diff --git a/lib/ipc_int.h b/lib/ipc_int.h
index 72af15f..7f37038 100644
--- a/lib/ipc_int.h
+++ b/lib/ipc_int.h
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ struct qb_ipcc_connection {
 	struct qb_ipcc_funcs funcs;
 	struct qb_ipc_request_header *receive_buf;
 	uint32_t fc_enable_max;
+	int32_t is_connected;
 };
 
 int32_t qb_ipcc_us_setup_connect(struct qb_ipcc_connection *c,
diff --git a/lib/ipc_shm.c b/lib/ipc_shm.c
index 1f38f26..d390939 100644
--- a/lib/ipc_shm.c
+++ b/lib/ipc_shm.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 #include "ipc_int.h"
 #include "util_int.h"
+#include "ringbuffer_int.h"
 #include <qb/qbdefs.h>
 #include <qb/qbatomic.h>
 #include <qb/qbloop.h>
@@ -38,9 +39,15 @@
 static void
 qb_ipcc_shm_disconnect(struct qb_ipcc_connection *c)
 {
-	qb_rb_close(c->request.u.shm.rb);
-	qb_rb_close(c->response.u.shm.rb);
-	qb_rb_close(c->event.u.shm.rb);
+	if (c->is_connected) {
+		qb_rb_close(c->request.u.shm.rb);
+		qb_rb_close(c->response.u.shm.rb);
+		qb_rb_close(c->event.u.shm.rb);
+	} else {
+		qb_rb_force_close(c->request.u.shm.rb);
+		qb_rb_force_close(c->response.u.shm.rb);
+		qb_rb_force_close(c->event.u.shm.rb);
+	}
 }
 
 static ssize_t
diff --git a/lib/ipcc.c b/lib/ipcc.c
index ca1309a..5f2d439 100644
--- a/lib/ipcc.c
+++ b/lib/ipcc.c
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ qb_ipcc_connect(const char *name, size_t max_msg_size)
 	if (res != 0) {
 		goto disconnect_and_cleanup;
 	}
+	c->is_connected = QB_TRUE;
 	return c;
 
 disconnect_and_cleanup:
@@ -123,6 +124,7 @@ qb_ipcc_send(struct qb_ipcc_connection * c, const void *msg_ptr, size_t msg_len)
 			res2 = qb_ipc_us_send(&c->setup, msg_ptr, 1);
 		} while (res2 == -EAGAIN);
 		if (res2 == -EPIPE) {
+			c->is_connected = QB_FALSE;
 			return -ENOTCONN;
 		}
 		if (res2 != 1) {
@@ -177,6 +179,7 @@ qb_ipcc_sendv(struct qb_ipcc_connection * c, const struct iovec * iov,
 			res2 = qb_ipc_us_send(&c->setup, &res, 1);
 		} while (res2 == -EAGAIN);
 		if (res2 == -EPIPE) {
+			c->is_connected = QB_FALSE;
 			return -ENOTCONN;
 		}
 		if (res2 != 1) {
@@ -200,6 +203,9 @@ qb_ipcc_recv(struct qb_ipcc_connection * c, void *msg_ptr,
 	if ((res == -EAGAIN || res == -ETIMEDOUT) && c->needs_sock_for_poll) {
 		res2 = qb_ipc_us_recv_ready(&c->setup, 0);
 		if (res2 < 0) {
+			if (res2 == -ENOTCONN) {
+				c->is_connected = QB_FALSE;
+			}
 			return res2;
 		} else {
 			return res;
@@ -275,6 +281,9 @@ qb_ipcc_event_recv(struct qb_ipcc_connection * c, void *msg_pt,
 	if (ow) {
 		res = qb_ipc_us_recv_ready(ow, ms_timeout);
 		if (res < 0) {
+			if (res == -ENOTCONN) {
+				c->is_connected = QB_FALSE;
+			}
 			return res;
 		}
 	}
@@ -285,6 +294,9 @@ qb_ipcc_event_recv(struct qb_ipcc_connection * c, void *msg_pt,
 	if (c->needs_sock_for_poll) {
 		res = qb_ipc_us_recv(&c->setup, &one_byte, 1, -1);
 		if (res < 0) {
+			if (res == -ENOTCONN) {
+				c->is_connected = QB_FALSE;
+			}
 			return res;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/lib/ringbuffer.c b/lib/ringbuffer.c
index c983bf6..4259bf0 100644
--- a/lib/ringbuffer.c
+++ b/lib/ringbuffer.c
@@ -247,6 +247,24 @@ qb_rb_close(qb_ringbuffer_t * rb)
 	free(rb);
 }
 
+void
+qb_rb_force_close(qb_ringbuffer_t * rb)
+{
+	if (rb == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	(void)rb->sem_destroy_fn(rb);
+	unlink(rb->shared_hdr->data_path);
+	unlink(rb->shared_hdr->hdr_path);
+	qb_util_log(LOG_DEBUG,
+		    "Force free'ing ringbuffer: %s",
+		    rb->shared_hdr->hdr_path);
+	munmap(rb->shared_data, (rb->shared_hdr->size * sizeof(uint32_t)) << 1);
+	munmap(rb->shared_hdr, sizeof(struct qb_ringbuffer_shared_s));
+	free(rb);
+}
+
 char *
 qb_rb_name_get(qb_ringbuffer_t * rb)
 {
diff --git a/lib/ringbuffer_int.h b/lib/ringbuffer_int.h
index 6866fd6..d2f24fa 100644
--- a/lib/ringbuffer_int.h
+++ b/lib/ringbuffer_int.h
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ struct qb_ringbuffer_s {
 	qb_rb_sem_destroy_fn_t sem_destroy_fn;
 };
 
