diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 21af28ffcb..ed834a2cc5 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -2572,6 +2572,8 @@ void Application::cleanupBeforeQuit() {
     QString webengineRemoteDebugging = QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment().value("QTWEBENGINE_REMOTE_DEBUGGING", "false");
     qCDebug(interfaceapp) << "QTWEBENGINE_REMOTE_DEBUGGING =" << webengineRemoteDebugging;
 
+    DependencyManager::prepareToExit();
+
     if (tracing::enabled()) {
         auto tracer = DependencyManager::get<tracing::Tracer>();
         tracer->stopTracing();
@@ -2684,6 +2686,7 @@ void Application::cleanupBeforeQuit() {
 
     // destroy Audio so it and its threads have a chance to go down safely
     // this must happen after QML, as there are unexplained audio crashes originating in qtwebengine
+    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(DependencyManager::get<AudioClient>().data(), "stop");
     DependencyManager::destroy<AudioClient>();
     DependencyManager::destroy<AudioInjectorManager>();
     DependencyManager::destroy<AudioScriptingInterface>();
@@ -2775,7 +2778,7 @@ Application::~Application() {
     // quit the thread used by the closure event sender
     closeEventSender->thread()->quit();
 
-    // Can't log to file passed this point, FileLogger about to be deleted
+    // Can't log to file past this point, FileLogger about to be deleted
     qInstallMessageHandler(LogHandler::verboseMessageHandler);
 
     _renderEventHandler->deleteLater();
diff --git a/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.cpp b/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.cpp
index 92f7a27853..9bad7e2f45 100644
--- a/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.cpp
+++ b/libraries/audio-client/src/AudioClient.cpp
@@ -302,7 +302,6 @@ void AudioClient::customDeleter() {
 #if defined(Q_OS_ANDROID)
     _shouldRestartInputSetup = false;
 #endif
-    stop();
     deleteLater();
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/DependencyManager.h b/libraries/shared/src/DependencyManager.h
index 978732fd50..bda1077990 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/DependencyManager.h
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/DependencyManager.h
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ public:
 #endif
         return hashCode;
     }
+
+    static void prepareToExit() { manager()._exiting = true; }
+
 private:
     static DependencyManager& manager();
 
@@ -84,6 +87,8 @@ private:
 
     QHash<size_t, QSharedPointer<Dependency>> _instanceHash;
     QHash<size_t, size_t> _inheritanceHash;
+
+    bool _exiting { false };
 };
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -95,9 +100,17 @@ QSharedPointer<T> DependencyManager::get() {
         instance = qSharedPointerCast<T>(manager().safeGet(hashCode));
 
 #ifndef QT_NO_DEBUG
+        // debug builds...
         if (instance.isNull()) {
             qWarning() << "DependencyManager::get(): No instance available for" << typeid(T).name();
         }
+#else
+        // for non-debug builds, don't print "No instance available" during shutdown, because
+        // the act of printing this often causes crashes (because the LogHandler has-been/is-being
+        // deleted).
+        if (!manager()._exiting && instance.isNull()) {
+            qWarning() << "DependencyManager::get(): No instance available for" << typeid(T).name();
+        }
 #endif
     }