diff --git a/include/maxscale/maxscale.h b/include/maxscale/maxscale.h
index 93d43bd19..e6b1a0abf 100644
--- a/include/maxscale/maxscale.h
+++ b/include/maxscale/maxscale.h
@@ -44,4 +44,14 @@ void maxscale_reset_starttime(void);
 time_t maxscale_started(void);
 int maxscale_uptime(void);
 
+/**
+ * Initiate shutdown of MaxScale.
+ *
+ * This functions informs all threads that they should stop the
+ * processing and exit.
+ *
+ * @return How many times maxscale_shutdown() has been called.
+ */
+int maxscale_shutdown(void);
+
 MXS_END_DECLS
diff --git a/server/core/gateway.c b/server/core/gateway.c
index 8b7b07d82..138bc60bd 100644
--- a/server/core/gateway.c
+++ b/server/core/gateway.c
@@ -181,7 +181,6 @@ static int set_user(const char* user);
 bool pid_file_exists();
 void write_child_exit_code(int fd, int code);
 static bool change_cwd();
-void shutdown_server();
 static void log_exit_status();
 static bool daemonize();
 static bool sniff_configuration(const char* filepath);
@@ -288,20 +287,45 @@ static void sigusr1_handler (int i)
 }
 
 static const char shutdown_msg[] = "\n\nShutting down MaxScale\n\n";
+static const char patience_msg[] =
+    "\n"
+    "Patience is a virtue...\n"
+    "Shutdown in progress, but one more Ctrl-C or SIGTERM and MaxScale goes down,\n"
+    "no questions asked.\n";
 
 static void sigterm_handler(int i)
 {
     last_signal = i;
-    shutdown_server();
-    write(STDERR_FILENO, shutdown_msg, sizeof(shutdown_msg) - 1);
+    int n_shutdowns = maxscale_shutdown();
+
+    if (n_shutdowns == 1)
+    {
+        write(STDERR_FILENO, shutdown_msg, sizeof(shutdown_msg) - 1);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
 }
 
 static void
 sigint_handler(int i)
 {
     last_signal = i;
-    shutdown_server();
-    write(STDERR_FILENO, shutdown_msg, sizeof(shutdown_msg) - 1);
+    int n_shutdowns = maxscale_shutdown();
+
+    if (n_shutdowns == 1)
+    {
+        write(STDERR_FILENO, shutdown_msg, sizeof(shutdown_msg) - 1);
+    }
+    else if (n_shutdowns == 2)
+    {
+        write(STDERR_FILENO, patience_msg, sizeof(patience_msg) - 1);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
 }
 
 static void
@@ -2041,14 +2065,22 @@ return_main:
 /*<
  * Shutdown MaxScale server
  */
-void
-shutdown_server()
+int maxscale_shutdown()
 {
-    service_shutdown();
-    poll_shutdown();
-    hkshutdown();
-    memlog_flush_all();
-    log_flush_shutdown();
+    static int n_shutdowns = 0;
+
+    int n = atomic_add(&n_shutdowns, 1);
+
+    if (n == 0)
+    {
+        service_shutdown();
+        poll_shutdown();
+        hkshutdown();
+        memlog_flush_all();
+        log_flush_shutdown();
+    }
+
+    return n + 1;
 }
 
 static void log_flush_shutdown(void)
diff --git a/server/core/secrets.c b/server/core/secrets.c
index b197ff1e0..60cc244b5 100644
--- a/server/core/secrets.c
+++ b/server/core/secrets.c
@@ -175,8 +175,8 @@ secrets_readKeys(const char* path)
     if (secret_stats.st_mode != (S_IRUSR | S_IFREG))
     {
         close(fd);
-        MXS_ERROR("Ignoring secrets file "
-                  "%s, invalid permissions.",
+        MXS_ERROR("Ignoring secrets file %s, invalid permissions."
+                  "The only permission on the file should be owner:read.",
                   secret_file);
         return NULL;
     }
diff --git a/server/modules/routing/debugcli/debugcmd.c b/server/modules/routing/debugcli/debugcmd.c
index 950f0882a..3e828bc77 100644
--- a/server/modules/routing/debugcli/debugcmd.c
+++ b/server/modules/routing/debugcli/debugcmd.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
 #include <debugcli.h>
 #include <maxscale/housekeeper.h>
 #include <maxscale/listmanager.h>
+#include <maxscale/maxscale.h>
 
 #include <maxscale/log_manager.h>
 #include <sys/syslog.h>
@@ -276,7 +277,11 @@ struct subcommand listoptions[] = {
       {0, 0, 0} }
 };
 
-extern void shutdown_server();
+static void shutdown_server()
+{
+    maxscale_shutdown();
+}
+
 static void shutdown_service(DCB *dcb, SERVICE *service);
 static void shutdown_monitor(DCB *dcb, MONITOR *monitor);