A system is provided that electrically isolates a diode laser when the health of the diode laser deteriorates past a preset value. In addition to the diode laser and its power supply, the system includes a monitoring system that monitors the voltage across the diode laser and/or the voltage across a series resistor and/or the operating temperature of the diode laser and/or one or more characteristics of the output beam of the diode laser and/or the temperature of the diode laser coolant and/or the flow rate of the diode laser coolant. The system also includes a power supply controller and associated control circuit that is activated upon receipt of a trigger signal from the monitoring system.