diff --git a/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/adminconsole/ReplicationPanel.java b/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/adminconsole/ReplicationPanel.java
index a6018d13f81..f6984db16e9 100755
--- a/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/adminconsole/ReplicationPanel.java
+++ b/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/adminconsole/ReplicationPanel.java
@@ -85,13 +85,17 @@ public class ReplicationPanel extends FlowPanel {
     }
 
     private void stopReplication() {
+        stopReplicationButton.setEnabled(false);
         sailingService.stopReplicatingFromMaster(new AsyncCallback<Void>() {
             @Override
             public void onFailure(Throwable caught) {
                 errorReporter.reportError(caught.getMessage());
+                stopReplicationButton.setEnabled(true);
             }
             @Override
             public void onSuccess(Void result) {
+                addButton.setEnabled(true);
+                stopReplicationButton.setEnabled(false);
                 updateReplicaList();
             }
         });
@@ -105,12 +109,15 @@ public class ReplicationPanel extends FlowPanel {
                         registeredMasters.removeRow(0);
                         registeredMasters.insertRow(0);
                         registeredMasters.setWidget(0, 0, new Label(stringMessages.loading()));
+                        addButton.setEnabled(false);
+                        stopReplicationButton.setEnabled(false);
                         sailingService.startReplicatingFromMaster(masterNameAndExchangeNameAndMessagingPortNumberAndServletPortNumber.getA().getA(),
                                 masterNameAndExchangeNameAndMessagingPortNumberAndServletPortNumber.getA().getB(),
                                 masterNameAndExchangeNameAndMessagingPortNumberAndServletPortNumber.getC(),
                                 masterNameAndExchangeNameAndMessagingPortNumberAndServletPortNumber.getB(), new AsyncCallback<Void>() {
                             @Override
                             public void onFailure(Throwable e) {
+                                addButton.setEnabled(true);
                                 errorReporter.reportError(stringMessages.errorStartingReplication(
                                         masterNameAndExchangeNameAndMessagingPortNumberAndServletPortNumber.getA().getA(),
                                         masterNameAndExchangeNameAndMessagingPortNumberAndServletPortNumber.getA().getB(), e.getMessage()));
@@ -118,8 +125,9 @@ public class ReplicationPanel extends FlowPanel {
 
                             @Override
                             public void onSuccess(Void arg0) {
-                                updateReplicaList();
                                 addButton.setEnabled(false);
+                                stopReplicationButton.setEnabled(true);
+                                updateReplicaList();
                             }
                         });
                     }
diff --git a/java/com.sap.sailing.server.replication/src/com/sap/sailing/server/replication/impl/ReplicationServiceImpl.java b/java/com.sap.sailing.server.replication/src/com/sap/sailing/server/replication/impl/ReplicationServiceImpl.java
index 475f85c182d..1af7a1f486c 100644
--- a/java/com.sap.sailing.server.replication/src/com/sap/sailing/server/replication/impl/ReplicationServiceImpl.java
+++ b/java/com.sap.sailing.server.replication/src/com/sap/sailing/server/replication/impl/ReplicationServiceImpl.java
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ public class ReplicationServiceImpl implements ReplicationService, OperationExec
     private final String exchangeName;
     
     private Replicator replicator;
+    private Thread replicatorThread;
     
     public ReplicationServiceImpl(String exchangeName, final ReplicationInstancesManager replicationInstancesManager) throws IOException {
         this.replicationInstancesManager = replicationInstancesManager;
@@ -203,7 +204,8 @@ public class ReplicationServiceImpl implements ReplicationService, OperationExec
         logger.info("Initial load URL is "+initialLoadURL);
         replicator = new Replicator(master, this, /* startSuspended */ true, consumer);
         // start receiving messages already now, but start in suspended mode
-        new Thread(replicator, "Replicator receiving from "+master.getHostname()+"/"+master.getExchangeName()).start();
+        replicatorThread = new Thread(replicator, "Replicator receiving from "+master.getHostname()+"/"+master.getExchangeName());
+        replicatorThread.start();
         logger.info("Started replicator thread");
         InputStream is = initialLoadURL.openStream();
         final RacingEventService racingEventService = getRacingEventService();
@@ -234,19 +236,25 @@ public class ReplicationServiceImpl implements ReplicationService, OperationExec
         return replicaUUID;
     }
     
