diff --git a/memcached.c b/memcached.c
index d769b4a..ac03b93 100644
--- a/memcached.c
+++ b/memcached.c
@@ -1009,6 +1009,18 @@ static void conn_shrink(conn *c) {
     }
 }
 
+// Since some connections might be off on side threads and some are managed as
+// listeners we need to walk through them all from a central point.
+// Must be called with all worker threads hung or in the process of closing.
+void conn_close_all(void) {
+    int i;
+    for (i = 0; i < max_fds; i++) {
+        if (conns[i] && conns[i]->state != conn_closed) {
+            conn_close(conns[i]);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /**
  * Convert a state name to a human readable form.
  */
@@ -9860,13 +9872,6 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv) {
     }
 
     stop_threads();
-    int i;
-    // FIXME: make a function callable from threads.c
-    for (i = 0; i < max_fds; i++) {
-        if (conns[i] && conns[i]->state != conn_closed) {
-            conn_close(conns[i]);
-        }
-    }
     if (memory_file != NULL && stop_main_loop == GRACE_STOP) {
         restart_mmap_close();
     }
diff --git a/memcached.h b/memcached.h
index 6b1fe4a..bc2b395 100644
--- a/memcached.h
+++ b/memcached.h
@@ -814,9 +814,8 @@ enum delta_result_type add_delta(conn *c, const char *key,
                                  const int64_t delta, char *buf,
                                  uint64_t *cas);
 void accept_new_conns(const bool do_accept);
-conn *conn_from_freelist(void);
-bool  conn_add_to_freelist(conn *c);
 void  conn_close_idle(conn *c);
+void  conn_close_all(void);
 item *item_alloc(char *key, size_t nkey, int flags, rel_time_t exptime, int nbytes);
 #define DO_UPDATE true
 #define DONT_UPDATE false
diff --git a/thread.c b/thread.c
index 7cba01e..6e19a2e 100644
--- a/thread.c
+++ b/thread.c
@@ -205,6 +205,7 @@ void stop_threads(void) {
     if (settings.verbose > 0)
         fprintf(stderr, "asking workers to stop\n");
     buf[0] = 's';
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&worker_hang_lock);
     pthread_mutex_lock(&init_lock);
     init_count = 0;
     for (i = 0; i < settings.num_threads; i++) {
@@ -216,6 +217,8 @@ void stop_threads(void) {
     wait_for_thread_registration(settings.num_threads);
     pthread_mutex_unlock(&init_lock);
 
+    // All of the workers are hung but haven't done cleanup yet.
+
     if (settings.verbose > 0)
         fprintf(stderr, "asking background threads to stop\n");
 
@@ -237,6 +240,17 @@ void stop_threads(void) {
     if (settings.verbose > 0)
         fprintf(stderr, "stopped idle timeout thread\n");
 
+    // Close all connections then let the workers finally exit.
+    if (settings.verbose > 0)
+        fprintf(stderr, "closing connections\n");
+    conn_close_all();
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&worker_hang_lock);
+    if (settings.verbose > 0)
+        fprintf(stderr, "reaping worker threads\n");
+    for (i = 0; i < settings.num_threads; i++) {
+        pthread_join(threads[i].thread_id, NULL);
+    }
+
     if (settings.verbose > 0)
         fprintf(stderr, "all background threads stopped\n");