diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 331ffd3..ef7793b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 0.9.2
  - ci: turn tests into a submodule
  - ref: add pyqtSlot decorators where misssing
+ - ref: cleanup threads to isolate #14
 0.9.1
  - fix: don't print upload job when upload is completed in CLI
  - fix: daemonize background thread in CLI dcoraid-upload-task
diff --git a/dcoraid/download/job.py b/dcoraid/download/job.py
index a5a8007..adb9167 100644
--- a/dcoraid/download/job.py
+++ b/dcoraid/download/job.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 ]
 
 
-class DownloadJob(object):
+class DownloadJob:
     def __init__(self, api, resource_id, download_path):
         """Wrapper for resource downloads
 
@@ -78,16 +78,20 @@ def __getstate__(self):
         }
         return dj_state
 
-    @property
-    def file_size(self):
-        return self.get_resource_dict()["size"]
-
     @staticmethod
     def from_download_job_state(dj_state, api):
         """Reinstantiate a job from an `DownloadJob.__getstate__` dict
         """
         return DownloadJob(api=api, **dj_state)
 
+    @property
+    def file_size(self):
+        return self.get_resource_dict()["size"]
+
+    @property
+    def id(self):
+        return self.resource_id
+
     @functools.lru_cache(maxsize=100)
     def get_resource_dict(self):
         """Return resource dictionary"""
@@ -223,7 +227,7 @@ def task_download_resource(self):
         """Start the download
 
         The progress of the download is monitored and written
-        to attributes. The current status can be retrieved
+        to the attributes. The current status can be retrieved
         via :func:`DownloadJob.get_status`.
         """
         if self.state in ["init", "wait-disk"]:
@@ -247,7 +251,7 @@ def task_download_resource(self):
                 if shutil.disk_usage(self.path_temp.parent).free < size:
                     # there is not enough space on disk for the download
                     self.set_state("wait-disk")
-                    time.sleep(.2)
+                    time.sleep(1)
                 else:
                     # proceed with download
                     # reset everything
diff --git a/dcoraid/download/queue.py b/dcoraid/download/queue.py
index 9689d4b..b597f47 100644
--- a/dcoraid/download/queue.py
+++ b/dcoraid/download/queue.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import pathlib
+import time
 import warnings
 
 from ..worker import Daemon
@@ -97,6 +98,13 @@ def __init__(self, api, path_persistent_job_list=None):
     def __contains__(self, download_job):
         return download_job in self.jobs
 
+    def __del__(self):
+        self.daemon_download.shutdown_flag.set()
+        self.daemon_verify.shutdown_flag.set()
+        time.sleep(.2)
+        self.daemon_download.terminate()
+        self.daemon_verify.terminate()
+
     def __getitem__(self, index):
         return self.jobs[index]
 
diff --git a/dcoraid/gui/main.py b/dcoraid/gui/main.py
index 08368ee..1907cf6 100644
--- a/dcoraid/gui/main.py
+++ b/dcoraid/gui/main.py
@@ -140,14 +140,6 @@ def close(self):
             self.timer.stop()
         if self.panel_upload.widget_jobs.timer is not None:
             self.panel_upload.widget_jobs.timer.stop()
-        self.panel_upload.jobs.daemon_compress.join()
-        self.panel_upload.jobs.daemon_upload.join()
-        self.panel_upload.jobs.daemon_verify.join()
-        self.panel_upload.jobs.daemon_compress.terminate()
-        self.panel_upload.jobs.daemon_upload.terminate()
-        self.panel_upload.jobs.daemon_verify.terminate()
-        QtWidgets.QApplication.processEvents(QtCore.QEventLoop.AllEvents,
-                                             3000)
         super(DCORAid, self).close()
 
