diff --git a/arangod/RestServer/ArangoServer.cpp b/arangod/RestServer/ArangoServer.cpp
index cd92352d30..a21eb24d0f 100644
--- a/arangod/RestServer/ArangoServer.cpp
+++ b/arangod/RestServer/ArangoServer.cpp
@@ -826,6 +826,7 @@ void ArangoServer::buildApplicationServer() {
 }
 
 int ArangoServer::startupServer() {
+  InitializeWorkMonitor();
   TRI_InitializeStatistics();
 
   OperationMode::server_operation_mode_e mode =
@@ -1174,12 +1175,6 @@ int ArangoServer::startupServer() {
   }
 
 
-  // .............................................................................
-  // start the work monitor
-  // .............................................................................
-
-  InitializeWorkMonitor();
-
   // .............................................................................
   // start the main event loop
   // .............................................................................
diff --git a/lib/Basics/Common.h b/lib/Basics/Common.h
index ad3862dd3f..fe3c75a36a 100644
--- a/lib/Basics/Common.h
+++ b/lib/Basics/Common.h
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ static inline uint32_t TRI_64to32(uint64_t x) {
 
 #define FATAL_ERROR_EXIT(...)                 \
   do {                                        \
+    std::abort(); \
     std::string bt;                           \
     TRI_GetBacktrace(bt);                     \
     if (!bt.empty()) {                        \
diff --git a/lib/Basics/WorkMonitor.cpp b/lib/Basics/WorkMonitor.cpp
index 461c7a38dc..6b163627d6 100644
--- a/lib/Basics/WorkMonitor.cpp
+++ b/lib/Basics/WorkMonitor.cpp
@@ -601,4 +601,7 @@ void arangodb::InitializeWorkMonitor() {
 /// @brief stops the work monitor
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-void arangodb::ShutdownWorkMonitor() { WORK_MONITOR.beginShutdown(); }
+void arangodb::ShutdownWorkMonitor() {
+  WORK_MONITOR_STOPPED.store(true);
+  WORK_MONITOR.beginShutdown();
+}