diff --git a/HOTFIX b/HOTFIX
index aa8e22a9c..e2deb48db 100644
--- a/HOTFIX
+++ b/HOTFIX
@@ -1 +1 @@
-20220202 20220203
+20220202 20220203 20220301
diff --git a/salt/curator/files/action/delete.yml b/salt/curator/files/action/delete.yml
index fb3945c1d..6e31b03b6 100644
--- a/salt/curator/files/action/delete.yml
+++ b/salt/curator/files/action/delete.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ actions:
     - filtertype: pattern
       kind: regex
       value: '^(logstash-.*|so-.*)$'
+    - filtertype: pattern
+      kind: regex
+      value: '^(so-case.*)$'
+      exclude: True
     - filtertype: space
       source: creation_date
       use_age: True
diff --git a/salt/curator/files/bin/so-curator-closed-delete-delete b/salt/curator/files/bin/so-curator-closed-delete-delete
index eb38c73dc..b872a7aeb 100755
--- a/salt/curator/files/bin/so-curator-closed-delete-delete
+++ b/salt/curator/files/bin/so-curator-closed-delete-delete
@@ -34,9 +34,13 @@ overlimit() {
 
 closedindices() {
 
-        INDICES=$({{ ELASTICCURL }} -s -k https://{{ELASTICSEARCH_HOST}}:{{ELASTICSEARCH_PORT}}/_cat/indices?h=index\&expand_wildcards=closed 2> /dev/null)
+	# If we can't query Elasticsearch, then immediately return false.
+        {{ ELASTICCURL }} -s -k https://{{ELASTICSEARCH_HOST}}:{{ELASTICSEARCH_PORT}}/_cat/indices?h=index\&expand_wildcards=closed >/dev/null 2>&1
         [ $? -eq 1 ] && return false 
-        echo ${INDICES} | grep -q -E "(logstash-|so-)"
+	# First, get the list of closed indices using _cat/indices?h=index\&expand_wildcards=closed.
+	# Next, filter out any so-case indices.
+	# Finally, use grep's -q option to return true if there are any remaining logstash- or so- indices.
+        {{ ELASTICCURL }} -s -k https://{{ELASTICSEARCH_HOST}}:{{ELASTICSEARCH_PORT}}/_cat/indices?h=index\&expand_wildcards=closed | grep -v "so-case" | grep -q -E "(logstash-|so-)"
 }
 
 # Check for 2 conditions:
@@ -47,9 +51,10 @@ while overlimit && closedindices; do
 
 	# We need to determine OLDEST_INDEX:
 	# First, get the list of closed indices using _cat/indices?h=index\&expand_wildcards=closed.
-	# Then, sort by date by telling sort to use hyphen as delimiter and then sort on the third field.
+	# Next, filter out any so-case indices and only select the remaining logstash- or so- indices.
+	# Then, sort by date by telling sort to use hyphen as delimiter and sort on the third field.
 	# Finally, select the first entry in that sorted list.
-	OLDEST_INDEX=$({{ ELASTICCURL }} -s -k https://{{ELASTICSEARCH_HOST}}:{{ELASTICSEARCH_PORT}}/_cat/indices?h=index\&expand_wildcards=closed | grep -E "(logstash-|so-)" | sort -t- -k3 | head -1)
+	OLDEST_INDEX=$({{ ELASTICCURL }} -s -k https://{{ELASTICSEARCH_HOST}}:{{ELASTICSEARCH_PORT}}/_cat/indices?h=index\&expand_wildcards=closed | grep -v "so-case" | grep -E "(logstash-|so-)" | sort -t- -k3 | head -1)
 	
 	# Now that we've determined OLDEST_INDEX, ask Elasticsearch to delete it.
 	{{ ELASTICCURL }} -XDELETE -k https://{{ELASTICSEARCH_HOST}}:{{ELASTICSEARCH_PORT}}/${OLDEST_INDEX}