diff --git a/src/api.c b/src/api.c
index 8dc9c199..55958ab6 100644
--- a/src/api.c
+++ b/src/api.c
@@ -429,6 +429,8 @@ error:
 
 int api_exit(void)
 {
+	uev_io_stop(&api_watcher);
+
 	return close(api_watcher.fd);
 }