     @QtCore.pyqtSlot()
@@ -258,10 +250,14 @@ def refresh_login_status(self):
                 text = "{}".format(fullname)
                 tip = "user '{}'".format(name)
                 icon = "user-lock"
-        self.status_widget.set_status(text=text,
-                                      tooltip=tip,
-                                      icon=icon,
-                                      server=api.server)
+        try:
+            self.status_widget.set_status(text=text,
+                                          tooltip=tip,
+                                          icon=icon,
+                                          server=api.server)
+        except BaseException:
+            # Probably application killed
+            pass
 
 
 class StatusWidget(QtWidgets.QWidget):
diff --git a/dcoraid/upload/job.py b/dcoraid/upload/job.py
index 9387889..c323a2e 100644
--- a/dcoraid/upload/job.py
+++ b/dcoraid/upload/job.py
@@ -144,6 +144,10 @@ def from_upload_job_state(uj_state, api, cache_dir=None):
         """
         return UploadJob(api=api, cache_dir=cache_dir, **uj_state)
 
+    @property
+    def id(self):
+        return self.dataset_id
+
     def cleanup(self):
         """cleanup temporary files in the user's cache directory"""
         shutil.rmtree(self.cache_dir, ignore_errors=True)
@@ -362,7 +366,7 @@ def task_compress_resources(self):
                             # As long as there is less space free than the
                             # input file size, we stall here.
                             self.set_state("wait-disk")
-                            time.sleep(0.2)
+                            time.sleep(1)
                         self.set_state("compress")
                         compress(path_out=path_out, path_in=path)
                     # replace current path_out with compressed path
diff --git a/dcoraid/upload/queue.py b/dcoraid/upload/queue.py
index 8295a92..2b5fe03 100644
--- a/dcoraid/upload/queue.py
+++ b/dcoraid/upload/queue.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import pathlib
+import time
 import warnings
 
 from ..api import APINotFoundError
@@ -143,6 +144,15 @@ def __init__(self, api, path_persistent_job_list=None, cache_dir=None):
     def __contains__(self, upload_job):
         return upload_job in self.jobs
 
+    def __del__(self):
+        self.daemon_upload.shutdown_flag.set()
+        self.daemon_verify.shutdown_flag.set()
+        self.daemon_compress.shutdown_flag.set()
+        time.sleep(.2)
+        self.daemon_upload.terminate()
+        self.daemon_verify.terminate()
+        self.daemon_compress.terminate()
+
     def __getitem__(self, index):
         return self.jobs[index]
 
@@ -180,6 +190,7 @@ def abort_job(self, dataset_id):
         elif job.state == "compress":
             job.set_state("abort")
             self.daemon_compress.terminate()
+            self.daemon_compress.shutdown_flag.set()
             self.daemon_compress = CompressDaemon(self.jobs)
 
     def add_job(self, upload_job):
diff --git a/dcoraid/worker/daemon.py b/dcoraid/worker/daemon.py
index 2875bc5..5e648dd 100644
--- a/dcoraid/worker/daemon.py
+++ b/dcoraid/worker/daemon.py
@@ -1,40 +1,35 @@
+import atexit
 import logging
+import threading
 import traceback
 
 import time
 
 from ..common import ConnectionTimeoutErrors
 
-from .kthread import KThread
+from .kthread import KThread, KThreadExit
 
 
 class Daemon(KThread):
     def __init__(self, queue, job_trigger_state, job_function_name):
         """Daemon base class for running uploads/downloads in the background"""
         self.queue = queue
-        self.state = "running"
         self.job_trigger_state = job_trigger_state
         self.job_function_name = job_function_name
         super(Daemon, self).__init__()
         self.daemon = True  # We don't have to worry about ending this thread
-        self.start()
 
-    def join(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        """Join thread by breaking the while loop"""
-        self.state = "exiting"
-        super(Daemon, self).join(*args, **kwargs)
-        assert self.state == "exited"
+        # The shutdown_flag is a threading.Event object that
+        # indicates whether the thread should be terminated.
+        self.shutdown_flag = threading.Event()
+
+        atexit.register(self.shutdown_flag.set)
+
+        self.start()
 
