diff --git a/app/app.go b/app/app.go
index b9c1b8b..634f245 100644
--- a/app/app.go
+++ b/app/app.go
@@ -255,6 +255,12 @@ func (app *application) DeleteProfile(onion string, password string) {
 	app.appmutex.Lock()
 	defer app.appmutex.Unlock()
 
+	// short circuit to prevent nil-pointer panic if this function is called twice (or incorrectly)
+	if app.peers[onion] == nil {
+		log.Errorf("shutdownPeer called with invalid onion %v", onion)
+		return
+	}
+
 	// allow a blank password to delete "unencrypted" accounts...
 	if password == "" {
 		password = DefactoPasswordForUnencryptedProfiles
@@ -477,6 +483,13 @@ func (app *application) ShutdownPeer(onion string) {
 
 // shutdownPeer mutex unlocked helper shutdown peer
 func (app *application) shutdownPeer(onion string) {
+
+	// short circuit to prevent nil-pointer panic if this function is called twice (or incorrectly)
+	if app.eventBuses[onion] == nil || app.peers[onion] == nil {
+		log.Errorf("shutdownPeer called with invalid onion %v", onion)
+		return
+	}
+
 	app.eventBuses[onion].Publish(event.NewEventList(event.ShutdownPeer, event.Identity, onion))
 	app.eventBuses[onion].Shutdown()
 	delete(app.eventBuses, onion)