A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a compressor having an impeller configured to rotate and drive a working fluid through a working fluid circuit of the HVAC system in an active operating mode. The HVAC system further includes a controller configured to, in response to receiving an input indicative of a transition to operate in an inactive operating mode, suspend the active operating mode by interrupting a supply of power to the compressor, adjust pre-rotation vanes of the compressor, a variable geometry diffuser of the compressor to a first position, or both to enable a backflow of the working fluid through the compressor for a first interval of time, and, after the first interval of time has elapsed, adjust the pre-rotation vanes, the variable geometry diffuser, or both to a second position to block the backflow of the working fluid through the compressor.