diff --git a/Mailnag/common/subproc.py b/Mailnag/common/subproc.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b472c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Mailnag/common/subproc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python2
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# subproc.py
+#
+# Copyright 2013 Patrick Ulbrich <zulu99@gmx.net>
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+# Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston,
+# MA 02110-1301, USA.
+#
+
+import subprocess
+import threading
+import logging
+import time
+
+_plock = threading.Lock()
+_tlock = threading.Lock()
+_procs = []
+_threads = []
+
+def start_subprocess(args, shell = False, callback = None):
+	def thread():
+		p = subprocess.Popen(args, shell = shell)
+		with _plock: _procs.append(p)
+		retcode = p.wait()
+		with _plock: _procs.remove(p)
+		if callback != None:
+			callback(retcode)
+	
+	t = threading.Thread(target = thread)
+	with _tlock:
+		_threads.append(t)
+		t.start()
+
+
+def terminate_subprocesses():
+	with _tlock:
+		if len(_threads) == 0:
+			return
+	
+	with _plock:
+		for p in _procs:
+			# Ask all runnig processes to terminate.
+			# This will also terminate threads waiting for p.wait().
+			# Note : terminate() does not block.
+			try: p.terminate()
+			except: logging.debug('p.terminate() failed')
+
+	# Start a watchdaog thread that will kill 
+	# all processes that didn't terminate within 3 seconds.
+	wd = _Watchdog(3.0)
+	wd.start()
+	
+	with _tlock:
+		# Wait for all threads to terminate
+		for t in _threads:
+			t.join()
+		del _threads[0 : len(_threads)]
+	
+	wd.stop()
+	
+	if (not wd.triggered):
+		logging.info('All subprocesses exited normally.')
+
+
+class _Watchdog(threading.Thread):
+	def __init__(self, timeout):
+		threading.Thread.__init__(self)
+		self.triggered = False
+		self._timeout = timeout
+		self._event = threading.Event()
+
+
+	def run(self):
+		# Note : keep in mind that cleanup() in mailnag.py 
+		# has a timeout as well, so don't wait too long.
+		self._event.wait(self._timeout)
+		if not self._event.is_set():
+			logging.warning('Process termination took too long - watchdog starts killing...')
+			self.triggered = True
+			with _plock:
+				for p in _procs:
+					try:
+						# Kill process p and quit the thread 
+						# waiting for p to terminate (p.wait()).
+						p.kill()
+						logging.info('Watchdog killed process %s' % p.pid)
+					except: logging.debug('p.kill() failed')
+
+
+	def stop(self):
+		# Abort watchdog thread (may have been triggered already)
+		self._event.set()
+		# Wait for watchdog thread (may be inactive already)
+		self.join()
diff --git a/Mailnag/common/utils.py b/Mailnag/common/utils.py
index 76a5f55..fde3e86 100644
--- a/Mailnag/common/utils.py
+++ b/Mailnag/common/utils.py
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ import sys
 import time
 import dbus
 import urllib2
-import subprocess
-import threading
 
 from common.dist_cfg import PACKAGE_NAME, DBUS_BUS_NAME, DBUS_OBJ_PATH
 
@@ -86,14 +84,3 @@ def shutdown_existing_instance():
 			print 'OK'
 		except:
 			print 'FAILED'
-
-
-def start_subprocess(args, shell = False, callback = None):
-	def thread():
-		p = subprocess.Popen(args, shell = shell)
-		retcode = p.wait()
-		if callback != None:
-			callback(retcode)
-	
-	t = threading.Thread(target = thread)
-	t.start()
diff --git a/Mailnag/mailnag.py b/Mailnag/mailnag.py
index 5b962c0..6f78987 100644
--- a/Mailnag/mailnag.py
+++ b/Mailnag/mailnag.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ from common.config import read_cfg, cfg_exists, cfg_folder
 from common.utils import set_procname, is_online, shutdown_existing_instance
 from common.accounts import AccountList
 from common.plugins import Plugin, HookRegistry, MailnagController
+from common.subproc import terminate_subprocesses
 from daemon.mailchecker import MailChecker
 from daemon.idlers import IdlerRunner
 
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ def cleanup():
 		mailchecker = None
 	
 		unload_plugins()
+		terminate_subprocesses()
 		event.set()
 		
 	threading.Thread(target = thread).start()
diff --git a/Mailnag/plugins/libnotifyplugin.py b/Mailnag/plugins/libnotifyplugin.py
index 28c9ac3..6a4ef59 100644
--- a/Mailnag/plugins/libnotifyplugin.py
+++ b/Mailnag/plugins/libnotifyplugin.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import threading
 from gi.repository import Notify, Gio, Gtk
 from common.plugins import Plugin, HookTypes
 from common.i18n import _
-from common.utils import start_subprocess
+from common.subproc import start_subprocess
 from daemon.mails import sort_mails
 
 NOTIFICATION_MODE_COUNT		= '0'
diff --git a/Mailnag/plugins/userscriptplugin.py b/Mailnag/plugins/userscriptplugin.py
index 6d77d10..b1243b2 100644
--- a/Mailnag/plugins/userscriptplugin.py
+++ b/Mailnag/plugins/userscriptplugin.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import os
 from gi.repository import Gtk
 from common.plugins import Plugin, HookTypes
 from common.i18n import _
-from common.utils import start_subprocess
+from common.subproc import start_subprocess
 
 plugin_defaults = { 'script_file' : '' }