diff --git a/src/hydra-queue-runner/hydra-queue-runner.cc b/src/hydra-queue-runner/hydra-queue-runner.cc
index 6b9d4aae..2eee9463 100644
--- a/src/hydra-queue-runner/hydra-queue-runner.cc
+++ b/src/hydra-queue-runner/hydra-queue-runner.cc
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ bool has(const C & c, const V & v)
 
 std::mutex exitRequestMutex;
 std::condition_variable exitRequest;
-bool exitRequested(false);
+std::atomic<bool> exitRequested(false);
 
 static std::atomic_int _int(0);
 
@@ -145,6 +145,8 @@ class State
 private:
 
     std::thread queueMonitorThread;
+    std::mutex queueMonitorMutex;
+    std::condition_variable queueMonitorWakeup;
 
     /* The queued builds. */
     typedef std::map<BuildID, Build::ptr> Builds;
@@ -161,7 +163,7 @@ private:
     typedef std::list<Step::wptr> Runnable;
     Sync<Runnable> runnable;
 
-    std::condition_variable_any runnableCV;
+    std::condition_variable_any runnableWakeup;
 
 public:
     State();
@@ -178,7 +180,7 @@ public:
 
     void updateBuild(pqxx::work & txn, Build::ptr build, BuildStatus status);
 
-    void queueMonitorThreadEntry();
+    void queueMonitor();
 
     void getQueuedBuilds(std::shared_ptr<StoreAPI> store, pqxx::connection & conn);
 
@@ -266,19 +268,18 @@ void State::finishBuildStep(pqxx::work & txn, time_t stopTime, BuildID buildId,
 }
 
 
-void State::queueMonitorThreadEntry()
+void State::queueMonitor()
 {
     auto store = openStore(); // FIXME: pool
 
     Connection conn;
 
-    while (true) {
+    while (!exitRequested) {
         getQueuedBuilds(store, conn);
 
         {
-            std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(exitRequestMutex);
-            exitRequest.wait_for(lock, std::chrono::seconds(5));
-            if (exitRequested) break;
+            std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(queueMonitorMutex);
+            queueMonitorWakeup.wait_for(lock, std::chrono::seconds(5));
         }
     }
 
@@ -550,7 +551,7 @@ void State::makeRunnable(Step::ptr step)
         runnable_->push_back(step);
     }
 
-    runnableCV.notify_one();
+    runnableWakeup.notify_one();
 }
 
 
@@ -563,8 +564,9 @@ void State::builderThreadEntry(int slot)
         Step::ptr step;
         {
             auto runnable_(runnable.lock());
-            while (runnable_->empty())
-                runnable_.wait(runnableCV);
+            while (runnable_->empty() && !exitRequested)
+                runnable_.wait(runnableWakeup);
+            if (exitRequested) break;
             auto weak = *runnable_->begin();
             runnable_->pop_front();
             step = weak.lock();
@@ -760,12 +762,29 @@ void State::run()
         markActiveBuildStepsAsAborted(conn, 0);
     }
 
-    queueMonitorThread = std::thread(&State::queueMonitorThreadEntry, this);
+    queueMonitorThread = std::thread(&State::queueMonitor, this);
 
+    std::vector<std::thread> builderThreads;
     for (int n = 0; n < 4; n++)
-        std::thread(&State::builderThreadEntry, this, n).detach();
+        builderThreads.push_back(std::thread(&State::builderThreadEntry, this, n));
 
+    /* Wait for SIGINT. */
+    {
+        std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(exitRequestMutex);
+        while (!exitRequested)
+            exitRequest.wait(lock);
+    }
+
+    printMsg(lvlError, "exiting...");
+
+    /* Shut down the various threads. */
+    { std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(queueMonitorMutex); } // barrier
+    queueMonitorWakeup.notify_all();
     queueMonitorThread.join();
+
+    { auto runnable_(runnable.lock()); } // barrier
+    runnableWakeup.notify_all();
+    for (auto & thread : builderThreads) thread.join();
 }