diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp
index 64694fe81..174e1a038 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ static const uint64_t testnet_hard_fork_version_1_till = 624633;
 //------------------------------------------------------------------
 Blockchain::Blockchain(tx_memory_pool& tx_pool) :
   m_db(), m_tx_pool(tx_pool), m_hardfork(NULL), m_timestamps_and_difficulties_height(0), m_current_block_cumul_sz_limit(0), m_is_in_checkpoint_zone(false),
-  m_is_blockchain_storing(false), m_enforce_dns_checkpoints(false), m_max_prepare_blocks_threads(4), m_db_blocks_per_sync(1), m_db_sync_mode(db_async), m_fast_sync(true), m_show_time_stats(false), m_sync_counter(0)
+  m_is_blockchain_storing(false), m_enforce_dns_checkpoints(false), m_max_prepare_blocks_threads(4), m_db_blocks_per_sync(1), m_db_sync_mode(db_async), m_fast_sync(true), m_show_time_stats(false), m_sync_counter(0), m_cancel(false)
 {
   LOG_PRINT_L3("Blockchain::" << __func__);
 }
@@ -3455,6 +3455,8 @@ void Blockchain::block_longhash_worker(const uint64_t height, const std::vector<
   //       the height of the block passed to it
   for (const auto & block : blocks)
   {
+    if (m_cancel)
+       return;
     crypto::hash id = get_block_hash(block);
     crypto::hash pow = get_block_longhash(block, height);
     map.emplace(id, pow);
@@ -3630,6 +3632,9 @@ bool Blockchain::prepare_handle_incoming_blocks(const std::list<block_complete_e
 
       thread_list.clear();
 
+      if (m_cancel)
+         return false;
+
       for (const auto & map : maps)
       {
         m_blocks_longhash_table.insert(map.begin(), map.end());
@@ -3637,6 +3642,9 @@ bool Blockchain::prepare_handle_incoming_blocks(const std::list<block_complete_e
     }
   }
 
+  if (m_cancel)
+    return false;
+
   if (blocks_exist)
   {
     LOG_PRINT_L0("Skipping prepare blocks. Blocks exist.");
@@ -3674,6 +3682,9 @@ bool Blockchain::prepare_handle_incoming_blocks(const std::list<block_complete_e
   // generate sorted tables for all amounts and absolute offsets
   for (const auto &entry : blocks_entry)
   {
+    if (m_cancel)
+      return false;
+
     for (const auto &tx_blob : entry.txs)
     {
       crypto::hash tx_hash = null_hash;
@@ -3782,6 +3793,9 @@ bool Blockchain::prepare_handle_incoming_blocks(const std::list<block_complete_e
   // now generate a table for each tx_prefix and k_image hashes
   for (const auto &entry : blocks_entry)
   {
+    if (m_cancel)
+      return false;
+
     for (const auto &tx_blob : entry.txs)
     {
       crypto::hash tx_hash = null_hash;
@@ -3863,6 +3877,11 @@ std::map<uint64_t, std::tuple<uint64_t, uint64_t, uint64_t>> Blockchain:: get_ou
   return m_db->get_output_histogram(amounts, unlocked, recent_cutoff);
 }
 
+void Blockchain::cancel()
+{
+  m_cancel = true;
+}
+
 #if defined(PER_BLOCK_CHECKPOINT)
 void Blockchain::load_compiled_in_block_hashes()
 {
diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.h b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.h
index f9ae9d8aa..9afc22657 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.h
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.h
@@ -843,6 +843,9 @@ namespace cryptonote
      */
     void block_longhash_worker(const uint64_t height, const std::vector<block> &blocks,
         std::unordered_map<crypto::hash, crypto::hash> &map) const;
+
+    void cancel();
+
   private:
 
     // TODO: evaluate whether or not each of these typedefs are left over from blockchain_storage
@@ -912,6 +915,8 @@ namespace cryptonote
 
     bool m_testnet;
 
