diff --git a/apps/db_reg_agent/DBRegAgent.cpp b/apps/db_reg_agent/DBRegAgent.cpp
index 3aaaf255..c4098016 100644
--- a/apps/db_reg_agent/DBRegAgent.cpp
+++ b/apps/db_reg_agent/DBRegAgent.cpp
@@ -260,20 +260,12 @@ int DBRegAgent::onLoad()
 }
 
 void DBRegAgent::onUnload() {
-  if (running) {
-    running = false;
-    registration_scheduler.stop();
-    DBG("unclean shutdown. Waiting for processing thread to stop.\n");
-    for (int i=0;i<400;i++) {
-      if (shutdown_finished)
-	break;
-      usleep(2000); // 2ms
-    }
+  stop();
+  join();
 
-    if (!shutdown_finished) {
-      WARN("processing thread could not be stopped, process will probably crash\n");
-    }
-  }
+  registration_scheduler.stop();
+  DBG("unclean shutdown. Waiting for processing thread to stop.\n");
+  registration_scheduler.join();
 
   DBG("closing main DB connection\n");
   MainDBConnection.disconnect();
@@ -828,8 +820,8 @@ void DBRegAgent::process(AmEvent* ev) {
     if(sys_ev){	
       DBG("Session received system Event\n");
       if (sys_ev->sys_event == AmSystemEvent::ServerShutdown) {
-	running = false;
 	registration_scheduler.stop();
+	registration_scheduler.join();
       }
       return;
     }
@@ -1231,8 +1223,6 @@ void DBRegAgent::onSipReplyEvent(AmSipReplyEvent* ev) {
 }
 
 void DBRegAgent::run() {
-  running = shutdown_finished = true;
-
   DBG("DBRegAgent thread: waiting 2 sec for server startup ...\n");
   sleep(2);
   
@@ -1244,8 +1234,7 @@ void DBRegAgent::run() {
   }
 
   DBG("running DBRegAgent thread...\n");
-  shutdown_finished = false;
-  while (running) {
+  while (!stop_requested()) {
     waitForEventTimed(500); // 500 milliseconds
     processEvents();
   }
@@ -1264,12 +1253,10 @@ void DBRegAgent::run() {
   mysqlpp::Connection::thread_end();
 
   DBG("DBRegAgent thread stopped.\n");
-  shutdown_finished = true;
 }
 
 void DBRegAgent::on_stop() {
   DBG("DBRegAgent on_stop()...\n");
-  running = false;
 }
 
 void DBRegAgent::setRegistrationTimer(long object_id, uint64_t timeout,
@@ -1728,7 +1715,7 @@ void DBRegAgent::invoke(const string& method,
 // /////////////// processor thread /////////////////
 
 DBRegAgentProcessorThread::DBRegAgentProcessorThread()
-  : AmEventQueue(this), stopped(false) {
+  : AmEventQueue(this) {
 }
 
 DBRegAgentProcessorThread::~DBRegAgentProcessorThread() {
@@ -1785,7 +1772,7 @@ void DBRegAgentProcessorThread::run() {
     allowance = DBRegAgent::ratelimit_rate;
 
   reg_agent = DBRegAgent::instance();
-  while (!stopped) {
+  while (!stop_requested()) {
     waitForEvent();
     while (eventPending()) {
       rateLimitWait();
@@ -1806,7 +1793,8 @@ void DBRegAgentProcessorThread::process(AmEvent* ev) {
       DBG("Session received system Event\n");
       if (sys_ev->sys_event == AmSystemEvent::ServerShutdown) {
 	DBG("stopping processor thread\n");
-	stopped = true;
+	stop();
+	join();
       }
       return;
     }
diff --git a/apps/db_reg_agent/DBRegAgent.h b/apps/db_reg_agent/DBRegAgent.h
index a55667de..dadf86e4 100644
--- a/apps/db_reg_agent/DBRegAgent.h
+++ b/apps/db_reg_agent/DBRegAgent.h
@@ -103,7 +103,6 @@ class DBRegAgentProcessorThread
 {
 
   DBRegAgent* reg_agent;
-  bool stopped;
 
   void rateLimitWait();
 
@@ -270,12 +269,6 @@ class DBRegAgent
 
   unsigned int expires;
 
