diff --git a/salt/manager/tools/sbin/soup b/salt/manager/tools/sbin/soup
index d7c86faef..5020f0ea6 100755
--- a/salt/manager/tools/sbin/soup
+++ b/salt/manager/tools/sbin/soup
@@ -350,10 +350,11 @@ highstate() {
 masterlock() {
   echo "Locking Salt Master"
   mv -v $TOPFILE $BACKUPTOPFILE
-  echo "base:" > $TOPFILE
-  echo "  $MINIONID:" >> $TOPFILE
-  echo "    - ca" >> $TOPFILE
-  echo "    - elasticsearch" >> $TOPFILE
+  # Render the real top file only for the host running soup; every other
+  # minion gets an empty top (no states) while the master is upgrading.
+  echo "{% if grains['id'] == '$MINIONID' %}" > $TOPFILE
+  cat $BACKUPTOPFILE >> $TOPFILE
+  echo "{% endif %}" >> $TOPFILE
 }
 
 masterunlock() {