diff --git a/commons/zenoh-task/src/lib.rs b/commons/zenoh-task/src/lib.rs
index 5f7c3c26d2..a733a3de13 100644
--- a/commons/zenoh-task/src/lib.rs
+++ b/commons/zenoh-task/src/lib.rs
@@ -130,10 +130,16 @@ impl TaskController {
 }
 
 pub struct TerminatableTask {
-    handle: JoinHandle<()>,
+    handle: Option<JoinHandle<()>>,
     token: CancellationToken,
 }
 
+impl Drop for TerminatableTask {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        self.terminate(std::time::Duration::from_secs(10));
+    }
+}
+
 impl TerminatableTask {
     pub fn create_cancellation_token() -> CancellationToken {
         CancellationToken::new()
@@ -147,7 +153,7 @@ impl TerminatableTask {
         T: Send + 'static,
     {
         TerminatableTask {
-            handle: rt.spawn(future.map(|_f| ())),
+            handle: Some(rt.spawn(future.map(|_f| ()))),
             token,
         }
     }
@@ -168,24 +174,26 @@ impl TerminatableTask {
         };
 
         TerminatableTask {
-            handle: rt.spawn(task),
+            handle: Some(rt.spawn(task)),
             token,
         }
     }
 
     /// Attempts to terminate the task.
     /// Returns true if task completed / aborted within timeout duration, false otherwise.
-    pub fn terminate(self, timeout: Duration) -> bool {
+    pub fn terminate(&mut self, timeout: Duration) -> bool {
         ResolveFuture::new(async move { self.terminate_async(timeout).await }).res_sync()
     }
 
     /// Async version of [`TerminatableTask::terminate()`].
-    pub async fn terminate_async(self, timeout: Duration) -> bool {
+    pub async fn terminate_async(&mut self, timeout: Duration) -> bool {
         self.token.cancel();
-        if tokio::time::timeout(timeout, self.handle).await.is_err() {
-            tracing::error!("Failed to terminate the task");
-            return false;
-        };
+        if let Some(handle) = self.handle.take() {
+            if tokio::time::timeout(timeout, handle).await.is_err() {
+                tracing::error!("Failed to terminate the task");
+                return false;
+            };
+        }
         true
     }
 }
diff --git a/zenoh-ext/src/publication_cache.rs b/zenoh-ext/src/publication_cache.rs
index 431ccd2dde..821e621482 100644
--- a/zenoh-ext/src/publication_cache.rs
+++ b/zenoh-ext/src/publication_cache.rs
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ impl<'a> PublicationCache<'a> {
             let PublicationCache {
                 _queryable,
                 local_sub,
-                task,
+                mut task,
             } = self;
             _queryable.undeclare().res_async().await?;
             local_sub.undeclare().res_async().await?;
diff --git a/zenoh/src/net/routing/hat/linkstate_peer/mod.rs b/zenoh/src/net/routing/hat/linkstate_peer/mod.rs
index ad4e1667f0..b1eeca261f 100644
--- a/zenoh/src/net/routing/hat/linkstate_peer/mod.rs
+++ b/zenoh/src/net/routing/hat/linkstate_peer/mod.rs
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ use std::{
     any::Any,
     collections::{HashMap, HashSet},
     sync::Arc,
-    time::Duration,
 };
 use zenoh_config::{unwrap_or_default, ModeDependent, WhatAmI, WhatAmIMatcher, ZenohId};
 use zenoh_protocol::{
@@ -116,15 +115,6 @@ struct HatTables {
     peers_trees_task: Option<TerminatableTask>,
 }
 
-impl Drop for HatTables {
-    fn drop(&mut self) {
-        if self.peers_trees_task.is_some() {
-            let task = self.peers_trees_task.take().unwrap();
-            task.terminate(Duration::from_secs(10));
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 impl HatTables {
     fn new() -> Self {
         Self {
diff --git a/zenoh/src/net/routing/hat/router/mod.rs b/zenoh/src/net/routing/hat/router/mod.rs
index 3be278aa02..2b988917c2 100644
--- a/zenoh/src/net/routing/hat/router/mod.rs
+++ b/zenoh/src/net/routing/hat/router/mod.rs
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ use std::{
     collections::{hash_map::DefaultHasher, HashMap, HashSet},
     hash::Hasher,
     sync::Arc,
-    time::Duration,
 };
 use zenoh_config::{unwrap_or_default, ModeDependent, WhatAmI, WhatAmIMatcher, ZenohId};
 use zenoh_protocol::{
@@ -127,19 +126,6 @@ struct HatTables {
     router_peers_failover_brokering: bool,
 }
 
-impl Drop for HatTables {
-    fn drop(&mut self) {
-        if self.peers_trees_task.is_some() {
-            let task = self.peers_trees_task.take().unwrap();
-            task.terminate(Duration::from_secs(10));
-        }
-        if self.routers_trees_task.is_some() {
-            let task = self.routers_trees_task.take().unwrap();
-            task.terminate(Duration::from_secs(10));
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 impl HatTables {
     fn new(router_peers_failover_brokering: bool) -> Self {
         Self {