-  /** processing thread running? */
-  bool running;
-
-  /** processing thread shutdown finished? */
-  bool shutdown_finished;
-
   AmDynInvoke* uac_auth_i;
 
   void DIcreateRegistration(int object_id, const string& user,
diff --git a/apps/dsm/SystemDSM.cpp b/apps/dsm/SystemDSM.cpp
index 7af0354f..3f666a1b 100644
--- a/apps/dsm/SystemDSM.cpp
+++ b/apps/dsm/SystemDSM.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 SystemDSM::SystemDSM(const DSMScriptConfig& config,
 		     const string& startDiagName,
 		     bool reload) 
-  : stop_requested(false), AmEventQueue(this), 
+  : AmEventQueue(this), 
     startDiagName(startDiagName), dummy_session(this), 
     reload(reload)
 {
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ void SystemDSM::run() {
     return;
   }
 
-  while (!stop_requested && !dummy_session.getStopped()) {
+  while (!stop_requested() && !dummy_session.getStopped()) {
     waitForEvent();
     processEvents();
   }
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ void SystemDSM::run() {
 
 void SystemDSM::on_stop() {
   DBG("requesting stop of SystemDSM\n");
-  stop_requested = true;
 }
 
 void SystemDSM::process(AmEvent* event) {
diff --git a/apps/dsm/SystemDSM.h b/apps/dsm/SystemDSM.h
index 5d12f705..8821eb3c 100644
--- a/apps/dsm/SystemDSM.h
+++ b/apps/dsm/SystemDSM.h
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ class SystemDSM
 {
 
   EventProxySession dummy_session;
-  atomic_bool stop_requested;
 
   DSMStateEngine engine;
   string startDiagName;
diff --git a/apps/monitoring/Monitoring.cpp b/apps/monitoring/Monitoring.cpp
index c2673bcd..7f4ab61d 100644
--- a/apps/monitoring/Monitoring.cpp
+++ b/apps/monitoring/Monitoring.cpp
@@ -721,8 +721,7 @@ LogBucket& Monitor::getLogBucket(const string& call_id) {
 
 void MonitorGarbageCollector::run() {
   DBG("running MonitorGarbageCollector thread\n");
-  running.set(true);
-  while (running.get()) {
+  while (!stop_requested()) {
     sleep(Monitor::gcInterval);
     Monitor::instance()->clearFinished();
   }
@@ -735,7 +734,8 @@ void MonitorGarbageCollector::postEvent(AmEvent* e) {
   if (sys_ev && 
       sys_ev->sys_event == AmSystemEvent::ServerShutdown) {
     DBG("stopping MonitorGarbageCollector thread\n");
-    running.set(false);
+    stop();
+    join();
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/apps/monitoring/Monitoring.h b/apps/monitoring/Monitoring.h
index df271b3a..dd31a66c 100644
--- a/apps/monitoring/Monitoring.h
+++ b/apps/monitoring/Monitoring.h
@@ -129,8 +129,6 @@ class MonitorGarbageCollector
 : public AmThread,
   public AmEventQueueInterface
  {
-  atomic_bool running;
-
  public:
   void run();
   void on_stop();
diff --git a/apps/registrar_client/SIPRegistrarClient.cpp b/apps/registrar_client/SIPRegistrarClient.cpp
index 556568be..52f31c54 100644
--- a/apps/registrar_client/SIPRegistrarClient.cpp
+++ b/apps/registrar_client/SIPRegistrarClient.cpp
@@ -62,8 +62,7 @@ SIPRegistrarClient* SIPRegistrarClient::instance()
 SIPRegistrarClient::SIPRegistrarClient(const string& name)
   : AmEventQueue(this),
     uac_auth_i(NULL),
-    AmDynInvokeFactory(MOD_NAME),
-    stop_requested(false)
+    AmDynInvokeFactory(MOD_NAME)
 { 
 }
 
@@ -77,7 +76,7 @@ void SIPRegistrarClient::run() {
     uac_auth_i = uac_auth_f->getInstance();
   }
 
-  while (!stop_requested) {
+  while (!stop_requested()) {
     if (registrations.size()) {
       unsigned int cnt = 250;
       while (cnt > 0) {
@@ -144,7 +143,7 @@ void SIPRegistrarClient::onServerShutdown() {
     AmEventDispatcher::instance()->delEventQueue(it->first);
   }
 
