diff --git a/plugins/outputs/cloudwatch/aggregator.go b/plugins/outputs/cloudwatch/aggregator.go
index b21edfd0d2..24ee8c4ce6 100644
--- a/plugins/outputs/cloudwatch/aggregator.go
+++ b/plugins/outputs/cloudwatch/aggregator.go
@@ -119,12 +119,16 @@ func newDurationAggregator(durationInSeconds time.Duration,
 
 func (durationAgg *durationAggregator) aggregating() {
 	durationAgg.wg.Add(1)
-	// sleep for some time until next round duration from now.
+	// Sleep to align the interval to the wall clock.
+	// This initial sleep is not interrupted if the aggregator gets shutdown.
 	now := time.Now()
 	time.Sleep(now.Truncate(durationAgg.aggregationDuration).Add(durationAgg.aggregationDuration).Sub(now))
 	durationAgg.ticker = time.NewTicker(durationAgg.aggregationDuration)
 	defer durationAgg.ticker.Stop()
 	for {
+		// There is no priority to select{}.
+		// If there is a new metric AND the shutdownChan is closed when this
+		// loop begins, then the behavior is random.
 		select {
 		case m := <-durationAgg.aggregationChan:
 			// https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudWatch/latest/APIReference/API_MetricDatum.html
diff --git a/plugins/outputs/cloudwatch/aggregator_test.go b/plugins/outputs/cloudwatch/aggregator_test.go
index c826420955..33b0a8a7b1 100644
--- a/plugins/outputs/cloudwatch/aggregator_test.go
+++ b/plugins/outputs/cloudwatch/aggregator_test.go
@@ -136,19 +136,30 @@ func TestAggregator_ShutdownBehavior(t *testing.T) {
 	// verify the remaining metrics can be read after shutdown
 	// the metrics should be available immediately after the shutdown even before aggregation period
 	aggregationInterval := 2 * time.Second
-	tags := map[string]string{"d1key": "d1value", "d2key": "d2value", aggregationIntervalTagKey: aggregationInterval.String()}
+	tags := map[string]string{
+		"d1key":                   "d1value",
+		"d2key":                   "d2value",
+		aggregationIntervalTagKey: aggregationInterval.String()}
 	fields := map[string]interface{}{"value": 1}
 	timestamp := time.Now()
 	m := metric.New(metricName, tags, fields, timestamp)
 	aggregator.AddMetric(m)
-
-	//give some time to aggregation to do the work
-	time.Sleep(time.Second * 2)
-
+	// The Aggregator creates a new durationAggregator for each metric.
+	// And there is a delay when each new durationAggregator begins.
+	// So submit a metric and wait for the first aggregation to occur.
+	assertMetricContent(t, metricChan, 3*aggregationInterval, m, expectedFieldContent{
+		"value", 1, 1, 1, 1, "", []float64{1.0488088481701516}, []float64{1}})
+	assertNoMetricsInChan(t, metricChan)
+	// Now submit the same metric and it should be routed to the existing
+	// durationAggregator without delay.
+	timestamp = time.Now()
+	m = metric.New(metricName, tags, fields, timestamp)
+	aggregator.AddMetric(m)
+	// Shutdown before the 2nd aggregationInterval completes.
 	close(shutdownChan)
 	wg.Wait()
-
-	assertMetricContent(t, metricChan, 1*time.Second, m, expectedFieldContent{"value", 1, 1, 1, 1, "", []float64{1.0488088481701516}, []float64{1}})
+	assertMetricContent(t, metricChan, 1*time.Second, m, expectedFieldContent{
+		"value", 1, 1, 1, 1, "", []float64{1.0488088481701516}, []float64{1}})
 	assertNoMetricsInChan(t, metricChan)
 }