     def run(self):
-        while True:
-            if self.state == "exiting":
-                self.state = "exited"
-                break
-            elif self.state != "running":
-                # Don't do anything
-                time.sleep(.1)
-                continue
-            else:
+        try:
+            while not self.shutdown_flag.is_set():
                 # Get the first job that is in the trigger state
                 for job in self.queue:
                     if job.state == self.job_trigger_state:
@@ -56,16 +51,26 @@ def run(self):
                     job.traceback = traceback.format_exc(limit=1) \
                         + "\nDCOR-Aid will retry in 10s!"
                     logger.error(
-                        f"(dataset {job.dataset_id}) {traceback.format_exc()}")
+                        f"(dataset {job.id}) {traceback.format_exc()}")
                     time.sleep(10)
                     job.set_state(self.job_trigger_state)
-                except SystemExit:
+                except KThreadExit:
                     job.set_state("abort")
-                    logger.error(f"(dataset {job.dataset_id}) Aborted!")
+                    logger.error(f"{job.__class__.__name__} {job.id} Aborted!")
+                except SystemExit:
+                    # nothing to do
+                    self.terminate()
                 except BaseException:
-                    # Set job to error state and let the user figure
-                    # out what to do next.
-                    job.set_state("error")
-                    job.traceback = traceback.format_exc()
-                    logger.error(
-                        f"(dataset {job.dataset_id}) {traceback.format_exc()}")
+                    if not self.shutdown_flag.is_set():
+                        # Only log if the thread is supposed to be running.
+                        # Set job to error state and let the user figure
+                        # out what to do next.
+                        job.set_state("error")
+                        job.traceback = traceback.format_exc()
+                        logger.error(
+                            f"(dataset {job.id}) {traceback.format_exc()}")
+        except KThreadExit:
+            # killed by KThread
+            pass
+        except SystemExit:
+            self.terminate()
diff --git a/dcoraid/worker/kthread.py b/dcoraid/worker/kthread.py
index 13d59a1..4211877 100644
--- a/dcoraid/worker/kthread.py
+++ b/dcoraid/worker/kthread.py
@@ -1,18 +1,20 @@
 """https://github.com/munshigroup/kthread"""
+import atexit
 import ctypes
-import inspect
-import threading
 import time
+import threading
+
+
+class KThreadExit(BaseException):
+    pass
 
 
 def _async_raise(tid, exctype):
     """Raises the exception, causing the thread to exit"""
-    if not inspect.isclass(exctype):
-        raise TypeError("Only types can be raised (not instances)")
     res = ctypes.pythonapi.PyThreadState_SetAsyncExc(
         ctypes.c_long(tid), ctypes.py_object(exctype))
     if res == 0:
-        raise ValueError("Invalid thread ID")
+        pass  # ignore
     elif res != 1:
         # """if it returns a number greater than one, you're in trouble,
         # and you should call it again with exc=NULL to revert the effect"""
@@ -23,16 +25,20 @@ def _async_raise(tid, exctype):
 class KThread(threading.Thread):
     """Killable thread. See terminate() for details."""
 
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super(KThread, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        atexit.register(self.terminate)
+
     def _get_my_tid(self):
         """Determines the instance's thread ID"""
         if not self.is_alive():
-            raise threading.ThreadError("Thread is not active")
+            return None  # Thread is not active
 
         # do we have it cached?
         if hasattr(self, "_thread_id"):
             return self._thread_id
 
-        # no, look for it in the _active dict
+        # look for it in the _active dict
         for tid, tobj in threading._active.items():
             if tobj is self:
                 self._thread_id = tid
@@ -42,7 +48,9 @@ def _get_my_tid(self):
 
     def raise_exc(self, exctype):
         """raises the given exception type in the context of this thread"""
-        _async_raise(self._get_my_tid(), exctype)
+        thread_id = self._get_my_tid()
+        if thread_id:
+            _async_raise(thread_id, exctype)
 