-    protected void deregisterReplicaWithMaster(ReplicationMasterDescriptor master) throws IOException {
-        URL replicationDeRegistrationRequestURL = master.getReplicationDeRegistrationRequestURL();
-        final URLConnection deregistrationRequestConnection = replicationDeRegistrationRequestURL.openConnection();
-        deregistrationRequestConnection.connect();
-        StringBuilder uuid = new StringBuilder();
-        InputStream content = (InputStream) deregistrationRequestConnection.getContent();
-        byte[] buf = new byte[256];
-        int read = content.read(buf);
-        while (read != -1) {
-            uuid.append(new String(buf, 0, read));
-            read = content.read(buf);
+    protected void deregisterReplicaWithMaster(ReplicationMasterDescriptor master) {
+        try {
+            URL replicationDeRegistrationRequestURL = master.getReplicationDeRegistrationRequestURL();
+            final URLConnection deregistrationRequestConnection = replicationDeRegistrationRequestURL.openConnection();
+            deregistrationRequestConnection.connect();
+            StringBuilder uuid = new StringBuilder();
+            InputStream content = (InputStream) deregistrationRequestConnection.getContent();
+            byte[] buf = new byte[256];
+            int read = content.read(buf);
+            while (read != -1) {
+                uuid.append(new String(buf, 0, read));
+                read = content.read(buf);
+            }
+            content.close();
+        } catch (Exception ex) {
+            // ignore exceptions here - they will mostly be caused by an incompatible server
+            // it is also not problematic if the server does not get this deregistration
+            // a new registration will overwrite the current one
         }
-        content.close();
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -275,7 +283,12 @@ public class ReplicationServiceImpl implements ReplicationService, OperationExec
                 replicator.stop();
                 deregisterReplicaWithMaster(descriptor);
                 descriptor.getConsumer().getChannel().close();
+                replicatingFromMaster = null;
                 replicaUUIDs.clear();
+                
+                // this is needed because QueuingConsumer.nextDelivery() wont unblock
+                // if the connection is closed by application.
+                replicatorThread.interrupt();
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/java/com.sap.sailing.server.replication/src/com/sap/sailing/server/replication/impl/Replicator.java b/java/com.sap.sailing.server.replication/src/com/sap/sailing/server/replication/impl/Replicator.java
index 76a31452964..6f3377cf59f 100755
--- a/java/com.sap.sailing.server.replication/src/com/sap/sailing/server/replication/impl/Replicator.java
+++ b/java/com.sap.sailing.server.replication/src/com/sap/sailing/server/replication/impl/Replicator.java
@@ -90,10 +90,6 @@ public class Replicator implements Runnable {
             }
             try {
                 Delivery delivery = consumer.nextDelivery();
-                
-                /* Delivery is blocking, upon unblock we will not check for
-                 * stopping because we want to receive at least the last event.
-                 */
                 byte[] bytesFromMessage = delivery.getBody();
                 checksPerformed = 0;
                 // Set this object's class's class loader as context for de-serialization so that all exported classes
@@ -103,6 +99,8 @@ public class Replicator implements Runnable {
                         new ByteArrayInputStream(bytesFromMessage));
                 RacingEventServiceOperation<?> operation = (RacingEventServiceOperation<?>) ois.readObject();
                 applyOrQueue(operation);
+            } catch (InterruptedException irr) {
+                logger.info("Application requested shutdown.");
             } catch (ShutdownSignalException sse) {
                 /* make sure to respond to a stop event without waiting */
                 if (isBeingStopped()) {
@@ -209,8 +207,13 @@ public class Replicator implements Runnable {
             /* make sure to apply everything in queue before stopping this thread */
             applyQueue();
         }
-        stopped = true;
         logger.info("Signaled Replicator thread to stop asap.");
+        stopped = true;
+        try {
+            master.getConsumer().getChannel().getConnection().close(1);
+        } catch (Exception ex) {
+            // ignore any exception during abort.
+        }
     }
     
     public synchronized boolean isBeingStopped() {