diff --git a/src/w32-io.c b/src/w32-io.c
index 776e3792..d896ec0e 100644
--- a/src/w32-io.c
+++ b/src/w32-io.c
@@ -162,7 +162,9 @@ struct reader_context_s
   HANDLE have_data_ev;
   /* This is automatically reset.  */
   HANDLE have_space_ev;
-  HANDLE stopped;
+  /* This is manually reset but actually only triggered once.  */
+  HANDLE close_ev;
+
   size_t readpos, writepos;
   char buffer[READBUF_SIZE];
 };
@@ -194,7 +196,7 @@ struct writer_context_s
   /* This is manually reset.  */
   HANDLE have_data;
   HANDLE is_empty;
-  HANDLE stopped;
+  HANDLE close_ev;
   size_t nbytes;
   char buffer[WRITEBUF_SIZE];
 };
@@ -383,9 +385,18 @@ reader (void *arg)
     }
   /* Indicate that we have an error or EOF.  */
   if (!SetEvent (ctx->have_data_ev))
-	TRACE_LOG2 ("SetEvent (0x%x) failed: ec=%d", ctx->have_data_ev,
-		    (int) GetLastError ());
-  SetEvent (ctx->stopped);
+    TRACE_LOG2 ("SetEvent (0x%x) failed: ec=%d", ctx->have_data_ev,
+                (int) GetLastError ());
+
+  TRACE_LOG ("waiting for close");
+  WaitForSingleObject (ctx->close_ev, INFINITE);
+
+  CloseHandle (ctx->close_ev);
+  CloseHandle (ctx->have_data_ev);
+  CloseHandle (ctx->have_space_ev);
+  CloseHandle (ctx->thread_hd);
+  DESTROY_LOCK (ctx->mutex);
+  free (ctx);
 
   return TRACE_SUC ();
 }
@@ -427,16 +438,16 @@ create_reader (int fd)
   if (ctx->have_data_ev)
     ctx->have_space_ev = CreateEvent (&sec_attr, FALSE, TRUE, NULL);
   if (ctx->have_space_ev)
-    ctx->stopped = CreateEvent (&sec_attr, TRUE, FALSE, NULL);
-  if (!ctx->have_data_ev || !ctx->have_space_ev || !ctx->stopped)
+    ctx->close_ev = CreateEvent (&sec_attr, TRUE, FALSE, NULL);
+  if (!ctx->have_data_ev || !ctx->have_space_ev || !ctx->close_ev)
     {
       TRACE_LOG1 ("CreateEvent failed: ec=%d", (int) GetLastError ());
       if (ctx->have_data_ev)
 	CloseHandle (ctx->have_data_ev);
       if (ctx->have_space_ev)
 	CloseHandle (ctx->have_space_ev);
-      if (ctx->stopped)
-	CloseHandle (ctx->stopped);
+      if (ctx->close_ev)
+	CloseHandle (ctx->close_ev);
       free (ctx);
       /* FIXME: Translate the error code.  */
       TRACE_SYSERR (EIO);
@@ -461,8 +472,8 @@ create_reader (int fd)
 	CloseHandle (ctx->have_data_ev);
       if (ctx->have_space_ev)
 	CloseHandle (ctx->have_space_ev);
-      if (ctx->stopped)
-	CloseHandle (ctx->stopped);
+      if (ctx->close_ev)
+	CloseHandle (ctx->close_ev);
       free (ctx);
       TRACE_SYSERR (EIO);
       return NULL;
@@ -480,6 +491,9 @@ create_reader (int fd)
 }
 
 
+/* Prepare destruction of the reader thread for CTX.  Returns 0 if a
+   call to this function is sufficient and destroy_reader_finish shall
+   not be called.  */
 static void
 destroy_reader (struct reader_context_s *ctx)
 {
@@ -531,24 +545,12 @@ destroy_reader (struct reader_context_s *ctx)
                 ctx->file_sock, (int) WSAGetLastError ());
     }
 
-  TRACE1 (DEBUG_SYSIO, "gpgme:destroy_reader", ctx->file_hd,
-	  "waiting for termination of thread %p", ctx->thread_hd);
-  WaitForSingleObject (ctx->stopped, INFINITE);
-  TRACE1 (DEBUG_SYSIO, "gpgme:destroy_reader", ctx->file_hd,
-	  "thread %p has terminated", ctx->thread_hd);
-
-  if (ctx->stopped)
-    CloseHandle (ctx->stopped);
-  if (ctx->have_data_ev)
-    CloseHandle (ctx->have_data_ev);
-  if (ctx->have_space_ev)
-    CloseHandle (ctx->have_space_ev);
-  CloseHandle (ctx->thread_hd);
-  DESTROY_LOCK (ctx->mutex);
-  free (ctx);
+  /* After setting this event CTX is void. */
+  SetEvent (ctx->close_ev);
 }
 
 
+
 /* Find a reader context or create a new one.  Note that the reader
    context will last until a _gpgme_io_close.  */
 static struct reader_context_s *
@@ -585,26 +587,6 @@ find_reader (int fd, int start_it)
 }
 
