A method and system for preserving context records is disclosed. The method is operable in a communication system including a wireless network serving user equipment devices (UEs), where the wireless network stores, for each UE served by the wireless network, a context record for the UE. The method involves the wireless network detecting a trigger condition comprising a condition selected from the group consisting of (i) a threshold number of context release messages being transmitted between at least two network entities in the wireless network, wherein the threshold number is greater than one and (ii) a network entity beginning a shut-down process. The method further involves, in response to detecting the trigger condition, the wireless network (i) detaching from the wireless network each UE being served by the wireless network at the time of detecting the trigger condition but (ii) preserving the context records for the detached UEs.