     def terminate(self):
         """raises SystemExit in the context of the given thread, which should
@@ -50,6 +58,7 @@ def terminate(self):
         # WARNING: using terminate() can introduce instability in your
         # programs. It is worth noting that terminate() will NOT work if the
         # thread in question is blocked by a syscall (accept(), recv(), etc.).
+        atexit.unregister(self.terminate)
         while self.is_alive():
-            self.raise_exc(SystemExit)
-            time.sleep(0.01)
+            self.raise_exc(KThreadExit)
+            time.sleep(.05)
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 57c2942..bf8fbe7 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def pytest_configure(config):
     settings.value("user scenario", "dcor-dev")
     settings.setValue("auth/server", "dcor-dev.mpl.mpg.de")
     settings.setValue("auth/api key", common.get_api_key())
-    settings.setValue("debug/without timers", 1)
+    settings.setValue("debug/without timers", "1")
     settings.sync()
     # cleanup
     cleanup_dcoraid_tasks()
diff --git a/tests/test_download_queue.py b/tests/test_download_queue.py
index d6e9c54..f668798 100644
--- a/tests/test_download_queue.py
+++ b/tests/test_download_queue.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import pathlib
 import tempfile
+import time
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -45,8 +46,9 @@ def test_queue_remove_job():
     joblist = DownloadQueue(api=api,
                             path_persistent_job_list=pdjl_path)
     # disable all daemons, so no downloading happens
-    joblist.daemon_download.join()
-    joblist.daemon_verify.join()
+    joblist.daemon_download.shutdown_flag.set()
+    joblist.daemon_verify.shutdown_flag.set()
+    time.sleep(.2)
     resource_id = ds_dict["resources"][0]["id"]
     dj = joblist.new_job(resource_id=resource_id,
                          download_path=td)
@@ -109,8 +111,9 @@ def test_persistent_download_joblist_job_added_in_queue():
     pdjl = PersistentDownloadJobList(pdjl_path)
 
     uq = DownloadQueue(api=api, path_persistent_job_list=pdjl_path)
-    uq.daemon_download.join()
-    uq.daemon_verify.join()
+    uq.daemon_download.shutdown_flag.set()
+    uq.daemon_verify.shutdown_flag.set()
+    time.sleep(.2)
 
     assert pdjl.num_queued == 0
     uq.add_job(dj)
@@ -145,8 +148,9 @@ def test_persistent_download_joblist_skip_queued_resources():
     pdjl.immortalize_job(dj)
 
     dq = DownloadQueue(api=api, path_persistent_job_list=pdjl_path)
-    dq.daemon_download.join()
-    dq.daemon_verify.join()
+    dq.daemon_download.shutdown_flag.set()
+    dq.daemon_verify.shutdown_flag.set()
+    time.sleep(.2)
 
     assert len(dq) == 1
     assert dq.jobs_eternal.num_queued == 1
diff --git a/tests/test_gui.py b/tests/test_gui.py
index e73500a..63a4f9d 100644
--- a/tests/test_gui.py
+++ b/tests/test_gui.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 from dcoraid.gui.upload import widget_upload
 
 import pytest
-from PyQt5 import QtCore, QtWidgets
+from PyQt5 import QtCore, QtWidgets, QtTest
 from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QInputDialog, QMessageBox
 
 from . import common
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ def run_around_tests():
     # Run test
     yield
     # Make sure that all daemons are gone
-    QtWidgets.QApplication.processEvents(QtCore.QEventLoop.AllEvents,
-                                         3000)
+    QtTest.QTest.qWait(1000)
     QtWidgets.QApplication.processEvents(QtCore.QEventLoop.AllEvents,
                                          3000)
 
@@ -52,6 +51,8 @@ def test_anonymous(qtbot):
         ]))
     try:
         mw = DCORAid()
+        qtbot.addWidget(mw)
+        QtWidgets.QApplication.setActiveWindow(mw)
         QtWidgets.QApplication.processEvents(QtCore.QEventLoop.AllEvents, 3000)
         # sanity check
         assert mw.settings.value("user scenario") == "anonymous"
@@ -73,6 +74,8 @@ def test_mydata_dataset_add_to_collection(qtbot, monkeypatch):
     task_id = str(uuid.uuid4())
     tpath = pathlib.Path(common.make_upload_task(task_id=task_id))
     mw = DCORAid()
+    qtbot.addWidget(mw)
+    QtWidgets.QApplication.setActiveWindow(mw)
     # monkeypatch success message box
     monkeypatch.setattr(QMessageBox, "information",
                         lambda *args: None)
@@ -121,6 +124,8 @@ def test_mydata_dataset_add_to_collection(qtbot, monkeypatch):
 def test_upload_simple(qtbot, monkeypatch):
     """Upload a test dataset"""
     mw = DCORAid()
+    qtbot.addWidget(mw)
+    QtWidgets.QApplication.setActiveWindow(mw)
     QtWidgets.QApplication.processEvents(QtCore.QEventLoop.AllEvents, 300)
 