 
-static void
-kill_reader (int fd)
-{
-  int i;
-
-  LOCK (reader_table_lock);
-  for (i = 0; i < reader_table_size; i++)
-    {
-      if (reader_table[i].used && reader_table[i].fd == fd)
-	{
-	  destroy_reader (reader_table[i].context);
-	  reader_table[i].context = NULL;
-	  reader_table[i].used = 0;
-	  break;
-	}
-    }
-  UNLOCK (reader_table_lock);
-}
-
-
 int
 _gpgme_io_read (int fd, void *buffer, size_t count)
 {
@@ -774,7 +756,16 @@ writer (void *arg)
   /* Indicate that we have an error.  */
   if (!SetEvent (ctx->is_empty))
     TRACE_LOG1 ("SetEvent failed: ec=%d", (int) GetLastError ());
-  SetEvent (ctx->stopped);
+
+  TRACE_LOG ("waiting for close");
+  WaitForSingleObject (ctx->close_ev, INFINITE);
+
+  CloseHandle (ctx->close_ev);
+  CloseHandle (ctx->have_data);
+  CloseHandle (ctx->is_empty);
+  CloseHandle (ctx->thread_hd);
+  DESTROY_LOCK (ctx->mutex);
+  free (ctx);
 
   return TRACE_SUC ();
 }
@@ -816,16 +807,16 @@ create_writer (int fd)
   if (ctx->have_data)
     ctx->is_empty  = CreateEvent (&sec_attr, TRUE, TRUE, NULL);
   if (ctx->is_empty)
-    ctx->stopped = CreateEvent (&sec_attr, TRUE, FALSE, NULL);
-  if (!ctx->have_data || !ctx->is_empty || !ctx->stopped)
+    ctx->close_ev = CreateEvent (&sec_attr, TRUE, FALSE, NULL);
+  if (!ctx->have_data || !ctx->is_empty || !ctx->close_ev)
     {
       TRACE_LOG1 ("CreateEvent failed: ec=%d", (int) GetLastError ());
       if (ctx->have_data)
 	CloseHandle (ctx->have_data);
       if (ctx->is_empty)
 	CloseHandle (ctx->is_empty);
-      if (ctx->stopped)
-	CloseHandle (ctx->stopped);
+      if (ctx->close_ev)
+	CloseHandle (ctx->close_ev);
       free (ctx);
       /* FIXME: Translate the error code.  */
       TRACE_SYSERR (EIO);
@@ -850,8 +841,8 @@ create_writer (int fd)
 	CloseHandle (ctx->have_data);
       if (ctx->is_empty)
 	CloseHandle (ctx->is_empty);
-      if (ctx->stopped)
-	CloseHandle (ctx->stopped);
+      if (ctx->close_ev)
+	CloseHandle (ctx->close_ev);
       free (ctx);
       TRACE_SYSERR (EIO);
       return NULL;
@@ -868,6 +859,7 @@ create_writer (int fd)
   return ctx;
 }
 
+
 static void
 destroy_writer (struct writer_context_s *ctx)
 {
@@ -897,21 +889,8 @@ destroy_writer (struct writer_context_s *ctx)
     }
 #endif
 
-  TRACE1 (DEBUG_SYSIO, "gpgme:destroy_writer", ctx->file_hd,
-	  "waiting for termination of thread %p", ctx->thread_hd);
-  WaitForSingleObject (ctx->stopped, INFINITE);
-  TRACE1 (DEBUG_SYSIO, "gpgme:destroy_writer", ctx->file_hd,
-	  "thread %p has terminated", ctx->thread_hd);
-
-  if (ctx->stopped)
-    CloseHandle (ctx->stopped);
-  if (ctx->have_data)
-    CloseHandle (ctx->have_data);
-  if (ctx->is_empty)
-    CloseHandle (ctx->is_empty);
-  CloseHandle (ctx->thread_hd);
-  DESTROY_LOCK (ctx->mutex);
-  free (ctx);
+  /* After setting this event CTX is void.  */
+  SetEvent (ctx->close_ev);
 }
 
 
@@ -951,26 +930,6 @@ find_writer (int fd, int start_it)
 }
 
 
-static void
-kill_writer (int fd)
-{
-  int i;
-
-  LOCK (writer_table_lock);
-  for (i = 0; i < writer_table_size; i++)
-    {
-      if (writer_table[i].used && writer_table[i].fd == fd)
-	{
-	  destroy_writer (writer_table[i].context);
-	  writer_table[i].context = NULL;
-	  writer_table[i].used = 0;
-	  break;
-	}
-    }
-  UNLOCK (writer_table_lock);
-}
-
-
 int
 _gpgme_io_write (int fd, const void *buffer, size_t count)
 {
@@ -1195,8 +1154,32 @@ _gpgme_io_close (int fd)
               fd, fd_table[fd].handle, fd_table[fd].socket,
               fd_table[fd].dup_from);
 
-  kill_reader (fd);
-  kill_writer (fd);
+  LOCK (reader_table_lock);
+  for (i = 0; i < reader_table_size; i++)
+    {
+      if (reader_table[i].used && reader_table[i].fd == fd)
+	{
+	  destroy_reader (reader_table[i].context);
+	  reader_table[i].context = NULL;
+	  reader_table[i].used = 0;
+	  break;
+	}
+    }
+  UNLOCK (reader_table_lock);
+
+  LOCK (writer_table_lock);
+  for (i = 0; i < writer_table_size; i++)
+    {
+      if (writer_table[i].used && writer_table[i].fd == fd)
+	{
+	  destroy_writer (writer_table[i].context);
+	  writer_table[i].context = NULL;
+	  writer_table[i].used = 0;
+	  break;
+	}
+    }
+  UNLOCK (writer_table_lock);
+
   LOCK (notify_table_lock);
   for (i = 0; i < DIM (notify_table); i++)
     {