diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/db.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/db.js
index e67a24dcec..16cc748778 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/db.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/db.js
@@ -794,8 +794,11 @@ Zotero.DBConnection.prototype.checkException = function (e) {
 Zotero.DBConnection.prototype.closeDatabase = function () {
 	if(this._connection) {
 		this.stopDummyStatement();
-		this._connection.asyncClose();
-		return true;
+		var deferred = Q.defer();
+		this._connection.asyncClose(deferred.resolve);
+		return deferred.promise;
+	} else {
+		return Q();
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js
index 2d90a85699..7dbe63ba8d 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm");
 		}
 		
 		// Register shutdown handler to call Zotero.shutdown()
-		var _shutdownObserver = {observe:Zotero.shutdown};
+		var _shutdownObserver = {observe:function() { Zotero.shutdown() }};
 		Services.obs.addObserver(_shutdownObserver, "quit-application", false);
 		
 		try {
@@ -783,7 +783,7 @@ Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm");
 	}
 	
 	
-	this.shutdown = function (subject, topic, data) {
+	this.shutdown = function(callback) {
 		Zotero.debug("Shutting down Zotero");
 		
 		try {
@@ -811,10 +811,13 @@ Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm");
 				Components.utils.forceGC();
 				
 				// unlock DB
-				Zotero.DB.closeDatabase();
-				
-				// broadcast that DB lock has been released
-				Zotero.IPC.broadcast("lockReleased");
+				Zotero.DB.closeDatabase().then(function() {				
+					// broadcast that DB lock has been released
+					Zotero.IPC.broadcast("lockReleased");
+					callback();
+				});
+			} else {
+				callback();
 			}
 		} catch(e) {
 			Zotero.debug(e);
diff --git a/components/zotero-service.js b/components/zotero-service.js
index e00edaa59b..2804361c60 100644
--- a/components/zotero-service.js
+++ b/components/zotero-service.js
@@ -164,11 +164,16 @@ ZoteroContext.prototype = {
 	 */
 	"switchConnectorMode":function(isConnector) {
 		if(isConnector !== this.isConnector) {
-			zContext.Zotero.shutdown();
-			
-			// create a new zContext
-			makeZoteroContext(isConnector);
-			zContext.Zotero.init();
+			zContext.Zotero.shutdown(function() {
+				try {
+					// create a new zContext
+					makeZoteroContext(isConnector);
+					zContext.Zotero.init();
+				} catch(e) {
+					dump(e.toSource());
+					throw e;
+				}
+			});
 		}
 		
 		return zContext;
@@ -294,9 +299,16 @@ function ZoteroService() {
 			} catch(e) {
 				if(e === "ZOTERO_SHOULD_START_AS_CONNECTOR") {
 					// if Zotero should start as a connector, reload it
-					zContext.Zotero.shutdown();
-					makeZoteroContext(true);
-					zContext.Zotero.init();
+					zContext.Zotero.shutdown(function() {
+						try {
+							makeZoteroContext(true);
+							zContext.Zotero.init();
+						} catch(e) {
+							dump(e.toSource());
+							Components.utils.reportError(e);
+							throw e;
+						}
+					});
 				} else {
 					dump(e.toSource());
 					Components.utils.reportError(e);