diff --git a/codex.nim b/codex.nim
index 6302b257..b3e40608 100644
--- a/codex.nim
+++ b/codex.nim
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ when isMainModule:
 
   ## Ctrl+C handling
   proc doShutdown() =
-    shutdown = server.stop()
+    shutdown = server.shutdown()
     state = CodexStatus.Stopping
 
     notice "Stopping Codex"
diff --git a/codex/codex.nim b/codex/codex.nim
index 5cbd6fdd..9807d5a8 100644
--- a/codex/codex.nim
+++ b/codex/codex.nim
@@ -169,8 +169,8 @@ proc bootstrapInteractions(s: CodexServer): Future[void] {.async.} =
 
 proc start*(s: CodexServer) {.async.} =
   trace "Starting codex node", config = $s.config
-
   await s.repoStore.start()
+
   s.maintenance.start()
 
   await s.codexNode.switch.start()
@@ -208,6 +208,11 @@ proc stop*(s: CodexServer) {.async.} =
     error "Failed to stop codex node", failures = res.failure.len
     raiseAssert "Failed to stop codex node"
 
+proc close*(s: CodexServer) {.async.} =
+  var futures = @[s.codexNode.close(), s.repoStore.close()]
+
+  let res = await noCancel allFinishedFailed[void](futures)
+
   if not s.taskpool.isNil:
     try:
       s.taskpool.shutdown()
@@ -215,6 +220,14 @@ proc stop*(s: CodexServer) {.async.} =
       error "Failed to stop the taskpool", failures = res.failure.len
       raiseAssert("Failure in taskpool shutdown:" & exc.msg)
 
+  if res.failure.len > 0:
+    error "Failed to close codex node", failures = res.failure.len
+    raiseAssert "Failed to close codex node"
+
+proc shutdown(server: CodexServer) {.async.} =
+  await server.stop()
+  await server.close()
+
 proc new*(
     T: type CodexServer, config: CodexConf, privateKey: CodexPrivateKey
 ): CodexServer =
diff --git a/codex/node.nim b/codex/node.nim
index 063e90f5..ccae080c 100644
--- a/codex/node.nim
+++ b/codex/node.nim
@@ -907,6 +907,7 @@ proc stop*(self: CodexNodeRef) {.async.} =
   if not self.clock.isNil:
     await self.clock.stop()
 
+proc close*(self: CodexNodeRef) {.async.} =
   if not self.networkStore.isNil:
     await self.networkStore.close
 
diff --git a/codex/stores/repostore/store.nim b/codex/stores/repostore/store.nim
index ad6f03fc..16813a16 100644
--- a/codex/stores/repostore/store.nim
+++ b/codex/stores/repostore/store.nim
@@ -443,7 +443,6 @@ proc start*(
 ): Future[void] {.async: (raises: [CancelledError, CodexError]).} =
   ## Start repo
   ##
-
   if self.started:
     trace "Repo already started"
     return
@@ -465,6 +464,5 @@ proc stop*(self: RepoStore): Future[void] {.async: (raises: []).} =
     return
 
   trace "Stopping repo"
-  await self.close()
 
   self.started = false
diff --git a/library/codex_thread_requests/requests/node_lifecycle_request.nim b/library/codex_thread_requests/requests/node_lifecycle_request.nim
index 885a2a0e..5f5efbaf 100644
--- a/library/codex_thread_requests/requests/node_lifecycle_request.nim
+++ b/library/codex_thread_requests/requests/node_lifecycle_request.nim
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import ../../../codex/utils
 import ../../../codex/utils/[keyutils, fileutils]
 import ../../../codex/units
 
-from ../../../codex/codex import CodexServer, new, start, stop
+from ../../../codex/codex import CodexServer, new, start, stop, close
 
 logScope:
   topics = "codexlib codexliblifecycle"
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ type NodeLifecycleMsgType* = enum
   CREATE_NODE
   START_NODE
   STOP_NODE
+  DESTROY_NODE
 
 proc readValue*[T: InputFile | InputDir | OutPath | OutDir | OutFile](
     r: var JsonReader, val: var T
@@ -81,13 +82,18 @@ proc readValue*(r: var JsonReader, val: var EthAddress) =
 type NodeLifecycleRequest* = object
   operation: NodeLifecycleMsgType
   configJson: cstring
+  onDestroy: proc() {.gcsafe.}
 
 proc createShared*(
-    T: type NodeLifecycleRequest, op: NodeLifecycleMsgType, configJson: cstring = ""
+    T: type NodeLifecycleRequest,
+    op: NodeLifecycleMsgType,
+    configJson: cstring = "",
+    onDestroy: proc() {.gcsafe.} = nil,
 ): ptr type T =
   var ret = createShared(T)
   ret[].operation = op
   ret[].configJson = configJson.alloc()
+  ret[].onDestroy = onDestroy
   return ret
 
 proc destroyShared(self: ptr NodeLifecycleRequest) =
@@ -178,5 +184,11 @@ proc process*(
     except Exception as e:
       error "Failed to STOP_NODE.", error = e.msg
       return err(e.msg)
-
+  of DESTROY_NODE:
+    try:
+      await codex[].close()
+      self.onDestroy()
+    except Exception as e:
+      error "Failed to STOP_NODE.", error = e.msg
+      return err(e.msg)
   return ok("")
diff --git a/library/libcodex.nim b/library/libcodex.nim
index 566bbf67..da17e81c 100644
--- a/library/libcodex.nim
+++ b/library/libcodex.nim
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ when defined(linux):
 import std/[atomics]
 import chronicles
 import chronos
+import chronos/threadsync
 import ./codex_context
 import ./codex_thread_requests/codex_thread_request
 import ./codex_thread_requests/requests/node_lifecycle_request
@@ -251,11 +252,28 @@ proc codex_destroy(
   initializeLibrary()
   checkLibcodexParams(ctx, callback, userData)
 
-  let res = codex_context.destroyCodexContext(ctx)
+  let destroySignal = ThreadSignalPtr.new().valueOr:
+    return callback.error("failed to create destroy signal", userData)
+
+  proc onDestroy() {.gcsafe.} =
+    discard destroySignal.fireSync()
+
+  let reqContent = NodeLifecycleRequest.createShared(
+    NodeLifecycleMsgType.DESTROY_NODE, onDestroy = onDestroy
+  )
+  var res = codex_context.sendRequestToCodexThread(
+    ctx, RequestType.LIFECYCLE, reqContent, callback, userData
+  )
   if res.isErr:
     return callback.error(res.error, userData)
 
-  return callback.success("", userData)
+  discard destroySignal.waitSync()
+
+  res = codex_context.destroyCodexContext(ctx)
+  if res.isErr:
+    return callback.error(res.error, userData)
+
+  return RET_OK
 
 proc codex_upload_init(
     ctx: ptr CodexContext,