A method of ceasing operation of a fuel cell system comprises terminating a supply of a hydrogen-containing fuel to a fuel cell stack, drawing a potential of the fuel cell stack to a load to substantially consume hydrogen in the fuel cell stack, introducing a dose of air to at least a portion of anode electrode layers from at least one of an air supply source and an external source, and reacting hydrogen and oxygen in the anode electrode layers to consume substantially all the hydrogen remaining in the fuel cell stack.