+    std::atomic<bool> m_cancel;
+
     /**
      * @brief collects the keys for all outputs being "spent" as an input
      *
diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp
index 84a41cfbf..4da4533f8 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ namespace cryptonote
   //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   void core::stop()
   {
-    graceful_exit();
+    m_blockchain_storage.cancel();
   }
   //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   void core::init_options(boost::program_options::options_description& desc)
diff --git a/src/cryptonote_protocol/cryptonote_protocol_handler.h b/src/cryptonote_protocol/cryptonote_protocol_handler.h
index ab5d8230d..6bf630834 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_protocol/cryptonote_protocol_handler.h
+++ b/src/cryptonote_protocol/cryptonote_protocol_handler.h
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ namespace cryptonote
     bool is_synchronized(){return m_synchronized;}
     void log_connections();
     std::list<connection_info> get_connections();
+    void stop();
   private:
     //----------------- commands handlers ----------------------------------------------
     int handle_notify_new_block(int command, NOTIFY_NEW_BLOCK::request& arg, cryptonote_connection_context& context);
@@ -135,6 +136,7 @@ namespace cryptonote
     std::atomic<uint32_t> m_syncronized_connections_count;
     std::atomic<bool> m_synchronized;
     bool m_one_request = true;
+    std::atomic<bool> m_stopping;
 
 		// static std::ofstream m_logreq;
     boost::mutex m_buffer_mutex;
diff --git a/src/cryptonote_protocol/cryptonote_protocol_handler.inl b/src/cryptonote_protocol/cryptonote_protocol_handler.inl
index 35266fc7c..51ade0221 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_protocol/cryptonote_protocol_handler.inl
+++ b/src/cryptonote_protocol/cryptonote_protocol_handler.inl
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ namespace cryptonote
     t_cryptonote_protocol_handler<t_core>::t_cryptonote_protocol_handler(t_core& rcore, nodetool::i_p2p_endpoint<connection_context>* p_net_layout):m_core(rcore),
                                                                                                               m_p2p(p_net_layout),
                                                                                                               m_syncronized_connections_count(0),
-                                                                                                              m_synchronized(false)
+                                                                                                              m_synchronized(false),
+                                                                                                              m_stopping(false)
 
   {
     if(!m_p2p)
@@ -793,6 +794,11 @@ namespace cryptonote
     size_t count = 0;
     BOOST_FOREACH(const block_complete_entry& block_entry, arg.blocks)
     {
+      if (m_stopping)
+      {
+        return 1;
+      }
+
       ++count;
       block b;
       if(!parse_and_validate_block_from_blob(block_entry.block, b))
@@ -857,6 +863,12 @@ namespace cryptonote
         m_core.prepare_handle_incoming_blocks(arg.blocks);
         BOOST_FOREACH(const block_complete_entry& block_entry, arg.blocks)
         {
+          if (m_stopping)
+          {
+              m_core.cleanup_handle_incoming_blocks();
+              return 1;
+          }
+
           // process transactions
           TIME_MEASURE_START(transactions_process_time);
           BOOST_FOREACH(auto& tx_blob, block_entry.txs)
@@ -1146,5 +1158,11 @@ namespace cryptonote
     (*logreq) << "log used" << std::endl;
     return *logreq;
   }
-
+  //------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  template<class t_core>
+  void t_cryptonote_protocol_handler<t_core>::stop()
+  {
+    m_stopping = true;
+    m_core.stop();
+  }
 } // namespace
diff --git a/src/p2p/net_node.inl b/src/p2p/net_node.inl
index a8c295ce9..ad967459d 100644
--- a/src/p2p/net_node.inl
+++ b/src/p2p/net_node.inl
@@ -656,6 +656,7 @@ namespace nodetool
   template<class t_payload_net_handler>
   bool node_server<t_payload_net_handler>::send_stop_signal()
   {
+    m_payload_handler.stop();
     m_net_server.send_stop_signal();
     LOG_PRINT_L0("[node] Stop signal sent");
     return true;