The present invention generally provides a physical vapor deposition chamber and a method for detecting a position of a shutter disk within a physical vapor deposition chamber. In one embodiment, a physical vapor deposition chamber includes a chamber body having a shutter disk mechanism disposed therein. A housing is sealingly coupled to a sidewall of the chamber body and communicates therewith through a slot formed through the sidewall. At least a first sensor is disposed adjacent to the housing and orientated to detect the presence of a shutter disk mechanism within the housing. In one embodiment, a method for detecting the position of a shutter disk within a physical vapor deposition chamber having a substrate support generally includes moving the shutter disk away from a substrate support, and changing a state of a first sensor in response to a position of an edge the shutter disk.