diff --git a/libi2pd/util.cpp b/libi2pd/util.cpp
index 65858389..9c0a5347 100644
--- a/libi2pd/util.cpp
+++ b/libi2pd/util.cpp
@@ -141,12 +141,13 @@ namespace util
 		}
 	}
 
-	void RunnableService::StopIOService ()
+	void RunnableService::StopIOService (bool stopService)
 	{
 		if (m_IsRunning)
 		{
 			m_IsRunning = false;
-			m_Service.stop ();
+			if (stopService)
+				m_Service.stop ();
 			if (m_Thread)
 			{
 				m_Thread->join ();
@@ -180,6 +181,12 @@ namespace util
 			m_Name = name.substr(0,15);
 	}
 
+	void RunnableServiceWithWork::StopWorkAndFinishTasks ()
+	{
+		m_Work.reset ();
+		StopIOService (false);
+	}
+
 	void SetThreadName (const char *name) {
 #if defined(__APPLE__)
 # if (!defined(MAC_OS_X_VERSION_10_6) || \
diff --git a/libi2pd/util.h b/libi2pd/util.h
index d8d354c5..f3687c47 100644
--- a/libi2pd/util.h
+++ b/libi2pd/util.h
@@ -214,10 +214,10 @@ namespace util
 			virtual ~RunnableService () {}
 
 			auto& GetIOService () { return m_Service; }
-			bool IsRunning () const { return m_IsRunning; };
+			bool IsRunning () const { return m_IsRunning; }
 
 			void StartIOService ();
-			void StopIOService ();
+			void StopIOService (bool stopService = true);
 
 			void SetName (std::string_view name);
 
@@ -238,7 +238,9 @@ namespace util
 		protected:
 
 			RunnableServiceWithWork (const std::string& name):
-				RunnableService (name), m_Work (GetIOService ().get_executor ()) {}
+				RunnableService (name), m_Work (boost::asio::make_work_guard (GetIOService ())) {}
+
+			void StopWorkAndFinishTasks ();	// let all outstanding tasks finish and terminate
 
 		private: