diff --git a/nomad/core_sched.go b/nomad/core_sched.go
index a3fbe4010da8..396ef641f995 100644
--- a/nomad/core_sched.go
+++ b/nomad/core_sched.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 
 	log "github.com/hashicorp/go-hclog"
 	memdb "github.com/hashicorp/go-memdb"
-
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/state"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/structs"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/scheduler"
@@ -623,6 +622,12 @@ func allocGCEligible(a *structs.Allocation, job *structs.Job, gcTime time.Time,
 		return false
 	}
 
+	// If the allocation is still running on the client we can not garbage
+	// collect it.
+	if a.ClientStatus == structs.AllocClientStatusRunning {
+		return false
+	}
+
 	// If the job is deleted, stopped or dead all allocs can be removed
 	if job == nil || job.Stop || job.Status == structs.JobStatusDead {
 		return true
diff --git a/nomad/core_sched_test.go b/nomad/core_sched_test.go
index 02ea29ea3677..000f1a72d90e 100644
--- a/nomad/core_sched_test.go
+++ b/nomad/core_sched_test.go
@@ -1972,6 +1972,16 @@ func TestAllocation_GCEligible(t *testing.T) {
 			ThresholdIndex: 90,
 			ShouldGC:       false,
 		},
+		{
+			Desc:           "Don't GC when non terminal on client and job dead",
+			ClientStatus:   structs.AllocClientStatusRunning,
+			DesiredStatus:  structs.AllocDesiredStatusStop,
+			JobStatus:      structs.JobStatusDead,
+			GCTime:         fail,
+			ModifyIndex:    90,
+			ThresholdIndex: 90,
+			ShouldGC:       false,
+		},
 		{
 			Desc:             "GC when terminal but not failed ",
 			ClientStatus:     structs.AllocClientStatusComplete,