diff --git a/headless-services/commons/commons-language-server/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/languageserver/util/SimpleLanguageServer.java b/headless-services/commons/commons-language-server/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/languageserver/util/SimpleLanguageServer.java
index 07820ebf1..3c7ca13c7 100644
--- a/headless-services/commons/commons-language-server/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/languageserver/util/SimpleLanguageServer.java
+++ b/headless-services/commons/commons-language-server/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/languageserver/util/SimpleLanguageServer.java
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.UUID;
 import java.util.concurrent.Callable;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
+import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import java.util.function.Consumer;
 
 import org.eclipse.lsp4j.ApplyWorkspaceEditParams;
@@ -107,6 +109,9 @@ public final class SimpleLanguageServer implements Sts4LanguageServer, LanguageC
 
 	private static final Scheduler RECONCILER_SCHEDULER = Schedulers.newSingle("Reconciler");
 
+	private static final int FORCED_EXIT_CODE = 1;
+	private static final int FORCED_EXIT_DELAY_IN_SECONDS = 3;
+
 	public final String EXTENSION_ID;
 	private final String CODE_ACTION_COMMAND_ID;
 	public final LazyCompletionResolver completionResolver = createCompletionResolver();
@@ -474,18 +479,36 @@ public final class SimpleLanguageServer implements Sts4LanguageServer, LanguageC
 
 	@Override
 	public CompletableFuture<Object> shutdown() {
-	  return async.invoke(() -> {
-		Runnable h = shutdownHandler;
-		if (h!=null) {
-			h.run();
+		log.info("shutdown: request arrived");
+		
+		// make sure the JVM gets the exit call after some time
+		Executors.newSingleThreadScheduledExecutor().schedule(() -> {
+			log.info("Forcing exit after 3 sec.");
+			System.exit(FORCED_EXIT_CODE);
+		}, FORCED_EXIT_DELAY_IN_SECONDS, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
+
+		// proceed with regular shutdown activities
+		try {
+			Runnable h = shutdownHandler;
+			if (h != null) {
+				log.info("shutdown: call shutdown handler");
+				h.run();
+			}
+
+			getWorkspaceService().dispose();
 		}
-		getWorkspaceService().dispose();
-		return "OK";
-	  });
+		catch (Exception e) {
+			log.info("problem calling shutdown handlers: ", e);
+		}
+			
+		log.info("shutdown: complete");
+
+		return CompletableFuture.completedFuture("OK");
 	}
 
 	@Override
 	public void exit() {
+		log.info("exit: notification received");
 		System.exit(0);
 	}
 
diff --git a/headless-services/commons/language-server-starter/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/languageserver/starter/LanguageServerAutoConf.java b/headless-services/commons/language-server-starter/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/languageserver/starter/LanguageServerAutoConf.java
index 9e5deb968..56e09da87 100644
--- a/headless-services/commons/language-server-starter/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/languageserver/starter/LanguageServerAutoConf.java
+++ b/headless-services/commons/language-server-starter/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/languageserver/starter/LanguageServerAutoConf.java
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableMap;
 public class LanguageServerAutoConf {
 	
 	@ConditionalOnMissingBean
-	@Bean public SimpleLanguageServer languageServer(
+	@Bean(destroyMethod = "")
+	public SimpleLanguageServer languageServer(
 			LanguageServerProperties props, 
 			Optional<DiagnosticSeverityProvider> severities,
 			Optional<CompletionFilter> completionFilter,