diff --git a/gvr-interface/src/RenderingClient.cpp b/gvr-interface/src/RenderingClient.cpp
index 1abf4bbc95..8f7755a8c5 100644
--- a/gvr-interface/src/RenderingClient.cpp
+++ b/gvr-interface/src/RenderingClient.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ void RenderingClient::sendAvatarPacket() {
 }
 
 void RenderingClient::cleanupBeforeQuit() {
+    
+    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(DependencyManager::get<AudioClient>().data(),
+                              "stop", Qt::BlockingQueuedConnection);
+    
     // destroy the AudioClient so it and it's thread will safely go down
     DependencyManager::destroy<AudioClient>();
 }
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 474913fefb..aad1d51ac0 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ Application::Application(int& argc, char** argv, QElapsedTimer &startup_time) :
     connect(&nodeList->getNodeSocket(), SIGNAL(readyRead()), &_datagramProcessor, SLOT(processDatagrams()));
 
     // put the audio processing on a separate thread
-    QThread* audioThread = new QThread(this);
+    QThread* audioThread = new QThread();
     audioThread->setObjectName("Audio Thread");
     
     auto audioIO = DependencyManager::get<AudioClient>();
@@ -338,7 +338,9 @@ Application::Application(int& argc, char** argv, QElapsedTimer &startup_time) :
     
     audioIO->moveToThread(audioThread);
     connect(audioThread, &QThread::started, audioIO.data(), &AudioClient::start);
-    connect(audioIO.data(), SIGNAL(muteToggled()), this, SLOT(audioMuteToggled()));
+    connect(audioIO.data(), &AudioClient::destroyed, audioThread, &QThread::quit);
+    connect(audioThread, &QThread::finished, audioThread, &QThread::deleteLater);
+    connect(audioIO.data(), &AudioClient::muteToggled, this, &Application::audioMuteToggled);
 
     audioThread->start();
     
@@ -516,21 +518,33 @@ Application::Application(int& argc, char** argv, QElapsedTimer &startup_time) :
 
 void Application::aboutToQuit() {
     _aboutToQuit = true;
+    
+    cleanupBeforeQuit();
 }
 
-Application::~Application() {
+void Application::cleanupBeforeQuit() {
     QMetaObject::invokeMethod(&_settingsTimer, "stop", Qt::BlockingQueuedConnection);
     _settingsThread.quit();
     saveSettings();
     
+    // TODO: now that this is in cleanupBeforeQuit do we really need it to stop and force
+    // an event loop to send the packet?
+    UserActivityLogger::getInstance().close();
+    
+    // stop the AudioClient
+    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(DependencyManager::get<AudioClient>().data(),
+                              "stop", Qt::BlockingQueuedConnection);
+    
+    // destroy the AudioClient so it and its thread have a chance to go down safely
+    DependencyManager::destroy<AudioClient>();
+}
+
+Application::~Application() {    
     _entities.getTree()->setSimulation(NULL);
     qInstallMessageHandler(NULL);
     
     _window->saveGeometry();
     
-    int DELAY_TIME = 1000;
-    UserActivityLogger::getInstance().close(DELAY_TIME);
-    
     // make sure we don't call the idle timer any more
     delete idleTimer;
     
@@ -541,15 +555,6 @@ Application::~Application() {
     _nodeThread->quit();
     _nodeThread->wait();
     
-    auto audioIO = DependencyManager::get<AudioClient>();
-
-    // stop the audio process
-    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(audioIO.data(), "stop", Qt::BlockingQueuedConnection);
-    
-    // ask the audio thread to quit and wait until it is done
-    audioIO->thread()->quit();
-    audioIO->thread()->wait();
-    
     _octreeProcessor.terminate();
     _entityEditSender.terminate();
 
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.h b/interface/src/Application.h
index d015d09035..da29920ef9 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.h
+++ b/interface/src/Application.h
@@ -410,6 +410,8 @@ private:
 
     void initDisplay();
     void init();
+    
+    void cleanupBeforeQuit();
 
     void update(float deltaTime);
 
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/UserActivityLogger.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/UserActivityLogger.cpp
index 4fc6905e3a..f2646369c1 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/UserActivityLogger.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/UserActivityLogger.cpp
@@ -86,17 +86,9 @@ void UserActivityLogger::launch(QString applicationVersion) {
     logAction(ACTION_NAME, actionDetails);
 }
 
-void UserActivityLogger::close(int delayTime) {
+void UserActivityLogger::close() {
     const QString ACTION_NAME = "close";
-    
-    // In order to get the end of the session, we need to give the account manager enough time to send the packet.
-    QEventLoop loop;
-    QTimer timer;
-    connect(&timer, &QTimer::timeout, &loop, &QEventLoop::quit);
-    // Now we can log it
     logAction(ACTION_NAME, QJsonObject());
-    timer.start(delayTime);
-    loop.exec();
 }
 
 void UserActivityLogger::changedDisplayName(QString displayName) {
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/UserActivityLogger.h b/libraries/networking/src/UserActivityLogger.h
index 9b100461ee..295ad5ee8d 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/UserActivityLogger.h
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/UserActivityLogger.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ public slots:
     void logAction(QString action, QJsonObject details = QJsonObject(), JSONCallbackParameters params = JSONCallbackParameters());
     
     void launch(QString applicationVersion);
-    void close(int delayTime);
+    void close();
     void changedDisplayName(QString displayName);
     void changedModel(QString typeOfModel, QString modelURL);
     void changedDomain(QString domainURL);