diff --git a/eth/downloader/downloader.go b/eth/downloader/downloader.go
index cbdaa0ca2..60ff8dbc6 100644
--- a/eth/downloader/downloader.go
+++ b/eth/downloader/downloader.go
@@ -143,6 +143,8 @@
 	quitCh   chan struct{} // Quit channel to signal termination
 	quitLock sync.RWMutex  // Lock to prevent double closes
 
+	downloads sync.WaitGroup // Keeps track of the currently active downloads
+
 	// Testing hooks
 	syncInitHook     func(uint64, uint64)  // Method to call upon initiating a new sync run
 	bodyFetchHook    func([]*types.Header) // Method to call upon starting a block body fetch
@@ -403,7 +405,9 @@
 // specified peer and head hash.
 func (d *Downloader) syncWithPeer(p *peerConnection, hash common.Hash, td *big.Int) (err error) {
 	d.mux.Post(StartEvent{})
+	d.downloads.Add(1)
 	defer func() {
+		d.downloads.Done()
 		// reset on error
 		if err != nil {
 			d.mux.Post(FailedEvent{err})
@@ -471,12 +475,17 @@
 	} else if d.mode == FullSync {
 		fetchers = append(fetchers, d.processFullSyncContent)
 	}
-	return d.spawnSync(fetchers)
+	return d.spawnSync(errCancelHeaderFetch, fetchers)
 }
 
 // spawnSync runs d.process and all given fetcher functions to completion in
 // separate goroutines, returning the first error that appears.
-func (d *Downloader) spawnSync(fetchers []func() error) error {
+func (d *Downloader) spawnSync(errCancel error, fetchers []func() error) error {
+	select {
+	case <-d.cancelCh:
+		return errCancel
+	default:
+	}
 	errc := make(chan error, len(fetchers))
 	d.cancelWg.Add(len(fetchers))
 	for _, fn := range fetchers {
@@ -539,6 +548,10 @@
 
 	// Cancel any pending download requests
 	d.Cancel()
+
+	// Wait, so external dependencies aren't destroyed
+	// until the download processing is done.
+	d.downloads.Wait()
 }
 
 // fetchHeight retrieves the head header of the remote peer to aid in estimating
diff --git a/eth/handler.go b/eth/handler.go
index c2426544f..08818a507 100644
--- a/eth/handler.go
+++ b/eth/handler.go
@@ -230,6 +230,9 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) Stop() {
 	// Quit fetcher, txsyncLoop.
 	close(pm.quitSync)

+	// Stop downloader and make sure that all the running downloads are complete.
+	pm.downloader.Terminate()
+
 	// Disconnect existing sessions.
 	// This also closes the gate for any new registrations on the peer set.
 	// sessions which are already established but not added to pm.peers yet
diff --git a/eth/sync.go b/eth/sync.go
index 2da1464bc..f14e84303 100644
--- a/eth/sync.go
+++ b/eth/sync.go
@@ -135,7 +135,6 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) syncer() {
 	// Start and ensure cleanup of sync mechanisms
 	pm.fetcher.Start()
 	defer pm.fetcher.Stop()
-	defer pm.downloader.Terminate()

 	// Wait for different events to fire synchronisation operations
 	forceSync := time.NewTicker(forceSyncCycle)
diff --git a/les/handler.go b/les/handler.go
index 864abe605..67e459594 100644
--- a/les/handler.go
+++ b/les/handler.go
@@ -241,6 +241,9 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) Stop() {

 	close(pm.quitSync) // quits syncer, fetcher

+	// Stop downloader and make sure that all the running downloads are complete.
+	pm.downloader.Terminate()
+
 	// Disconnect existing sessions.
 	// This also closes the gate for any new registrations on the peer set.
 	// sessions which are already established but not added to pm.peers yet
diff --git a/les/sync.go b/les/sync.go
index c0e17f97d..983dc7f36 100644
--- a/les/sync.go
+++ b/les/sync.go
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) syncer() {
 	// Start and ensure cleanup of sync mechanisms
 	//pm.fetcher.Start()
 	//defer pm.fetcher.Stop()
-	defer pm.downloader.Terminate()

 	// Wait for different events to fire synchronisation operations
 	//forceSync := time.Tick(forceSyncCycle)
diff --git a/les/backend.go b/les/backend.go
index 6a324cb0..e3844bf8 100644
--- a/les/backend.go
+++ b/les/backend.go
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ package les
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"sync"
-	"time"

 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
@@ -250,7 +249,6 @@ func (s *LightEthereum) Stop() error {

 	s.eventMux.Stop()

-	time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 200)
 	s.chainDb.Close()
 	close(s.shutdownChan)