-  stop_requested = true;
+  stop();
 //   
 //   setStopped();
 //   return;
diff --git a/apps/registrar_client/SIPRegistrarClient.h b/apps/registrar_client/SIPRegistrarClient.h
index ccd77e5a..66dc951b 100644
--- a/apps/registrar_client/SIPRegistrarClient.h
+++ b/apps/registrar_client/SIPRegistrarClient.h
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ class SIPRegistrarClient  : public AmThread,
 
   AmDynInvoke* uac_auth_i;
 
-  atomic_bool stop_requested;
   void checkTimeouts();
   void onServerShutdown();
  public:
diff --git a/apps/rtmp/RtmpSender.cpp b/apps/rtmp/RtmpSender.cpp
index ef03b737..da29da03 100644
--- a/apps/rtmp/RtmpSender.cpp
+++ b/apps/rtmp/RtmpSender.cpp
@@ -37,8 +37,7 @@
 
 RtmpSender::RtmpSender(RTMP* r)
   : has_work(false),
-    p_rtmp(r),
-    running(false)
+    p_rtmp(r)
 {
 }
 
@@ -73,9 +72,7 @@ int RtmpSender::push_back(const RTMPPacket& p)
 
 void RtmpSender::run()
 {
-  running = true;
-
-  while(running){
+  while (!stop_requested()) {
     
     //wait for some work
     // (at most 1s)
@@ -112,7 +109,6 @@ void RtmpSender::run()
 
 void RtmpSender::on_stop()
 {
-  running = false;
 }
 
 int RtmpSender::SendChangeChunkSize()
diff --git a/apps/rtmp/RtmpSender.h b/apps/rtmp/RtmpSender.h
index 08a6e8b8..6805b351 100644
--- a/apps/rtmp/RtmpSender.h
+++ b/apps/rtmp/RtmpSender.h
@@ -47,9 +47,6 @@ class RtmpSender
   // ptr to RtmpConnection::rtmp
   RTMP* p_rtmp;
 
-  // execution control
-  atomic_bool running;
-
   int SendChangeChunkSize();
 
 protected:
diff --git a/apps/sbc/RegisterCache.cpp b/apps/sbc/RegisterCache.cpp
index ccccd7ac..ea5025b1 100644
--- a/apps/sbc/RegisterCache.cpp
+++ b/apps/sbc/RegisterCache.cpp
@@ -225,21 +225,14 @@ void _RegisterCache::gbc(unsigned int bucket_id)
   bucket->unlock();
 }
 
-void _RegisterCache::on_stop()
-{
-  running = false;
-}
-
 void _RegisterCache::run()
 {
   struct timespec tick,rem;
   tick.tv_sec  = (REG_CACHE_SINGLE_CYCLE/1000000L);
   tick.tv_nsec = (REG_CACHE_SINGLE_CYCLE - (tick.tv_sec)*1000000L) * 1000L;
 
-  running = true;
-
   gbc_bucket_id = 0;
-  while(running) {
+  while (!stop_requested()) {
     gbc(gbc_bucket_id);
     gbc_bucket_id = (gbc_bucket_id+1);
     gbc_bucket_id &= (REG_CACHE_TABLE_ENTRIES-1);
diff --git a/apps/sbc/RegisterCache.h b/apps/sbc/RegisterCache.h
index 44712c8d..01285d4a 100644
--- a/apps/sbc/RegisterCache.h
+++ b/apps/sbc/RegisterCache.h
@@ -200,8 +200,6 @@ class _RegisterCache
 
   unsigned int gbc_bucket_id;
 
-  atomic_bool running;
-
   // stats
   atomic_int active_regs;
 
@@ -216,7 +214,7 @@ protected:
 
   /* AmThread interface */
   void run();
-  void on_stop();
+  const char *identify() { return "register cache"; }
 
   /**
    * Returns the bucket associated with the passed contact-uri
diff --git a/apps/xmlrpc2di/XMLRPC2DI.cpp b/apps/xmlrpc2di/XMLRPC2DI.cpp
index b9320948..61a9b44a 100644
--- a/apps/xmlrpc2di/XMLRPC2DI.cpp
+++ b/apps/xmlrpc2di/XMLRPC2DI.cpp
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ void XMLRPC2DIServer::run() {
     s->work(DEF_XMLRPCSERVER_WORK_INTERVAL);
     processEvents();
   } 
-  while(running.get());
+  while (!stop_requested());
 
