diff --git a/ocis/pkg/runtime/service/service.go b/ocis/pkg/runtime/service/service.go
index afa6e6657c1..83cd6bd70a9 100644
--- a/ocis/pkg/runtime/service/service.go
+++ b/ocis/pkg/runtime/service/service.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/rpc"
-	"os"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -515,7 +514,7 @@ func trap(s *Service, ctx context.Context) {
 		}
 	}
 	s.Log.Debug().Str("service", "runtime service").Msgf("terminating with signal: %v", s)
-	os.Exit(0)
+	//os.Exit(0) // this seems to cause an early exit that prevents services from shitting down properly
 }
 
 // pingNats will attempt to connect to nats, blocking until a connection is established
diff --git a/services/app-registry/pkg/command/server.go b/services/app-registry/pkg/command/server.go
index 14f4ab277fc..0322d6c0eb6 100644
--- a/services/app-registry/pkg/command/server.go
+++ b/services/app-registry/pkg/command/server.go
@@ -41,6 +41,13 @@ func Server(cfg *config.Config) *cli.Command {
 
 			defer cancel()
 
+			gr.Add(func() error {
+				<-ctx.Done()
+				cancel()
+				return nil
+			}, func(err error) {
+			})
+
 			gr.Add(func() error {
 				pidFile := path.Join(os.TempDir(), "revad-"+cfg.Service.Name+"-"+uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4()).String()+".pid")
 				rCfg := revaconfig.AppRegistryConfigFromStruct(cfg, logger)
diff --git a/services/frontend/pkg/command/events.go b/services/frontend/pkg/command/events.go
index 83ca24c7cac..f80055da461 100644
--- a/services/frontend/pkg/command/events.go
+++ b/services/frontend/pkg/command/events.go
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func ListenForEvents(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, l log.Logger) erro
 			}
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			l.Info().Msg("context cancelled")
-			return ctx.Err()
+			return nil
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/services/nats/pkg/command/server.go b/services/nats/pkg/command/server.go
index 2412c43f637..6ad8a693174 100644
--- a/services/nats/pkg/command/server.go
+++ b/services/nats/pkg/command/server.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"crypto/tls"
 	"fmt"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/oklog/run"
 
@@ -100,6 +101,13 @@ func Server(cfg *config.Config) *cli.Command {
 
 			}, func(err error) {
 				if err == nil {
+					logger.Info().
+						Str("transport", "nats").
+						Str("server", cfg.Service.Name).
+						Msg("letting other services deregister")
+
+					time.Sleep(3 * time.Second)
+
 					logger.Info().
 						Str("transport", "nats").
 						Str("server", cfg.Service.Name).