diff --git a/event/common.go b/event/common.go
index 9b9f975..d78d861 100644
--- a/event/common.go
+++ b/event/common.go
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ const (
 	// attributes GroupServer - the onion of the server to leave
 	LeaveServer = Type("LeaveServer")
 
+	ProtocolEngineShutdown    = Type("ProtocolEngineShutdown")
 	ProtocolEngineStartListen = Type("ProtocolEngineStartListen")
 	ProtocolEngineStopped     = Type("ProtocolEngineStopped")
 
diff --git a/peer/cwtch_peer.go b/peer/cwtch_peer.go
index 5d8771f..e16bf9e 100644
--- a/peer/cwtch_peer.go
+++ b/peer/cwtch_peer.go
@@ -787,7 +787,7 @@ func (cp *cwtchPeer) GetPeerState(handle string) connections.ConnectionState {
 func (cp *cwtchPeer) PeerWithOnion(onion string) {
 	go func() {
 		// wait a random number of seconds before triggering
-		// this cuts down on contention in the event
+		// this cuts down on contention in the evengit st bus
 		randWait := time.Duration(rand2.Int() % 60)
 		time.Sleep(randWait * time.Second)
 		cp.eventBus.Publish(event.NewEvent(event.PeerRequest, map[event.Field]string{event.RemotePeer: onion}))
diff --git a/protocol/connections/engine.go b/protocol/connections/engine.go
index 0d1f8d3..864e5f6 100644
--- a/protocol/connections/engine.go
+++ b/protocol/connections/engine.go
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ func NewProtocolEngine(identity primitives.Identity, privateKey ed25519.PrivateK
 	engine.eventManager = eventManager
 
 	engine.eventManager.Subscribe(event.ProtocolEngineStartListen, engine.queue)
+	engine.eventManager.Subscribe(event.ProtocolEngineShutdown, engine.queue)
 	engine.eventManager.Subscribe(event.PeerRequest, engine.queue)
 	engine.eventManager.Subscribe(event.RetryPeerRequest, engine.queue)
 	engine.eventManager.Subscribe(event.InvitePeerToGroup, engine.queue)
@@ -137,6 +138,10 @@ func (e *engine) EventManager() event.Manager {
 func (e *engine) eventHandler() {
 	for {
 		ev := e.queue.Next()
+		// optimistic shutdown...
+		if e.shuttingDown {
+			return
+		}
 		switch ev.EventType {
 		case event.StatusRequest:
 			e.eventManager.Publish(event.Event{EventType: event.ProtocolEngineStatus, EventID: ev.EventID})
@@ -248,6 +253,8 @@ func (e *engine) eventHandler() {
 					e.eventManager.Publish(event.NewEvent(event.SendMessageToPeerError, map[event.Field]string{event.RemotePeer: ev.Data[event.RemotePeer], event.EventID: ev.EventID, event.Error: err.Error()}))
 				}
 			}
+		case event.ProtocolEngineShutdown:
+			return
 		default:
 			return
 		}
@@ -297,8 +304,10 @@ func (e *engine) listenFn() {
 
 // Shutdown tears down the eventHandler goroutine
 func (e *engine) Shutdown() {
-	e.shuttingDown = true
+	// don't accept any more events...
+	e.queue.Publish(event.NewEvent(event.ProtocolEngineShutdown, map[event.Field]string{}))
 	e.service.Shutdown()
+	e.shuttingDown = true
 
 	e.ephemeralServicesLock.Lock()
 	defer e.ephemeralServicesLock.Unlock()