diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 2e890aabf..a10489353 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ set(PACKAGE "libwebsockets")
 set(CPACK_PACKAGE_NAME "${PACKAGE}")
 set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MAJOR "4")
 set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR "0")
-set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_PATCH "17")
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_PATCH "18")
 set(CPACK_PACKAGE_RELEASE 1)
 set(CPACK_GENERATOR "RPM")
 set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION "${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MAJOR}.${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR}.${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_PATCH}")
diff --git a/lib/core/context.c b/lib/core/context.c
index 66201e9c4..740d9a189 100644
--- a/lib/core/context.c
+++ b/lib/core/context.c
@@ -944,7 +944,9 @@ lws_context_destroy3(struct lws_context *context)
 
 #if defined(LWS_WITH_NETWORK)
 
-	lwsl_debug("%s\n", __func__);
+	context->finalize_destroy_after_internal_loops_stopped = 1;
+	if (context->event_loop_ops->destroy_context2)
+		context->event_loop_ops->destroy_context2(context);
 
 	for (n = 0; n < context->count_threads; n++) {
 		struct lws_context_per_thread *pt = &context->pt[n];
@@ -960,9 +962,10 @@ lws_context_destroy3(struct lws_context *context)
 #if defined(LWS_WITH_CGI)
 		role_ops_cgi.pt_init_destroy(context, NULL, pt, 1);
 #endif
-
+#if 0
 		if (context->event_loop_ops->destroy_pt)
 			context->event_loop_ops->destroy_pt(context, n);
+#endif
 
 #if defined(LWS_ROLE_H1) || defined(LWS_ROLE_H2)
 		while (pt->http.ah_list)
@@ -1111,14 +1114,11 @@ lws_context_destroy2(struct lws_context *context)
 	lws_check_deferred_free(context, 0, 1);
 #endif
 
+	lws_context_unlock(context); /* } context ------ */
 
-#if LWS_MAX_SMP > 1
-	lws_mutex_refcount_destroy(&context->mr);
-#endif
 #if defined(LWS_WITH_NETWORK)
 	if (context->event_loop_ops->destroy_context2)
 		if (context->event_loop_ops->destroy_context2(context)) {
-			lws_context_unlock(context); /* } context ----------- */
 			context->finalize_destroy_after_internal_loops_stopped = 1;
 			return;
 		}
@@ -1130,12 +1130,10 @@ lws_context_destroy2(struct lws_context *context)
 		for (n = 0; n < context->count_threads; n++)
 			if (context->pt[n].inside_service) {
 				lwsl_debug("%p: bailing as inside service\n", __func__);
-				lws_context_unlock(context); /* } context --- */
 				return;
 			}
 	}
 #endif
-	lws_context_unlock(context); /* } context ------------------- */
 
 	lws_context_destroy3(context);
 }
diff --git a/lib/event-libs/libevent/libevent.c b/lib/event-libs/libevent/libevent.c
index 6475d1279..4f0606e3d 100644
--- a/lib/event-libs/libevent/libevent.c
+++ b/lib/event-libs/libevent/libevent.c
@@ -335,8 +335,10 @@ elops_destroy_pt_event(struct lws_context *context, int tsi)
 	if (!pt->event_loop_foreign) {
 		event_del(pt->w_sigint.event.watcher);
 		event_free(pt->w_sigint.event.watcher);
-
-		event_base_free(pt->event.io_loop);
+		event_base_loopexit(pt->event.io_loop, NULL);
+	//	event_base_free(pt->event.io_loop);
+	//	pt->event.io_loop = NULL;
+		lwsl_notice("%s: set to exit loop\n", __func__);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -437,7 +439,9 @@ elops_destroy_context2_event(struct lws_context *context)
 		} else
 			lwsl_debug("%s: %d: everything closed OK\n", __func__, n);
 #endif
+		lwsl_err("%s: event_base_free\n", __func__);
 		event_base_free(pt->event.io_loop);
+		pt->event.io_loop = NULL;
 
 	}