diff --git a/jmbase/jmbase/__init__.py b/jmbase/jmbase/__init__.py
index d0b0e61..55c27b3 100644
--- a/jmbase/jmbase/__init__.py
+++ b/jmbase/jmbase/__init__.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from .support import (get_log, chunks, debug_silence, jmprint,
 from .proof_of_work import get_pow, verify_pow
 from .twisted_utils import (stop_reactor, is_hs_uri, get_tor_agent,
                             get_nontor_agent, JMHiddenService,
-                            JMHTTPResource)
+                            JMHTTPResource, set_custom_stop_reactor)
 from .bytesprod import BytesProducer
 from .commands import *
 
diff --git a/jmbase/jmbase/twisted_utils.py b/jmbase/jmbase/twisted_utils.py
index 8a8f507..f7e2f28 100644
--- a/jmbase/jmbase/twisted_utils.py
+++ b/jmbase/jmbase/twisted_utils.py
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ import txtorcon
 from txtorcon.web import tor_agent
 from txtorcon import TorControlProtocol, TorConfig
 
+_custom_stop_reactor_is_set = False
+custom_stop_reactor = None
+
 # This removes `CONF_CHANGED` requests
 # over the Tor control port, which aren't needed for our use case.
 def patch_add_event_listener(self, evt, callback):
@@ -70,7 +73,19 @@ class WhitelistContextFactory(object):
             return CertificateOptions(verify=False)
         return self.default_policy.creatorForNetloc(hostname, port)
 
+def set_custom_stop_reactor(fn):
+    global _custom_stop_reactor_is_set
+    global custom_stop_reactor
+    _custom_stop_reactor_is_set = True
+    custom_stop_reactor = fn
+
 def stop_reactor():
+    if not _custom_stop_reactor_is_set:
+        _stop_reactor()
+    else:
+        custom_stop_reactor()
+
+def _stop_reactor():
     """ The value of the bool `reactor.running`
     does not reliably tell us whether the
     reactor is running (!). There are startup
@@ -83,8 +98,6 @@ def stop_reactor():
     except ReactorNotRunning:
         pass
 
-
-
 def is_hs_uri(s):
     x = wrapped_urlparse(s)
     if x.hostname.endswith(".onion"):
diff --git a/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py b/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
index 48cc4b8..762b40d 100755
--- a/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
+++ b/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ donation_address_url = "https://bitcoinprivacy.me/joinmarket-donations"
 #Version of this Qt script specifically
 JM_GUI_VERSION = '27dev'
 
-from jmbase import get_log, stop_reactor
+from jmbase import get_log, stop_reactor, set_custom_stop_reactor
 from jmbase.support import EXIT_FAILURE, utxo_to_utxostr,\
     hextobin, JM_CORE_VERSION
 import jmbitcoin as btc
@@ -1623,9 +1623,20 @@ class JMMainWindow(QMainWindow):
         self.reactor = reactor
         self.initUI()
 
+        # a flag to indicate that shutdown should not
+        # depend on user input
+        self.unconditional_shutdown = False
+
     def closeEvent(self, event):
-        quit_msg = "Are you sure you want to quit?"
-        reply = JMQtMessageBox(self, quit_msg, mbtype='question')
+        if self.unconditional_shutdown:
+            JMQtMessageBox(self,
+                           "RPC connection is lost; shutting down.",
+                           mbtype='crit',
+                           title="Error")
+            reply = QMessageBox.Yes
+        else:
+            quit_msg = "Are you sure you want to quit?"
+            reply = JMQtMessageBox(self, quit_msg, mbtype='question')
         if reply == QMessageBox.Yes:
             event.accept()
             if self.reactor.threadpool is not None:
@@ -2413,6 +2424,18 @@ tabWidget.currentChanged.connect(onTabChange)
 mainWindow.show()
 reactor.runReturn()
 
+# Qt does not stop automatically when we stop the qt5reactor, and
+# also we don't want to close without warning the user;
+# patch our stop_reactor method to include the necessary cleanup:
+def qt_shutdown():
+    # checking ensures we only fire the close
+    # event once even if stop_reactor is called
+    # multiple times (which it often is):
+    if mainWindow.isVisible():
+        mainWindow.unconditional_shutdown = True
+        mainWindow.close()
+set_custom_stop_reactor(qt_shutdown)
+
 # Upon launching the app, ask the user to choose a wallet to open
 mainWindow.openWallet()