     dlg = UploadDialog(mw.panel_upload)
@@ -143,6 +148,8 @@ def test_upload_task(qtbot, monkeypatch):
     task_id = str(uuid.uuid4())
     tpath = common.make_upload_task(task_id=task_id)
     mw = DCORAid()
+    qtbot.addWidget(mw)
+    QtWidgets.QApplication.setActiveWindow(mw)
     QtWidgets.QApplication.processEvents(QtCore.QEventLoop.AllEvents, 300)
     monkeypatch.setattr(QtWidgets.QFileDialog, "getOpenFileNames",
                         lambda *args: ([tpath], None))
@@ -165,6 +172,8 @@ def test_upload_task_bad_dataset_id_no(qtbot, monkeypatch):
                                     dataset_id="wrong_id",
                                     dataset_dict=dataset_dict)
     mw = DCORAid()
+    qtbot.addWidget(mw)
+    QtWidgets.QApplication.setActiveWindow(mw)
     QtWidgets.QApplication.processEvents(QtCore.QEventLoop.AllEvents, 300)
     # monkeypatch file selection dialog
     monkeypatch.setattr(QtWidgets.QFileDialog, "getOpenFileNames",
@@ -192,6 +201,8 @@ def test_upload_task_bad_dataset_id_yes(qtbot, monkeypatch):
                                     dataset_id="wrong_id",
                                     dataset_dict=dataset_dict)
     mw = DCORAid()
+    qtbot.addWidget(mw)
+    QtWidgets.QApplication.setActiveWindow(mw)
     QtWidgets.QApplication.processEvents(QtCore.QEventLoop.AllEvents, 300)
     # monkeypatch file selection dialog
     monkeypatch.setattr(QtWidgets.QFileDialog, "getOpenFileNames",
@@ -207,6 +218,8 @@ def test_upload_task_bad_dataset_id_yes(qtbot, monkeypatch):
     mw.panel_upload.on_upload_task(action=act)
     uj = mw.panel_upload.jobs[-1]
     assert uj.task_id == task_id
+    mw.panel_upload.jobs.daemon_compress.shutdown_flag.set()
+    mw.panel_upload.jobs.daemon_compress.join()
     mw.close()
 
 
@@ -218,6 +231,8 @@ def test_upload_task_missing_circle(qtbot, monkeypatch):
     tpath = common.make_upload_task(task_id=task_id,
                                     dataset_dict=dataset_dict)
     mw = DCORAid()
+    qtbot.addWidget(mw)
+    QtWidgets.QApplication.setActiveWindow(mw)
     QtWidgets.QApplication.processEvents(QtCore.QEventLoop.AllEvents, 300)
     monkeypatch.setattr(QtWidgets.QFileDialog, "getOpenFileNames",
                         lambda *args: ([tpath], None))
@@ -258,6 +273,8 @@ def test_upload_task_missing_circle_multiple(qtbot, monkeypatch):
     shutil.copytree(tpath2.parent, tdir / tpath2.parent.name)
 
     mw = DCORAid()
+    qtbot.addWidget(mw)
+    QtWidgets.QApplication.setActiveWindow(mw)
     QtWidgets.QApplication.processEvents(QtCore.QEventLoop.AllEvents, 300)
     monkeypatch.setattr(QtWidgets.QFileDialog, "getExistingDirectory",
                         lambda *args: str(tdir))
@@ -286,6 +303,8 @@ def test_upload_task_missing_circle_multiple(qtbot, monkeypatch):
 def test_upload_private(qtbot, monkeypatch):
     """Upload a private test dataset"""
     mw = DCORAid()
+    qtbot.addWidget(mw)
+    QtWidgets.QApplication.setActiveWindow(mw)
     QtWidgets.QApplication.processEvents(QtCore.QEventLoop.AllEvents, 300)
 
     dlg = UploadDialog(mw.panel_upload)
@@ -306,8 +325,12 @@ def test_upload_private(qtbot, monkeypatch):
     assert dataset_id is not None
 
