diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 100cb22d5..c24ec536c 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 Post-v2.13.0
 ---------------------
+   - ovs-vswitchd no longer deletes datapath flows on exit by default.
 
 
 v2.13.0 - xx xxx xxxx
diff --git a/ofproto/ofproto-dpif-upcall.c b/ofproto/ofproto-dpif-upcall.c
index cff6d4bf3..483cebb52 100644
--- a/ofproto/ofproto-dpif-upcall.c
+++ b/ofproto/ofproto-dpif-upcall.c
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ static size_t recv_upcalls(struct handler *);
 static int process_upcall(struct udpif *, struct upcall *,
                           struct ofpbuf *odp_actions, struct flow_wildcards *);
 static void handle_upcalls(struct udpif *, struct upcall *, size_t n_upcalls);
-static void udpif_stop_threads(struct udpif *);
+static void udpif_stop_threads(struct udpif *, bool delete_flows);
 static void udpif_start_threads(struct udpif *, size_t n_handlers,
                                 size_t n_revalidators);
 static void udpif_pause_revalidators(struct udpif *);
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ udpif_run(struct udpif *udpif)
 void
 udpif_destroy(struct udpif *udpif)
 {
-    udpif_stop_threads(udpif);
+    udpif_stop_threads(udpif, false);
 
     dpif_register_dp_purge_cb(udpif->dpif, NULL, udpif);
     dpif_register_upcall_cb(udpif->dpif, NULL, udpif);
@@ -504,9 +504,15 @@ udpif_destroy(struct udpif *udpif)
     free(udpif);
 }
 
-/* Stops the handler and revalidator threads. */
+/* Stops the handler and revalidator threads.
+ *
+ * If 'delete_flows' is true, we delete ukeys and delete all flows from the
+ * datapath.  Otherwise, we end up double-counting stats for flows that remain
+ * in the datapath.  If 'delete_flows' is false, we skip this step.  This is
+ * appropriate if OVS is about to exit anyway and it is desirable to let
+ * existing network connections continue being forwarded afterward. */
 static void
-udpif_stop_threads(struct udpif *udpif)
+udpif_stop_threads(struct udpif *udpif, bool delete_flows)
 {
     if (udpif && (udpif->n_handlers != 0 || udpif->n_revalidators != 0)) {
         size_t i;
@@ -526,10 +532,10 @@ udpif_stop_threads(struct udpif *udpif)
         dpif_disable_upcall(udpif->dpif);
         ovsrcu_quiesce_end();
 
-        /* Delete ukeys, and delete all flows from the datapath to prevent
-         * double-counting stats. */
-        for (i = 0; i < udpif->n_revalidators; i++) {
-            revalidator_purge(&udpif->revalidators[i]);
+        if (delete_flows) {
+            for (i = 0; i < udpif->n_revalidators; i++) {
+                revalidator_purge(&udpif->revalidators[i]);
+            }
         }
 
         latch_poll(&udpif->exit_latch);
@@ -627,7 +633,7 @@ udpif_set_threads(struct udpif *udpif, size_t n_handlers_,
 
     if (udpif->n_handlers != n_handlers_
         || udpif->n_revalidators != n_revalidators_) {
-        udpif_stop_threads(udpif);
+        udpif_stop_threads(udpif, true);
     }
 
     if (!udpif->handlers && !udpif->revalidators) {
@@ -681,7 +687,7 @@ udpif_flush(struct udpif *udpif)
     size_t n_handlers_ = udpif->n_handlers;
     size_t n_revalidators_ = udpif->n_revalidators;
 
-    udpif_stop_threads(udpif);
+    udpif_stop_threads(udpif, true);
     dpif_flow_flush(udpif->dpif);
     udpif_start_threads(udpif, n_handlers_, n_revalidators_);
 }
diff --git a/ofproto/ofproto.c b/ofproto/ofproto.c
index 08830d837..5d69a4332 100644
--- a/ofproto/ofproto.c
+++ b/ofproto/ofproto.c
@@ -1601,13 +1601,13 @@ ofproto_rule_delete(struct ofproto *ofproto, struct rule *rule)
 }
 
 static void
-ofproto_flush__(struct ofproto *ofproto)
+ofproto_flush__(struct ofproto *ofproto, bool del)
     OVS_EXCLUDED(ofproto_mutex)
 {
     struct oftable *table;
 
     /* This will flush all datapath flows. */
-    if (ofproto->ofproto_class->flush) {
+    if (del && ofproto->ofproto_class->flush) {
         ofproto->ofproto_class->flush(ofproto);
     }
 
@@ -1710,7 +1710,7 @@ ofproto_destroy(struct ofproto *p, bool del)
         return;
     }
 
-    ofproto_flush__(p);
+    ofproto_flush__(p, del);
     HMAP_FOR_EACH_SAFE (ofport, next_ofport, hmap_node, &p->ports) {
         ofport_destroy(ofport, del);
     }
@@ -2288,7 +2288,7 @@ void
 ofproto_flush_flows(struct ofproto *ofproto)
 {
     COVERAGE_INC(ofproto_flush);
-    ofproto_flush__(ofproto);
+    ofproto_flush__(ofproto, false);
     connmgr_flushed(ofproto->connmgr);
 }
 
diff --git a/vswitchd/ovs-vswitchd.8.in b/vswitchd/ovs-vswitchd.8.in
index a23477176..ac66ed7bb 100644
--- a/vswitchd/ovs-vswitchd.8.in
+++ b/vswitchd/ovs-vswitchd.8.in
@@ -107,12 +107,13 @@ how to configure Open vSwitch.
 .SS "GENERAL COMMANDS"
 .IP "\fBexit\fR \fI--cleanup\fR"
 Causes \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR to gracefully terminate. If \fI--cleanup\fR
-is specified, release datapath resources configured by \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR.
-Otherwise, datapath flows and other resources remains undeleted.
-Resources of datapaths that are integrated into \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR (e.g.
-the \fBnetdev\fR datapath type) are always released regardless of
-\fI--cleanup\fR except for ports with \fBinternal\fR type. Use \fI--cleanup\fR
-to release \fBinternal\fR ports too.
+is specified, deletes flows from datpaths and releases other datapath
+resources configured by \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR.  Otherwise, datapath
+flows and other resources remains undeleted.  Resources of datapaths
+that are integrated into \fBovs\-vswitchd\fR (e.g.  the \fBnetdev\fR
+datapath type) are always released regardless of \fI--cleanup\fR
+except for ports with \fBinternal\fR type. Use \fI--cleanup\fR to
+release \fBinternal\fR ports too.
 .
 .IP "\fBqos/show-types\fR \fIinterface\fR"
 Queries the interface for a list of Quality of Service types that are