diff --git a/source/cell.c b/source/cell.c
index 043a071c..a1bebd64 100644
--- a/source/cell.c
+++ b/source/cell.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ static SDL_Mutex *actors_mutex = NULL;
 static struct { char *key; cell_rt *value; } *actors = NULL;
 static unsigned char *zip_buffer_global = NULL;
 static char *prosperon = NULL;
+cell_rt *root_cell = NULL;
 
 /* Event watch subscribers */
 char **event_watchers = NULL;
@@ -60,6 +61,23 @@ static Uint32 queue_event;
 static SDL_AtomicInt engine_shutdown;
 static SDL_Thread **runners = NULL;
 
+static void exit_handler(void)
+{
+  SDL_SetAtomicInt(&engine_shutdown, 1);
+  
+  /* Push a terminating event to the SDL event queue */
+  SDL_Event terminating_event;
+  terminating_event.type = SDL_EVENT_TERMINATING;
+  SDL_PushEvent(&terminating_event);
+  
+  int status;
+  SDL_BroadcastCondition(queue_cond);
+  for (int i = 0; i < arrlen(runners); i++)
+    SDL_WaitThread(runners[i], &status);
+    
+  SDL_Quit();
+  exit(0);
+}
 
 void actor_free(cell_rt *actor)
 {
@@ -133,9 +151,10 @@ void actor_free(cell_rt *actor)
   SDL_DestroyMutex(actor->turn);
   
   free(actor);
-
-  if (remaining == 0)
+  
+  if (actor == root_cell)
     exit(0);
+//    exit_handler();
 }
 
 static Uint32 actor_remove_cb(cell_rt *actor, Uint32 id, Uint32 interval)
@@ -806,24 +825,6 @@ static int crank_actor(void *data)
   return 0;
 }
 
-static void exit_handler(void)
-{
-  SDL_SetAtomicInt(&engine_shutdown, 1);
-  
-  /* Push a terminating event to the SDL event queue */
-  SDL_Event terminating_event;
-  terminating_event.type = SDL_EVENT_TERMINATING;
-  SDL_PushEvent(&terminating_event);
-  
-  int status;
-  SDL_BroadcastCondition(queue_cond);
-  for (int i = 0; i < arrlen(runners); i++)
-    SDL_WaitThread(runners[i], &status);
-    
-  SDL_Quit();
-  exit(0);
-}
-
 static void signal_handler(int sig)
 {
   const char *str = NULL;
@@ -1579,7 +1580,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
   wota_write_array(&startwota, actor_argc-1);
   for (int i = 1; i < actor_argc; i++)
     wota_write_text(&startwota, actor_argv[i]);
-  create_actor(startwota.data,NULL); // this can fall off because the actor takes care of freeing the wota data
+  root_cell = create_actor(startwota.data,NULL); // this can fall off because the actor takes care of freeing the wota data
   
   /* Start the thread that pumps ready actors, one per logical core. */
   for (int i = 0; i < cores; i++) {
diff --git a/source/cell.h b/source/cell.h
index dc391822..4f4ae070 100644
--- a/source/cell.h
+++ b/source/cell.h
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ typedef struct cell_rt {
 extern SDL_ThreadID main_thread;
 extern SDL_TLSID prosperon_id;
 
+extern cell_rt *root_cell; // first actor in the system
+
 cell_rt *create_actor(void *wota, void (*hook)(JSContext*));
 const char *register_actor(const char *id, cell_rt *actor, int mainthread);
 void actor_disrupt(cell_rt *actor);