+
+void qb_rb_force_close(qb_ringbuffer_t * rb);
+
 #if defined(_SEM_SEMUN_UNDEFINED)
 union semun {
 	int32_t val;
diff --git a/tests/check_ipc.c b/tests/check_ipc.c
index aa6683e..95919b4 100644
--- a/tests/check_ipc.c
+++ b/tests/check_ipc.c
@@ -262,10 +262,12 @@ repeat_send:
 		qb_perror(LOG_DEBUG, "qb_ipcc_recv");
 		return res;
 	}
-	ck_assert_int_eq(res, sizeof(struct qb_ipc_response_header));
-	ck_assert_int_eq(res_header.id, IPC_MSG_RES_TX_RX);
-	ck_assert_int_eq(res_header.size, sizeof(struct qb_ipc_response_header));
-	return 0;
+	if (expect_perfection) {
+		ck_assert_int_eq(res, sizeof(struct qb_ipc_response_header));
+		ck_assert_int_eq(res_header.id, IPC_MSG_RES_TX_RX);
+		ck_assert_int_eq(res_header.size, sizeof(struct qb_ipc_response_header));
+	}
+	return res;
 }
 
 static int32_t recv_timeout = -1;
@@ -297,7 +299,7 @@ test_ipc_txrx(void)
 		size *= 2;
 		if (size >= MAX_MSG_SIZE)
 			break;
-		if (send_and_check(size, recv_timeout) < 0) {
+		if (send_and_check(size, recv_timeout, QB_TRUE) < 0) {
 			break;
 		}
 	}
@@ -308,6 +310,54 @@ test_ipc_txrx(void)
 	stop_process(pid);
 }
 
+static void
+test_ipc_exit(void)
+{
+	int32_t c = 0;
+	int32_t j = 0;
+	int32_t rc = 0;
+	pid_t pid;
+
+	pid = run_function_in_new_process(run_ipc_server);
+	fail_if(pid == -1);
+	sleep(1);
+
+	do {
+		conn = qb_ipcc_connect(ipc_name, MAX_MSG_SIZE);
+		if (conn == NULL) {
+			j = waitpid(pid, NULL, WNOHANG);
+			ck_assert_int_eq(j, 0);
+			sleep(1);
+			c++;
+		}
+	} while (conn == NULL && c < 5);
+	fail_if(conn == NULL);
+
+	/* confirm we can send one message */
+	rc = send_and_check(100, recv_timeout, QB_TRUE);
+	_ck_assert_int(rc, >=, 0);
+
+	/* kill the server */
+	stop_process(pid);
+
+	/* assertion: we can call send/recv without locking up */
+	rc = send_and_check(100, recv_timeout, QB_FALSE);
+	ck_assert_int_eq(rc, -ENOTCONN);
+
+	/* this needs to free up the shared mem */
+	qb_ipcc_disconnect(conn);
+}
+
+
+START_TEST(test_ipc_exit_shm)
+{
+	ipc_type = QB_IPC_SHM;
+	ipc_name = __func__;
+	recv_timeout = 1000;
+	test_ipc_exit();
+}
+END_TEST
+
 START_TEST(test_ipc_txrx_shm_tmo)
 {
 	turn_on_fc = QB_FALSE;
@@ -469,8 +519,6 @@ END_TEST
 
 static void
 test_ipc_server_fail(void)
-#ifdef IPC_HANDLES_FAILED_SERVER
-
 {
 	struct qb_ipc_request_header req_header;
 	struct qb_ipc_response_header res_header;
@@ -544,7 +592,6 @@ START_TEST(test_ipc_server_fail_shm)
 	test_ipc_server_fail();
 }
 END_TEST
-#endif /* IPC_HANDLES_FAILED_SERVER */
 
 static Suite *
 ipc_suite(void)
@@ -553,7 +600,6 @@ ipc_suite(void)
 	uid_t uid;
 	Suite *s = suite_create("ipc");
 
-#ifdef IPC_HANDLES_FAILED_SERVER
 	tc = tcase_create("ipc_server_fail_shm");
 	tcase_add_test(tc, test_ipc_server_fail_shm);
 	tcase_set_timeout(tc, 6);
@@ -563,7 +609,6 @@ ipc_suite(void)
 	tcase_add_test(tc, test_ipc_server_fail_soc);
 	tcase_set_timeout(tc, 6);
 	suite_add_tcase(s, tc);
-#endif /* IPC_HANDLES_FAILED_SERVER */
 
 	tc = tcase_create("ipc_txrx_shm_block");
 	tcase_add_test(tc, test_ipc_txrx_shm_block);
@@ -617,6 +662,11 @@ ipc_suite(void)
 	tcase_set_timeout(tc, 16);
 	suite_add_tcase(s, tc);
 
+	tc = tcase_create("ipc_exit_shm");
+	tcase_add_test(tc, test_ipc_exit_shm);
+	tcase_set_timeout(tc, 3);
+	suite_add_tcase(s, tc);
+
 	return s;
 }