A powertrain includes a transmission having an input shaft, an output shaft, and a plurality of clutches engageable in various combinations to establish varying power flow paths between the input and output shafts. A controller is pro grammed to, responsive to a shift of the transmission: reduce torque capacity of an off - going one of the clutches and increase torque capacity of an oncoming one of the clutches during a torque transfer phase of the shift, and, in response to an inertia phase of the shift, continue to command non - zero torque capacity to the off - going clutch such that the off- going clutch brakes the output shaft throughout an entire duration of the inertia phase.