diff --git a/include/ipc.h b/include/ipc.h
index 606c47ba..0b6441f6 100644
--- a/include/ipc.h
+++ b/include/ipc.h
@@ -13,6 +13,6 @@ enum ipc_command_type {
 };
 
 void ipc_init(void);
-void ipc_shutdown(void);
+void ipc_terminate(void);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index 38557b62..644b8005 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "commands.h"
 #include "container.h"
 #include "handlers.h"
+#include "sway.h"
 
 struct modifier_key {
 	char *name;
@@ -186,7 +187,7 @@ static bool cmd_exit(struct sway_config *config, int argc, char **argv) {
 	}
 	// Close all views
 	container_map(&root_container, kill_views, NULL);
-	wlc_terminate();
+	sway_terminate();
 	return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/sway/ipc.c b/sway/ipc.c
index 69f4a4f3..d55469ed 100644
--- a/sway/ipc.c
+++ b/sway/ipc.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void ipc_init(void) {
 	ipc_event_source = wlc_event_loop_add_fd(ipc_socket, WLC_EVENT_READABLE, ipc_handle_connection, NULL);
 }
 
-void ipc_shutdown(void) {
+void ipc_terminate(void) {
 	if (ipc_event_source) {
 		wlc_event_source_remove(ipc_event_source);
 	}
diff --git a/sway/log.c b/sway/log.c
index e8c1b78f..6e01421b 100644
--- a/sway/log.c
+++ b/sway/log.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "log.h"
+#include "sway.h"
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ void sway_abort(const char *format, ...) {
 	vfprintf(stderr, format, args);
 	va_end(args);
 	fprintf(stderr, "\n");
-	exit(1);
+	sway_terminate();
 }
 
 void sway_log(int verbosity, const char* format, ...) {
diff --git a/sway/main.c b/sway/main.c
index a42fbcb7..f37f086d 100644
--- a/sway/main.c
+++ b/sway/main.c
@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@
 #include "log.h"
 #include "handlers.h"
 #include "ipc.h"
+#include "sway.h"
+
+static bool terminate_request = false;
+
+void sway_terminate(void) {
+	terminate_request = true;
+	wlc_terminate();
+}
 
 static void sigchld_handle(int signal);
 
@@ -102,12 +110,15 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	ipc_init();
 
-	wlc_run();
+	if (!terminate_request) {
+		wlc_run();
+	}
+
 	if (devnull) {
 		fclose(devnull);
 	}
 
-	ipc_shutdown();
+	ipc_terminate();
 
 	return 0;
 }