diff --git a/bin/compose-core b/bin/compose-core
index e478032..c248673 100755
--- a/bin/compose-core
+++ b/bin/compose-core
@@ -5761,19 +5761,21 @@ case "$action" in
         ;;
 esac
 
-if [ -n "$DEBUG" ]; then
-    Elt "get relation subset"
-    start=$(time_now)
-fi
 
-get_subset_relations "${services_args[@]}" >/dev/null || exit 1
+if [ "$action" != "down" ]; then
+    if [ -n "$DEBUG" ]; then
+        Elt "get relation subset"
+        start=$(time_now)
+    fi
 
-if [ -n "$DEBUG" ]; then
-    elapsed="$(time_elapsed $start "$(time_now)")" || exit 1
-    print_info "$(printf "%.3fs" "$elapsed")"
-    Feedback
-fi
+    get_subset_relations "${services_args[@]}" >/dev/null || exit 1
 
+    if [ -n "$DEBUG" ]; then
+        elapsed="$(time_elapsed $start "$(time_now)")" || exit 1
+        print_info "$(printf "%.3fs" "$elapsed")"
+        Feedback
+    fi
+fi
 if [ -n "$is_docker_compose_action" ] && [ "${#services_args[@]}" -gt 0 ]; then
     services=($(get_master_services "${services_args[@]}")) || exit 1
     if [ "$action" == "up" ]; then