m.pool.Acquire(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("[WARN] failed to send schema update notification: %s", err)
+		return
 	}
 	defer conn.Release()
 
diff --git a/pkg/pluginmanager_service/plugin_manager_test.go b/pkg/pluginmanager_service/plugin_manager_test.go
index 5e1876415..eb218a5f6 100644
--- a/pkg/pluginmanager_service/plugin_manager_test.go
+++ b/pkg/pluginmanager_service/plugin_manager_test.go
@@ -747,3 +747,29 @@ func TestPluginManager_OnConnectionConfigChanged_EmptyToNonEmpty(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Logf("Expected error when pool is nil: %v", err)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestPluginManager_Shutdown_NoPlugins tests that Shutdown handles nil pool gracefully
+// Related to bug #4782
+func TestPluginManager_Shutdown_NoPlugins(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create a PluginManager without initializing the pool
+	// This simulates a scenario where pool initialization failed
+	pm := &PluginManager{
+		logger:              hclog.NewNullLogger(),
+		runningPluginMap:    make(map[string]*runningPlugin),
+		connectionConfigMap: make(connection.ConnectionConfigMap),
+		plugins:             make(connection.PluginMap),
+		// Note: pool is not initialized, will be nil
+	}
+
+	// Calling Shutdown should not panic even with nil pool
+	req := &pb.ShutdownRequest{}
+	resp, err := pm.Shutdown(req)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Shutdown returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if resp == nil {
+		t.Error("Shutdown returned nil response")
+	}
+}