     common.wait_for_job(upload_queue=mw.panel_upload.jobs,
-                        dataset_id=mw.panel_upload.jobs[0].dataset_id)
+                        dataset_id=dataset_id)
     mw.close()
+    QtTest.QTest.qWait(1000)
+    QtWidgets.QApplication.processEvents(QtCore.QEventLoop.AllEvents,
+                                         3000)
+
     # make sure the dataset is private
     api = common.get_api()
     dataset_dict = api.get(api_call="package_show", id=dataset_id)
diff --git a/tests/test_upload_queue.py b/tests/test_upload_queue.py
index 26c5e51..943a233 100644
--- a/tests/test_upload_queue.py
+++ b/tests/test_upload_queue.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import pathlib
 import tempfile
+import time
 import uuid
 
 import pytest
@@ -63,9 +64,10 @@ def test_queue_find_zombie_caches():
     realcache = pathlib.Path(cache_dir) / f"compress-{data['id']}"
     joblist = UploadQueue(api=api, cache_dir=cache_dir)
     # disable all daemons, so no uploading happens
-    joblist.daemon_compress.join()
-    joblist.daemon_upload.join()
-    joblist.daemon_verify.join()
+    joblist.daemon_compress.shutdown_flag.set()
+    joblist.daemon_upload.shutdown_flag.set()
+    joblist.daemon_verify.shutdown_flag.set()
+    time.sleep(.2)
     uj = joblist.new_job(
         dataset_id=data["id"],
         paths=[data_path / "calibration_beads_47_nocomp.rtdc"])
@@ -88,11 +90,11 @@ def test_queue_remove_job():
     joblist = UploadQueue(api=api,
                           path_persistent_job_list=pujl_path)
     # disable all daemons, so no uploading happens
-    joblist.daemon_compress.join()
-    joblist.daemon_upload.join()
-    joblist.daemon_verify.join()
-    uj = joblist.new_job(dataset_id=data["id"],
-                         paths=[dpath])
+    joblist.daemon_compress.shutdown_flag.set()
+    joblist.daemon_upload.shutdown_flag.set()
+    joblist.daemon_verify.shutdown_flag.set()
+    time.sleep(.2)
+    uj = joblist.new_job(dataset_id=data["id"], paths=[dpath])
     assert uj.state == "init"
     joblist.remove_job(uj.dataset_id)
     assert uj not in joblist
@@ -145,9 +147,10 @@ def test_persistent_upload_joblist_job_added_in_queue():
     uj = load_task(task_path, api=api)
 
     uq = UploadQueue(api=api, path_persistent_job_list=pujl_path)
-    uq.daemon_compress.join()
-    uq.daemon_upload.join()
-    uq.daemon_verify.join()
+    uq.daemon_compress.shutdown_flag.set()
+    uq.daemon_upload.shutdown_flag.set()
+    uq.daemon_verify.shutdown_flag.set()
+    time.sleep(.2)
 
     assert pujl.num_queued == 0
     uq.add_job(uj)
@@ -253,9 +256,10 @@ def test_persistent_upload_joblist_skip_missing_resources():
     assert not task_dir.exists()
     with pytest.warns(DCORAidQueueWarning, match="resources are missing"):
         uq = UploadQueue(api=api, path_persistent_job_list=pujl_path)
-    uq.daemon_compress.join()
-    uq.daemon_upload.join()
-    uq.daemon_verify.join()
+    uq.daemon_compress.shutdown_flag.set()
+    uq.daemon_upload.shutdown_flag.set()
+    uq.daemon_verify.shutdown_flag.set()
+    time.sleep(.2)
     # sanity checks
     assert len(uq) == 0
     assert uq.jobs_eternal.num_queued == 1
@@ -280,9 +284,10 @@ def test_persistent_upload_joblist_skip_queued_resources():
     pujl.immortalize_job(uj)
 
     uq = UploadQueue(api=api, path_persistent_job_list=pujl_path)
-    uq.daemon_compress.join()
-    uq.daemon_upload.join()
-    uq.daemon_verify.join()
+    uq.daemon_compress.shutdown_flag.set()
+    uq.daemon_upload.shutdown_flag.set()
+    uq.daemon_verify.shutdown_flag.set()
+    time.sleep(.2)
 
     assert len(uq) == 1
     assert uq.jobs_eternal.num_queued == 1