   AmEventDispatcher::instance()->delEventQueue(MOD_NAME);
   DBG("Exiting XMLRPC2DIServer.\n");
@@ -488,7 +488,8 @@ void XMLRPC2DIServer::process(AmEvent* ev) {
       if (sys_ev->sys_event == AmSystemEvent::ServerShutdown) {
 	DBG("XMLRPC2DIServer received system Event: ServerShutdown, "
 	    "stopping thread\n");
-	running.set(false);
+	stop();
+	join();
       }
       return;
     }
@@ -498,7 +499,6 @@ void XMLRPC2DIServer::process(AmEvent* ev) {
 
 void XMLRPC2DIServer::on_stop() {
   DBG("on_stop().\n");
-  running.set(false);
 }
 
 void XMLRPC2DIServerCallsMethod::execute(XmlRpcValue& params, XmlRpcValue& result) {
diff --git a/core/AmEventQueueProcessor.cpp b/core/AmEventQueueProcessor.cpp
index 15103dea..dc1950fe 100644
--- a/core/AmEventQueueProcessor.cpp
+++ b/core/AmEventQueueProcessor.cpp
@@ -111,8 +111,7 @@ void EventQueueWorker::notify(AmEventQueue* sender)
 
 void EventQueueWorker::run()
 {
-  stop_requested = false;
-  while(!stop_requested){
+  while (!stop_requested()) {
 
     runcond.wait_for();
 
@@ -142,7 +141,6 @@ void EventQueueWorker::run()
 void EventQueueWorker::on_stop() 
 {
   INFO("requesting worker to stop.\n");
-  stop_requested = true;
   runcond.set(true);
 }
 
diff --git a/core/AmEventQueueProcessor.h b/core/AmEventQueueProcessor.h
index 7efdd4aa..a893d5ec 100644
--- a/core/AmEventQueueProcessor.h
+++ b/core/AmEventQueueProcessor.h
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@ class EventQueueWorker
 : public AmThread,
   public AmEventNotificationSink
 {
-  atomic_bool stop_requested;
-
   AmCondition runcond;
   std::deque<AmEventQueue*> process_queues;
   AmMutex process_queues_mut;
diff --git a/core/AmMediaProcessor.cpp b/core/AmMediaProcessor.cpp
index 9254823f..9f76d368 100644
--- a/core/AmMediaProcessor.cpp
+++ b/core/AmMediaProcessor.cpp
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ void AmMediaProcessor::dispose()
 /* the actual media processing thread */
 
 AmMediaProcessorThread::AmMediaProcessorThread()
-  : events(this), stop_requested(false)
+  : events(this)
 {
 }
 AmMediaProcessorThread::~AmMediaProcessorThread()
@@ -224,13 +224,10 @@ AmMediaProcessorThread::~AmMediaProcessorThread()
 void AmMediaProcessorThread::on_stop()
 {
   INFO("requesting media processor to stop.\n");
-  stop_requested = true;
 }
 
 void AmMediaProcessorThread::run()
 {
-  stop_requested = false;
-
   // wallclock time
   unsigned long long ts = 0;//4294417296;
 
@@ -241,7 +238,7 @@ void AmMediaProcessorThread::run()
 
   uint64_t next_tick = now + tick;
     
-  while(!stop_requested){
+  while (!stop_requested()) {
 
     now = gettimeofday_us();
 
diff --git a/core/AmMediaProcessor.h b/core/AmMediaProcessor.h
index a6681fab..0f8d337c 100644
--- a/core/AmMediaProcessor.h
+++ b/core/AmMediaProcessor.h
@@ -171,8 +171,8 @@ class AmMediaProcessorThread :
   // AmThread interface
   void run();
   void on_stop();
-  atomic_bool stop_requested;
-    
+  const char *identify() { return "media processor"; }
+ 
   // AmEventHandler interface
   void process(AmEvent* e);
 public:
diff --git a/core/AmRtpReceiver.cpp b/core/AmRtpReceiver.cpp
index a2e75603..ddb27157 100644
--- a/core/AmRtpReceiver.cpp
+++ b/core/AmRtpReceiver.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ _AmRtpReceiver::~_AmRtpReceiver()
 }
 
 AmRtpReceiverThread::AmRtpReceiverThread()
-  : stop_requested(false)
 {
   // libevent event base
   ev_base = event_base_new();
@@ -68,20 +67,11 @@ void AmRtpReceiverThread::on_stop()
   event_base_loopbreak(ev_base);
 }
 
