diff --git a/opendevin/runtime/runtime.py b/opendevin/runtime/runtime.py
index 36fb9e7833..3e2e47891b 100644
--- a/opendevin/runtime/runtime.py
+++ b/opendevin/runtime/runtime.py
@@ -64,15 +64,18 @@ class Runtime:
         self.sid = sid
         if sandbox is None:
             self.sandbox = create_sandbox(sid, config.sandbox_type)
+            self._is_external_sandbox = False
         else:
             self.sandbox = sandbox
+            self._is_external_sandbox = True
         self.browser = BrowserEnv()
         self.event_stream = event_stream
         self.event_stream.subscribe(EventStreamSubscriber.RUNTIME, self.on_event)
         self._bg_task = asyncio.create_task(self._start_background_observation_loop())
 
     def close(self):
-        self.sandbox.close()
+        if not self._is_external_sandbox:
+            self.sandbox.close()
         self.browser.close()
         self._bg_task.cancel()