A fuel cell stack (1, 1a, 1b) comprising: first and second end plates (8, 9), the second end plate having a heat rejection surface; and a plurality of fuel cells interposed between the first and second end plates (8, 9) and including an end cell associated with the first end plate, each fuel cell having a membrane electrode assembly having a cathode side and an anode side interposed between anode and cathode flow fields, respectively; the fuel cell stack characterized by further comprising: a thermal mass interposed between the first end plate and the end cell and in thermal communication with the end cell; a first insulating layer interposed between the first end plate and the thermal mass; and a second insulating layer surrounding the plurality of fuel cells, wherein the size of the thermal mass is selected such that at least half of the water present in the membrane electrode assemblies during operation of the fuel cell stack (1, 1a, 1b) is transferred from the membrane electrode assemblies to one of the anode and cathode flow fields in each of the plurality of fuel cells during shutdown of the fuel cell stack (1, 1a, 1b), and wherein the thermal mass is configured to act as a heat reservoir that establishes a decreasing temperature profile across the stack during shutdown of the fuel cell stack. first and second end plates (8, 9), the second end plate having a heat rejection surface; and a plurality of fuel cells interposed between the first and second end plates (8, 9) and including an end cell associated with the first end plate, each fuel cell having a membrane electrode assembly having a cathode side and an anode side interposed between anode and cathode flow fields, respectively; the fuel cell stack characterized by further comprising: a thermal mass interposed between the first end plate and the end cell and in thermal communication with the end cell; a first insulating layer interposed between the first end plate and the thermal mass; and a second insulating layer surrounding the plurality of fuel cells, wherein the size of the thermal mass is selected such that at least half of the water present in the membrane electrode assemblies during operation of the fuel cell stack (1, 1a, 1b) is transferred from the membrane electrode assemblies to one of the anode and cathode flow fields in each of the plurality of fuel cells during shutdown of the fuel cell stack (1, 1a, 1b), and wherein the thermal mass is configured to act as a heat reservoir that establishes a decreasing temperature profile across the stack during shutdown of the fuel cell stack. a thermal mass interposed between the first end plate and the end cell and in thermal communication with the end cell; a first insulating layer interposed between the first end plate and the thermal mass; and a second insulating layer surrounding the plurality of fuel cells, wherein the size of the thermal mass is selected such that at least half of the water present in the membrane electrode assemblies during operation of the fuel cell stack (1, 1a, 1b) is transferred from the membrane electrode assemblies to one of the anode and cathode flow fields in each of the plurality of fuel cells during shutdown of the fuel cell stack (1, 1a, 1b), and wherein the thermal mass is configured to act as a heat reservoir that establishes a decreasing temperature profile across the stack during shutdown of the fuel cell stack.