diff --git a/Installation/Windows/Templates/NSIS.template.in b/Installation/Windows/Templates/NSIS.template.in
index 394c374916..fde3eba51a 100755
--- a/Installation/Windows/Templates/NSIS.template.in
+++ b/Installation/Windows/Templates/NSIS.template.in
@@ -579,6 +579,29 @@ FunctionEnd
 
 ;--------------------------------
 
+Function WaitForServiceDown
+  Push 0
+  Pop $retryCount
+  try_again:
+    SimpleSC::ServiceIsRunning '${TRI_SVC_NAME}'
+    Pop $0 ; returns an errorcode (<>0) otherwise success (0)
+    Pop $1 ; returns 1 (service is running) - returns 0 (service is not running)
+    ${If} $1 == 0
+      ;MessageBox MB_OK "Service running : $retryCount "
+      ; ok, running now.
+      Return
+    ${EndIf}
+    Sleep 1000
+    ${If} $retryCount == 40
+      MessageBox MB_OK "Service shutdown waiting retry count reached; you may need to remove files by hand"
+      Return
+    ${EndIf}
+    IntOp $retryCount $retryCount + 1
+    Goto try_again
+FunctionEnd
+
+;--------------------------------
+
 !ifdef CPACK_USES_DOWNLOAD
 Function DownloadFile
     IfFileExists $INSTDIR\* +2
@@ -818,6 +841,7 @@ Section "-Core installation"
 @CPACK_NSIS_EXTRA_INSTALL_COMMANDS@
    StrCmp $TRI_INSTALL_TYPE  'Service' 0 nothing
      SimpleSC::StopService    '${TRI_SVC_NAME}' 0 30
+     Call WaitForServiceDown
      SimpleSC::RemoveService  '${TRI_SVC_NAME}'
      SimpleSC::InstallService '${TRI_SVC_NAME}' '${TRI_SVC_NAME}'  '16'  '2'  '"$INSTDIR\${SBIN_DIR}\arangod.exe" --start-service' '' '' ''
      SimpleSC::SetServiceDescription '${TRI_SVC_NAME}' '${TRI_FRIENDLY_SVC_NAME}'
@@ -1187,6 +1211,7 @@ Section "Uninstall"
   StrCmp $1 '"$INSTDIR/${SBIN_DIR}/arangod.exe" --start-service' '' Done
   DetailPrint 'Shutting down Service'
   SimpleSC::StopService  '${TRI_SVC_NAME}' 0 30
+  Call WaitForServiceDown
   SimpleSC::RemoveService  '${TRI_SVC_NAME}'
   Pop $0 ; returns an errorcode (<>0) otherwise success (0)
   IntCmp $0 0 Done +1 +1