@@ -214,25 +214,24 @@
 	 (all-tests-registry #f)  ;; (tests:get-all)) ;; (tests:get-valid-tests (make-hash-table) test-search-path)) ;; all valid tests to check waiton names
 	 (all-test-names     #f)  ;; (hash-table-keys all-tests-registry))
 	 (test-names         #f)  ;; (tests:filter-test-names all-test-names test-patts))
 	 (required-tests     #f)  ;;(lset-intersection equal? (string-split test-patts ",") test-names))) ;; test-names)) ;; Added test-names as initial for required-tests but that failed to work
 	 (task-key           (conc (hash-table->alist flags) " " (get-host-name) " " (current-process-id)))
-	 (tasks-db           (tasks:open-db)))
+	 (tdbdat             (tasks:open-db)))
 
     (set-signal-handler! signal/int
 			 (lambda (signum)
 			   (signal-mask! signum)
-			   (let ((tdb (tasks:open-db)))
-			     (tasks:set-state-given-param-key tdb task-key "killed")
-			     ;; (sqlite3:interrupt! tdb) ;; seems silly?
-			     (sqlite3:finalize! tdb))
+			   (print "Received signal " signum ", cleaning up before exit. Please wait...")
+			   (let ((tdbdat (tasks:open-db)))
+			     (tasks:set-state-given-param-key (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat) task-key "killed"))
 			   (print "Killed by signal " signum ". Exiting")
 			   (exit)))
 
     ;; register this run in monitor.db
-    (tasks:add tasks-db "run-tests" user target runname test-patts task-key) ;; params)
-    (tasks:set-state-given-param-key tasks-db task-key "running")
+    (tasks:add (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat) "run-tests" user target runname test-patts task-key) ;; params)
+    (tasks:set-state-given-param-key (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat) task-key "running")
     (runs:set-megatest-env-vars run-id inkeys: keys inrunname: runname) ;; these may be needed by the launching process
     (if (file-exists? runconfigf)
 	(setup-env-defaults runconfigf run-id *already-seen-runconfig-info* keyvals target)
 	(debug:print 0 "WARNING: You do not have a run config file: " runconfigf))
 
@@ -393,12 +392,13 @@
 		  (if (not (hash-table-ref/default flags "-rerun" #f))
 		      (hash-table-set! flags "-rerun" "STUCK/DEAD,n/a,ZERO_ITEMS"))
 		  (runs:run-tests target runname test-patts user flags run-count: (- run-count 1)))))
 	  (debug:print-info 0 "No tests to run")))
     (debug:print-info 4 "All done by here")
-    (tasks:set-state-given-param-key tasks-db task-key "done")
-    (sqlite3:finalize! tasks-db)))
+    (tasks:set-state-given-param-key (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat) task-key "done")
+    ;; (sqlite3:finalize! tasks-db)
+    ))
 
 
 ;; loop logic. These are used in runs:run-tests-queue to make it a bit more readable.
 ;;
 ;; If reg not full and have items in tal then loop with (car tal)(cdr tal) reg reruns
@@ -1397,11 +1397,11 @@
 ;; NB// should pass in keys?
 ;;
 (define (runs:operate-on action target runnamepatt testpatt #!key (state #f)(status #f)(new-state-status #f)(remove-data-only #f))
   (common:clear-caches) ;; clear all caches
   (let* ((db           #f)
-	 (tasks-db     (tasks:open-db))
+	 (tdbdat       (tasks:open-db))
 	 (keys         (rmt:get-keys))
 	 (rundat       (mt:get-runs-by-patt keys runnamepatt target))
 	 (header       (vector-ref rundat 0))
 	 (runs         (vector-ref rundat 1))
 	 (states       (if state  (string-split state  ",") '()))
@@ -1436,11 +1436,11 @@
 	       (begin
 		 (case action
 		   ((remove-runs)
 		    ;; seek and kill in flight -runtests with % as testpatt here
 		    (if (equal? testpatt "%")
-			(tasks:kill-runner tasks-db target run-name)
+			(tasks:kill-runner (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat) target run-name)
 			(debug:print 0 "not attempting to kill any run launcher processes as testpatt is " testpatt))
 		    (debug:print 1 "Removing tests for run: " runkey " " (db:get-value-by-header run header "runname")))
 		   ((set-state-status)
 		    (debug:print 1 "Modifying state and staus for tests for run: " runkey " " (db:get-value-by-header run header "runname")))
 		   ((print-run)
@@ -1549,11 +1549,12 @@
 		       ;; 	 (debug:print 1 "Removing run dir " runpath)
 		       ;; 	 (system (conc "rmdir -p " runpath))))
 		       )))))
 	 ))
      runs)
-    (sqlite3:finalize! tasks-db))
+    ;; (sqlite3:finalize! (db:delay-if-busy tdbdat))
+    )
   #t)
 
 (define (runs:remove-test-directory db test remove-data-only)
   (let* ((run-dir       (db:test-get-rundir test))    ;; run dir is from the link tree
 	 (real-dir      (if (file-exists? run-dir)