Bervie Braes in Stonehaven has been closed with immediate effect following a landslip across the road from multi-million pound stabilisation works.
It is understood the slip happened more than a week ago, but heavy rain today led to fears of further damage.
Aberdeenshire Council has described the incident as “small” but says inspections are needed to examine possible future risks.
Barriers beside the one-way route managed to contain the debris from the landslide and prevent it from affecting the road.
History of landslips at Bervie Braes
Bervie Braes has been plagued with landslip concerns for decades.
The road was closed in 2009 following a large landslip that resulted in dozens of homes being evacuated.
A £3.3million stabilisation project was commissioned on the lower slopes to protect residents while allowing the road to be reopened.
To stop collapsed material from the upper slopes reaching the road and potentially blocking it off, barriers were placed along its full length.
An economic impact assessment determined the scenic route overlooking the coastal town could be worth up to £9million to the area.
Aberdeenshire Council says crews will now be sent to the scene to clear away the material.
A social media post read: “The Bervie Braes at Stonehaven have been closed with immediate effect following a small landslip on the upper slope.
“The barrier system has contained the debris from the landslip as it has been designed to do, however our teams now need to access the area to clear the material.
“We will also be conducting an inspection of the upper slopes in the vicinity to establish if there is a risk of further movement.”
The decision to shut the road comes around a month before its standard seasonal closure over the winter, which usually lasts from around the start of November until the end of March.