diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 3ccd01e3b..ee69d2207 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ enum BindFlags {
 // immediately and the parent exits from main().
 //
 // Shutdown for Qt is very similar, only it uses a QTimer to detect
-// fRequestShutdown getting set (either by RPC stop or SIGTERM)
-// and then does the normal Qt shutdown thing.
+// fRequestShutdown getting set, and then does the normal Qt
+// shutdown thing.
 //
 
 volatile bool fRequestShutdown = false;
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ void StartShutdown()
 {
     fRequestShutdown = true;
 }
+bool ShutdownRequested()
+{
+    return fRequestShutdown;
+}
 
 static CCoinsViewDB *pcoinsdbview;
 
diff --git a/src/init.h b/src/init.h
index 2968ca561..5927670c8 100644
--- a/src/init.h
+++ b/src/init.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 extern CWallet* pwalletMain;
 
 void StartShutdown();
+bool ShutdownRequested();
 void Shutdown();
 bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup);
 std::string HelpMessage();
diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
index b61921fca..f079f3b0e 100644
--- a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
@@ -88,11 +88,6 @@ static void InitMessage(const std::string &message)
     printf("init message: %s\n", message.c_str());
 }
 
-static void QueueShutdown()
-{
-    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(qApp, "quit", Qt::QueuedConnection);
-}
-
 /*
    Translate string to current locale using Qt.
  */
@@ -186,7 +181,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     uiInterface.ThreadSafeMessageBox.connect(ThreadSafeMessageBox);
     uiInterface.ThreadSafeAskFee.connect(ThreadSafeAskFee);
     uiInterface.InitMessage.connect(InitMessage);
-    uiInterface.QueueShutdown.connect(QueueShutdown);
     uiInterface.Translate.connect(Translate);
 
     // Show help message immediately after parsing command-line options (for "-lang") and setting locale,
@@ -217,8 +211,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
             GUIUtil::SetStartOnSystemStartup(true);
 
         boost::thread_group threadGroup;
+
         BitcoinGUI window;
         guiref = &window;
+
+        QTimer* pollShutdownTimer = new QTimer(guiref);
+        QObject::connect(pollShutdownTimer, SIGNAL(timeout()), guiref, SLOT(detectShutdown()));
+        pollShutdownTimer->start(200);
+
         if(AppInit2(threadGroup))
         {
             {
diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoingui.cpp b/src/qt/bitcoingui.cpp
index adc6cd474..9da5b8500 100644
--- a/src/qt/bitcoingui.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoingui.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "rpcconsole.h"
 #include "ui_interface.h"
 #include "wallet.h"
+#include "init.h"
 
 #ifdef Q_OS_MAC
 #include "macdockiconhandler.h"
@@ -839,3 +840,9 @@ void BitcoinGUI::toggleHidden()
 {
     showNormalIfMinimized(true);
 }
+
+void BitcoinGUI::detectShutdown()
+{
+    if (ShutdownRequested())
+        QMetaObject::invokeMethod(QCoreApplication::instance(), "quit", Qt::QueuedConnection);
+}
diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoingui.h b/src/qt/bitcoingui.h
index 8f44389fd..aba81cb3b 100644
--- a/src/qt/bitcoingui.h
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoingui.h
@@ -199,6 +199,9 @@ private slots:
     void showNormalIfMinimized(bool fToggleHidden = false);
     /** Simply calls showNormalIfMinimized(true) for use in SLOT() macro */
     void toggleHidden();
+
+    /** called by a timer to check if fRequestShutdown has been set **/
+    void detectShutdown();
 };
 
 #endif // BITCOINGUI_H
diff --git a/src/ui_interface.h b/src/ui_interface.h
index f7dbe2089..5b0555c10 100644
--- a/src/ui_interface.h
+++ b/src/ui_interface.h
@@ -79,9 +79,6 @@ public:
     /** Progress message during initialization. */
     boost::signals2::signal<void (const std::string &message)> InitMessage;
 
-    /** Initiate client shutdown. */
-    boost::signals2::signal<void ()> QueueShutdown;
-
     /** Translate a message to the native language of the user. */
     boost::signals2::signal<std::string (const char* psz)> Translate;