diff --git a/jmbase/jmbase/twisted_utils.py b/jmbase/jmbase/twisted_utils.py
index 57a6584..6d35029 100644
--- a/jmbase/jmbase/twisted_utils.py
+++ b/jmbase/jmbase/twisted_utils.py
@@ -3,13 +3,12 @@ from twisted.internet.error import ReactorNotRunning, AlreadyCancelled
 from twisted.internet import reactor
 
 def stop_reactor():
-    """ Both in startup and shutdown,
-    the value of the bool `reactor.running`
+    """ The value of the bool `reactor.running`
     does not reliably tell us whether the
     reactor is running (!). There are startup
     and shutdown phases not reported externally
-    by IReactorCore.
-    Hence the Exception catch is needed here.
+    by IReactorCore. So we must catch Exceptions
+    raised by trying to stop the reactor.
     """
     try:
         if reactor.running:
diff --git a/jmclient/jmclient/blockchaininterface.py b/jmclient/jmclient/blockchaininterface.py
index dcf5274..24b23e7 100644
--- a/jmclient/jmclient/blockchaininterface.py
+++ b/jmclient/jmclient/blockchaininterface.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import time
 from decimal import Decimal
 import binascii
 from twisted.internet import reactor, task
-from jmbase import bintohex, hextobin
+from jmbase import bintohex, hextobin, stop_reactor
 import jmbitcoin as btc
 
 from jmclient.jsonrpc import JsonRpcConnectionError, JsonRpcError
diff --git a/jmclient/jmclient/maker.py b/jmclient/jmclient/maker.py
index 598eaa1..631a511 100644
--- a/jmclient/jmclient/maker.py
+++ b/jmclient/jmclient/maker.py
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ class Maker(object):
         self.nextoid = -1
         self.offerlist = None
         self.sync_wait_loop = task.LoopingCall(self.try_to_create_my_orders)
+        # don't fire on the first tick since reactor is still starting up
+        # and may not shutdown appropriately if we immediately recognize
+        # not-enough-coins:
         self.sync_wait_loop.start(2.0, now=False)
         self.aborted = False
 
diff --git a/jmclient/test/test_coinjoin.py b/jmclient/test/test_coinjoin.py
index 26e8305..0c851b8 100644
--- a/jmclient/test/test_coinjoin.py
+++ b/jmclient/test/test_coinjoin.py
@@ -69,6 +69,11 @@ def create_taker(wallet, schedule, monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(taker, 'auth_counterparty', lambda *args: True)
     return taker
 
+def create_orders(makers):
+    # fire the order creation immediately (delayed 2s in prod,
+    # but this is too slow for test):
+    for maker in makers:
+        maker.try_to_create_my_orders()
 
 def init_coinjoin(taker, makers, orderbook, cj_amount):
     init_data = taker.initialize(orderbook)
@@ -133,6 +138,7 @@ def test_simple_coinjoin(monkeypatch, tmpdir, setup_cj, wallet_cls):
     makers = [YieldGeneratorBasic(
         wallet_services[i],
         [0, 2000, 0, 'swabsoffer', 10**7]) for i in range(MAKER_NUM)]
+    create_orders(makers)
 
     orderbook = create_orderbook(makers)
     assert len(orderbook) == MAKER_NUM
@@ -177,6 +183,7 @@ def test_coinjoin_mixdepth_wrap_taker(monkeypatch, tmpdir, setup_cj):
     makers = [YieldGeneratorBasic(
         wallet_services[i],
         [0, cj_fee, 0, 'swabsoffer', 10**7]) for i in range(MAKER_NUM)]
+    create_orders(makers)
 
     orderbook = create_orderbook(makers)
     assert len(orderbook) == MAKER_NUM
@@ -232,7 +239,7 @@ def test_coinjoin_mixdepth_wrap_maker(monkeypatch, tmpdir, setup_cj):
     makers = [YieldGeneratorBasic(
         wallet_services[i],
         [0, cj_fee, 0, 'swabsoffer', 10**7]) for i in range(MAKER_NUM)]
-
+    create_orders(makers)
     orderbook = create_orderbook(makers)
     assert len(orderbook) == MAKER_NUM