diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index e441fbe9..44ffc6bb 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -388,7 +388,6 @@ module.exports = class Autobase extends ReadyResource {
 
   async _closeLocalCores () {
     const closing = []
-    if (this.system) closing.push(this.system.close())
     if (this._primaryBootstrap) closing.push(this._primaryBootstrap.close())
     if (this.localWriter) closing.push(this._unsetLocalWriter())
     closing.push(this._closeAllActiveWriters())
diff --git a/lib/apply-state.js b/lib/apply-state.js
index 3f975ce9..f40f1d7b 100644
--- a/lib/apply-state.js
+++ b/lib/apply-state.js
@@ -464,6 +464,7 @@ module.exports = class ApplyState extends ReadyResource {
     this.interrupted = true
     for (const chk of this.checkpoints) await chk.close()
     if (this.base._hasClose) await this.base._handlers.close(this.view)
+    if (this.system) await this.system.close()
 
     const promises = []
     for (const v of this.views) {