diff --git src/wp-includes/class-wp-shutdown-handler.php src/wp-includes/class-wp-shutdown-handler.php
index c55901dd4a..8354fbd149 100644
--- src/wp-includes/class-wp-shutdown-handler.php
+++ src/wp-includes/class-wp-shutdown-handler.php
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class WP_Shutdown_Handler {
 	 */
 	public function handle() {
 		// Bail if WordPress executed successfully.
-		if ( defined( 'WP_EXECUTION_SUCCEEDED' ) && WP_EXECUTION_SUCCEEDED ) {
+		if ( defined( 'WP_DISABLE_SHUTDOWN_HANDLER' ) && WP_DISABLE_SHUTDOWN_HANDLER ) {
 			return;
 		}
 
diff --git src/wp-settings.php src/wp-settings.php
index 781d8e6ca1..54e60eece8 100644
--- src/wp-settings.php
+++ src/wp-settings.php
@@ -532,10 +532,10 @@ if ( is_multisite() ) {
 do_action( 'wp_loaded' );
 
 /*
- * Store the fact that we could successfully execute the entire WordPress
- * lifecycle. This is used to skip the premature shutdown handler, as it cannot
- * be unregistered.
+ * Once we could successfully execute the entire WordPress lifecycle, we use
+ * this constant to skip the premature shutdown handler, as it cannot be
+ * unregistered.
  */
-if ( ! defined( 'WP_EXECUTION_SUCCEEDED' ) ) {
-	define( 'WP_EXECUTION_SUCCEEDED', true );
+if ( ! defined( 'WP_DISABLE_SHUTDOWN_HANDLER' ) ) {
+	define( 'WP_DISABLE_SHUTDOWN_HANDLER', true );
 }