A system, apparatus, and method for preventing thermal cycling of a ballast coupled to one or more lamps. A monitor circuit is provided to monitor for activation of the ballast's thermal protection mechanism. Such monitoring may include monitoring of the ballast's thermal protection mechanism itself, or monitoring lamp current and ambient temperature in the vicinity of the ballast to determine that the ballast's thermal protection mechanism has been activated. Power to the ballast is temporarily disabled when the ballast's thermal protection mechanism has been activated, thereby preventing thermal cycling of the ballast, and consequently of the lamps, when power to the ballast has been removed.