-void AmRtpReceiverThread::stop_and_wait()
-{
-  if(!is_stopped()) {
-    stop();
-    
-    while(!is_stopped()) 
-      usleep(10000);
-  }
-}
-
 void _AmRtpReceiver::dispose() 
 {
   for(unsigned int i=0; i<n_receivers; i++){
-    receivers[i].stop_and_wait();
+    receivers[i].stop();
+    receivers[i].join();
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/core/AmRtpReceiver.h b/core/AmRtpReceiver.h
index e84b3192..5b203e73 100644
--- a/core/AmRtpReceiver.h
+++ b/core/AmRtpReceiver.h
@@ -71,8 +71,6 @@ class AmRtpReceiverThread
   Streams  streams;
   AmMutex  streams_mut;
 
-  atomic_bool stop_requested;
-
   static void _rtp_receiver_read_cb(evutil_socket_t sd, short what, void* arg);
 
 public:    
@@ -84,8 +82,6 @@ public:
 
   void addStream(int sd, AmRtpStream* stream);
   void removeStream(int sd);
-
-  void stop_and_wait();
 };
 
 class _AmRtpReceiver
diff --git a/core/AmSessionProcessor.cpp b/core/AmSessionProcessor.cpp
index f9e13cd1..98eb49ad 100644
--- a/core/AmSessionProcessor.cpp
+++ b/core/AmSessionProcessor.cpp
@@ -89,8 +89,7 @@ void AmSessionProcessorThread::notify(AmEventQueue* sender) {
 
 void AmSessionProcessorThread::run() {
 
-  stop_requested = false;
-  while(!stop_requested){
+  while (!stop_requested()) {
 
     runcond.wait_for();
 
@@ -159,8 +158,7 @@ void AmSessionProcessorThread::run() {
 }
 
 void AmSessionProcessorThread::on_stop() {
-  INFO("requesting session to stop.\n");
-  stop_requested = true;
+  runcond.set(true);
 }
 
 // AmEventHandler interface
diff --git a/core/AmSessionProcessor.h b/core/AmSessionProcessor.h
index 6376d6a7..472120f6 100644
--- a/core/AmSessionProcessor.h
+++ b/core/AmSessionProcessor.h
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ class AmSessionProcessorThread
   AmEventQueue    events;
   std::list<AmSession*> sessions;
   std::vector<AmSession*> startup_sessions;
-  atomic_bool stop_requested;
 
   AmCondition runcond;
   std::set<AmEventQueue*> process_sessions;
diff --git a/core/sip/wheeltimer.cpp b/core/sip/wheeltimer.cpp
index df5c581f..d8b6ee4e 100644
--- a/core/sip/wheeltimer.cpp
+++ b/core/sip/wheeltimer.cpp
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ void _wheeltimer::remove_timer(timer* t, bool del_timer)
 
 void _wheeltimer::run()
 {
-  while(!stopped){
+  while (!stop_requested()) {
 
     // figure out whether there's anything to run, and for how long to sleep
 
@@ -112,8 +112,6 @@ void _wheeltimer::run()
     // all done, remove bucket
     buckets.erase(beg);
   }
-
-  shutdown_finished.set(true);
 }
 
 void _wheeltimer::process_current_timers(timer_list& list, std::unique_lock<std::mutex>& lock)
diff --git a/core/sip/wheeltimer.h b/core/sip/wheeltimer.h
index 250a4971..6dceb868 100644
--- a/core/sip/wheeltimer.h
+++ b/core/sip/wheeltimer.h
@@ -124,9 +124,6 @@ class _wheeltimer:
     // future (or if no timers exist). Needed not to miss the shutdown flag being set.
     const uint64_t max_sleep_time = 500000; // half a second
 
-    atomic_bool stopped;
-    AmCondition shutdown_finished;
-
     void place_timer(timer* t, uint64_t, uint64_t);
 
     void add_timer_to_bucket(timer* t, uint64_t);
@@ -139,17 +136,16 @@ class _wheeltimer:
 protected:
     void run();
     void on_stop(){
-	    stopped = true;
-	    shutdown_finished.wait_for();
+	join();
     }
 
     _wheeltimer()
-	: resolution(20000), // 20 ms == 20000 us
-	  stopped(false), shutdown_finished(false) {}
+	: resolution(20000) // 20 ms == 20000 us
+	  {}
 
     _wheeltimer(uint64_t _resolution)
-	: resolution(_resolution),
-	  stopped(false), shutdown_finished(false) {}
+	: resolution(_resolution)
+	  {}
 
 public:
     //clock reference