diff --git a/services/autoscaling/src/simcore_service_autoscaling/modules/cluster_scaling/_auto_scaling_core.py b/services/autoscaling/src/simcore_service_autoscaling/modules/cluster_scaling/_auto_scaling_core.py
index 2c12b625571..23a93de2e6a 100644
--- a/services/autoscaling/src/simcore_service_autoscaling/modules/cluster_scaling/_auto_scaling_core.py
+++ b/services/autoscaling/src/simcore_service_autoscaling/modules/cluster_scaling/_auto_scaling_core.py
@@ -1215,7 +1215,10 @@ async def _scale_down_unused_cluster_instances(
     cluster: Cluster,
     auto_scaling_mode: AutoscalingProvider,
 ) -> Cluster:
-    await auto_scaling_mode.try_retire_nodes(app)
+    if any(not instance.has_assigned_tasks() for instance in cluster.active_nodes):
+        # ask the provider to try to retire nodes actively
+        with log_catch(_logger, reraise=False):
+            await auto_scaling_mode.try_retire_nodes(app)
     cluster = await _deactivate_empty_nodes(app, cluster)
     return await _try_scale_down_cluster(app, cluster)
 
diff --git a/services/autoscaling/tests/unit/test_modules_cluster_scaling_computational.py b/services/autoscaling/tests/unit/test_modules_cluster_scaling_computational.py
index 6e18508c52f..f83eaac9ea8 100644
--- a/services/autoscaling/tests/unit/test_modules_cluster_scaling_computational.py
+++ b/services/autoscaling/tests/unit/test_modules_cluster_scaling_computational.py
@@ -235,6 +235,13 @@ def mock_dask_is_worker_connected(mocker: MockerFixture) -> mock.Mock:
     )
 
 
+@pytest.fixture
+def spy_dask_try_retire_nodes(mocker: MockerFixture) -> mock.Mock:
+    from simcore_service_autoscaling.modules import dask
+
+    return mocker.spy(dask, "try_retire_nodes")
+
+
 async def _create_task_with_resources(
     ec2_client: EC2Client,
     dask_task_imposed_ec2_type: InstanceTypeType | None,
@@ -491,6 +498,7 @@ async def test_cluster_scaling_up_and_down(  # noqa: PLR0915
     mock_dask_get_worker_has_results_in_memory: mock.Mock,
     mock_dask_get_worker_used_resources: mock.Mock,
     mock_dask_is_worker_connected: mock.Mock,
+    spy_dask_try_retire_nodes: mock.Mock,
     mocker: MockerFixture,
     dask_spec_local_cluster: distributed.SpecCluster,
     with_drain_nodes_labelled: bool,
@@ -527,6 +535,7 @@ async def test_cluster_scaling_up_and_down(  # noqa: PLR0915
     mock_dask_get_worker_has_results_in_memory.assert_not_called()
     mock_dask_get_worker_used_resources.assert_not_called()
     mock_dask_is_worker_connected.assert_not_called()
+    spy_dask_try_retire_nodes.assert_not_called()
     # check rabbit messages were sent
     _assert_rabbit_autoscaling_message_sent(
         mock_rabbitmq_post_message,
@@ -547,6 +556,7 @@ async def test_cluster_scaling_up_and_down(  # noqa: PLR0915
     mock_dask_get_worker_used_resources.assert_called_once()
     mock_dask_get_worker_used_resources.reset_mock()
     mock_dask_is_worker_connected.assert_not_called()
+    spy_dask_try_retire_nodes.assert_not_called()
     instances = await assert_autoscaled_computational_ec2_instances(
         ec2_client,
         expected_num_reservations=1,
@@ -667,6 +677,7 @@ async def test_cluster_scaling_up_and_down(  # noqa: PLR0915
     assert mock_docker_tag_node.call_count == num_useless_calls
     mock_docker_tag_node.reset_mock()
     mock_docker_set_node_availability.assert_not_called()
+    spy_dask_try_retire_nodes.assert_not_called()
     # check the number of instances did not change and is still running
     await assert_autoscaled_computational_ec2_instances(
         ec2_client,
@@ -697,6 +708,8 @@ async def test_cluster_scaling_up_and_down(  # noqa: PLR0915
     mock_dask_get_worker_used_resources.reset_mock()
     # the node shall be waiting before draining
     mock_docker_set_node_availability.assert_not_called()
+    spy_dask_try_retire_nodes.assert_called_once()
+    spy_dask_try_retire_nodes.reset_mock()
     mock_docker_tag_node.assert_called_once_with(
         get_docker_client(initialized_app),
         fake_attached_node,
@@ -731,6 +744,8 @@ async def test_cluster_scaling_up_and_down(  # noqa: PLR0915
     mock_dask_get_worker_used_resources.reset_mock()
     # the node shall be set to drain, but not yet terminated
     mock_docker_set_node_availability.assert_not_called()
+    spy_dask_try_retire_nodes.assert_called_once()
+    spy_dask_try_retire_nodes.reset_mock()
     mock_docker_tag_node.assert_called_once_with(
         get_docker_client(initialized_app),
         fake_attached_node,
@@ -827,6 +842,7 @@ async def test_cluster_scaling_up_and_down(  # noqa: PLR0915
         )
         .datetime.isoformat()
     )
+    spy_dask_try_retire_nodes.assert_not_called()
     await auto_scale_cluster(app=initialized_app, auto_scaling_mode=auto_scaling_mode)
     mocked_docker_remove_node.assert_called_once_with(
         mock.ANY, nodes=[fake_attached_node], force=True
@@ -839,7 +855,7 @@ async def test_cluster_scaling_up_and_down(  # noqa: PLR0915
         expected_instance_state="terminated",
         expected_additional_tag_keys=list(ec2_instance_custom_tags),
     )
-
+    spy_dask_try_retire_nodes.assert_not_called()
     # this call should never be used in computational mode
     mock_docker_compute_node_used_resources.assert_not_called()