diff --git a/src/cli/kubernetes/kubectlProxy.ts b/src/cli/kubernetes/kubectlProxy.ts
index 0efaa648..b5ced2fb 100644
--- a/src/cli/kubernetes/kubectlProxy.ts
+++ b/src/cli/kubernetes/kubectlProxy.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { KubeConfig } from '@kubernetes/client-node';
 import { ChildProcess } from 'child_process';
 import * as shell from 'cli/shell/exec';
+import { isActive } from 'extension';
 import { createK8sClients, destroyK8sClients } from 'k8s/client';
 import { createProxyConfig } from 'k8s/createKubeProxyConfig';
 
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ export let kubeProxyConfig: KubeConfig | undefined;
 export function kubeProxyKeepAlive() {
 	// keep alive
 	setInterval(async () => {
-		if(!proxyProc) {
+		if(!proxyProc && isActive) {
 			destroyK8sClients();
 			await startKubeProxy();
 		}
diff --git a/src/extension.ts b/src/extension.ts
index 223de489..2f007004 100644
--- a/src/extension.ts
+++ b/src/extension.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export let extensionContext: ExtensionContext;
 export let globalState: GlobalState;
 /** Methods to report telemetry over Application Insights (Exceptions or Custom Events). */
 export let telemetry: Telemetry | any;
+export let isActive = true;
 
 /**
  * Called when GitOps extension is activated.
@@ -128,6 +129,7 @@ export function suppressDebugMessages(): boolean {
  * Called when extension is deactivated.
  */
 export function deactivate() {
+	isActive = false;
 	telemetry?.dispose();
 	statusBar?.dispose();
 	stopKubeProxy();