diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy
index bd50242d..6263b0ab 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy
@@ -353,6 +353,7 @@ public class Core {
             log.info("shutting down embedded router")
             router.shutdown(0)
         }
+        log.info("shutdown complete")
     }
 
     static main(args) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/Connection.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/Connection.groovy
index b1e9cd30..9096d808 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/Connection.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/Connection.groovy
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 package com.muwire.core.connection
 
 import java.util.concurrent.BlockingQueue
+import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch
+import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService
+import java.util.concurrent.Executors
 import java.util.concurrent.LinkedBlockingQueue
+import java.util.concurrent.ThreadFactory
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean
 import java.util.logging.Level
 
@@ -21,6 +26,17 @@ import net.i2p.data.Destination
 
 @Log
 abstract class Connection implements Closeable {
+    
+    /**
+     * This exists because the reset() method blocks for a long time
+     * even though the javadocs say it's non-blocking.  When that gets
+     * fixed on the I2P side, this can be removed.
+     */
+    private static final ExecutorService CLOSER = Executors.newCachedThreadPool( {r ->
+        def rv = new Thread(r,"connection closer")
+        rv.setDaemon(true) 
+        rv
+    } as ThreadFactory)
 
     private static final int SEARCHES = 10
     private static final long INTERVAL = 1000
@@ -82,7 +98,14 @@ abstract class Connection implements Closeable {
         log.info("closing $name")
         reader.interrupt()
         writer.interrupt()
-        endpoint.close()
+        
+        CountDownLatch latch = new CountDownLatch(1)
+        CLOSER.submit({
+            endpoint.close()
+            latch.countDown()
+            log.info("closed $name")
+        })
+        latch.await(3000, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)
         eventBus.publish(new DisconnectionEvent(destination: endpoint.destination))
     }
 
@@ -91,6 +114,7 @@ abstract class Connection implements Closeable {
             while(running.get()) {
                 read()
             }
+        } catch (InterruptedException ok) {
         } catch (SocketTimeoutException e) {
         } catch (Exception e) {
             log.log(Level.WARNING,"unhandled exception in reader",e)
@@ -107,6 +131,7 @@ abstract class Connection implements Closeable {
                 def message = messages.take()
                 write(message)
             }
+        } catch (InterruptedException ok) {
         } catch (Exception e) {
             log.log(Level.WARNING, "unhandled exception in writer",e)
         } finally {
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionManager.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionManager.groovy
index bac34eac..7d3a8a5b 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionManager.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/ConnectionManager.groovy
@@ -36,9 +36,8 @@ abstract class ConnectionManager {
         timer.schedule({sendPings()} as TimerTask, 1000,1000)
     }
 
-    void stop() {
+    void shutdown() {
         timer.cancel()
-        getConnections().each { it.close() }
     }
 
     void onTrustEvent(TrustEvent e) {
@@ -62,8 +61,6 @@ abstract class ConnectionManager {
 
     abstract void onDisconnectionEvent(DisconnectionEvent e)
 
-    abstract void shutdown()
-
     protected void sendPings() {
         final long now = System.currentTimeMillis()
         getConnections().each {
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/UltrapeerConnectionManager.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/UltrapeerConnectionManager.groovy
index 719588d1..4aaa405b 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/UltrapeerConnectionManager.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/connection/UltrapeerConnectionManager.groovy
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ class UltrapeerConnectionManager extends ConnectionManager {
 
     @Override
     void shutdown() {
+        super.shutdown()
         peerConnections.values().stream().parallel().forEach({v -> v.close()})
         leafConnections.values().stream().parallel().forEach({v -> v.close()})
         peerConnections.clear()
diff --git a/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Shutdown.groovy b/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Shutdown.groovy
index 06df819a..9ee2c9bd 100644
--- a/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Shutdown.groovy
+++ b/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Shutdown.groovy
@@ -18,11 +18,8 @@ class Shutdown extends AbstractLifecycleHandler {
 
     @Override
     void execute() {
-        log.info("shutting down")
+        log.info("shutting down from lifecycle")
         Core core = application.context.get("core")
-        if (core != null) {
-            Thread t = new Thread({ core.shutdown() } as Runnable)
-            t.start()
-        }
+        core?.shutdown() 
     }
 }