diff --git a/components/console/esp_console.h b/components/console/esp_console.h
index 9bd5317f54c..73c8aed5c07 100644
--- a/components/console/esp_console.h
+++ b/components/console/esp_console.h
@@ -455,6 +455,7 @@ esp_err_t esp_console_start_repl(esp_console_repl_t *repl);
  * @brief Stop REPL environment
  *
  * @param[in] repl REPL handle returned from esp_console_new_repl_xxx
+ * @note This function waits for the console task to exit before it returns.
  * @return
  *      - ESP_OK on success
  *      - others on failure
diff --git a/components/console/esp_console_common.c b/components/console/esp_console_common.c
index ba80b13806a..cbd58f07b94 100644
--- a/components/console/esp_console_common.c
+++ b/components/console/esp_console_common.c
@@ -29,10 +29,6 @@ void esp_console_repl_task(void *args)
      * function is called. */
     ulTaskNotifyTake(pdTRUE, portMAX_DELAY);
 
-    if (repl_com->state_mux != NULL) {
-        xSemaphoreTake(repl_com->state_mux, portMAX_DELAY);
-    }
-
     /* Change standard input and output of the task if the requested UART is
      * NOT the default one. This block will replace stdin, stdout and stderr.
      */
@@ -338,6 +334,10 @@ esp_err_t esp_console_new_repl_stdio(const esp_console_repl_config_t *repl_confi
 _exit:
     if (universal_repl) {
         esp_console_deinit();
+        /* Only common_deinit() deletes state_mux, and the weak set_event_fd() never creates it. */
+        if (universal_repl->repl_com.state_mux) {
+            vSemaphoreDelete(universal_repl->repl_com.state_mux);
+        }
         free(universal_repl);
     }
     if (ret_repl) {
diff --git a/components/console/esp_console_repl_chip.c b/components/console/esp_console_repl_chip.c
index b16c090ce33..cc3c42d9788 100644
--- a/components/console/esp_console_repl_chip.c
+++ b/components/console/esp_console_repl_chip.c
@@ -152,6 +152,10 @@ static esp_err_t esp_console_new_repl_uart_legacy(const esp_console_dev_uart_con
 _exit:
     if (uart_repl) {
         esp_console_deinit();
+        /* Only common_deinit() deletes state_mux, and the weak set_event_fd() never creates it. */
+        if (uart_repl->repl_com.state_mux) {
+            vSemaphoreDelete(uart_repl->repl_com.state_mux);
+        }
         free(uart_repl);
     }
     if (ret_repl) {
diff --git a/components/console/esp_console_repl_internal.c b/components/console/esp_console_repl_internal.c
index b2c291d4676..1186c05a64d 100644
--- a/components/console/esp_console_repl_internal.c
+++ b/components/console/esp_console_repl_internal.c
@@ -85,12 +85,13 @@ esp_err_t esp_console_internal_set_event_fd(esp_console_repl_com_t *repl_com)
         return ESP_FAIL;
     }
 
-    repl_com->state_mux = xSemaphoreCreateMutex();
+    /* Empty on purpose, and the task only ever gives it, never takes it: a
+     * mutex created given lets a stop take it before the task has run. */
+    repl_com->state_mux = xSemaphoreCreateBinary();
     if (repl_com->state_mux == NULL) {
         ESP_LOGE(TAG, "state_mux create error");
         return ESP_ERR_NO_MEM;
     }
-    xSemaphoreGive(repl_com->state_mux);
 
     return ESP_OK;
 }
@@ -103,6 +104,7 @@ esp_err_t esp_console_common_deinit(esp_console_repl_com_t *repl_com)
 {
     // set the state to deinit to force the while loop in
     // esp_console_repl_task to break
+    const bool was_started = (repl_com->state == CONSOLE_REPL_STATE_START);
     repl_com->state = CONSOLE_REPL_STATE_DEINIT;
 
     if (s_interrupt_reading_fd == -1) {
@@ -117,7 +119,9 @@ esp_err_t esp_console_common_deinit(esp_console_repl_com_t *repl_com)
     // wait for the task to notify that
     // esp_console_repl_task returned
     assert(repl_com->state_mux != NULL);
-    xSemaphoreTake(repl_com->state_mux, portMAX_DELAY);
+    if (was_started) {
+        xSemaphoreTake(repl_com->state_mux, portMAX_DELAY);
+    }
 
     // delete the semaphore for the repl state
     vSemaphoreDelete(repl_com->state_mux);