diff --git a/controller/ovn-controller.c b/controller/ovn-controller.c
index 937ef8eceb..7de138104a 100644
--- a/controller/ovn-controller.c
+++ b/controller/ovn-controller.c
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@
 
 VLOG_DEFINE_THIS_MODULE(main);
 
-static unixctl_cb_func ovn_controller_exit;
 static unixctl_cb_func ct_zone_list;
 static unixctl_cb_func extend_table_list;
 static unixctl_cb_func inject_pkt;
@@ -3262,11 +3261,6 @@ flow_output_lflow_output_handler(struct engine_node *node,
     return true;
 }
 
-struct ovn_controller_exit_args {
-    bool *exiting;
-    bool *restart;
-};
-
 /* Handles sbrec_chassis changes.
  * If a new chassis is added or removed return false, so that
  * flows are recomputed.  For any updates, there is no need for
@@ -3338,9 +3332,7 @@ int
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     struct unixctl_server *unixctl;
-    bool exiting;
-    bool restart;
-    struct ovn_controller_exit_args exit_args = {&exiting, &restart};
+    struct ovn_exit_args exit_args = {};
     int retval;
 
     ovs_cmdl_proctitle_init(argc, argv);
@@ -3357,7 +3349,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     if (retval) {
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
-    unixctl_command_register("exit", "", 0, 1, ovn_controller_exit,
+    unixctl_command_register("exit", "", 0, 1, ovn_exit_command_callback,
                              &exit_args);
 
     daemonize_complete();
@@ -3770,11 +3762,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     VLOG_INFO("OVN internal version is : [%s]", ovn_version);
 
     /* Main loop. */
-    exiting = false;
-    restart = false;
     int64_t startup_ts = time_wall_msec();
     bool sb_monitor_all = false;
-    while (!exiting) {
+    while (!exit_args.exiting) {
         memory_run();
         if (memory_should_report()) {
             struct simap usage = SIMAP_INITIALIZER(&usage);
@@ -4165,7 +4155,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         unixctl_server_run(unixctl);
 
         unixctl_server_wait(unixctl);
-        if (exiting || pending_pkt.conn) {
+        if (exit_args.exiting || pending_pkt.conn) {
             poll_immediate_wake();
         }
 
@@ -4217,7 +4207,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         memory_wait();
         poll_block();
         if (should_service_stop()) {
-            exiting = true;
+            exit_args.exiting = true;
         }
     }
 
@@ -4225,7 +4215,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     engine_cleanup();
 
     /* It's time to exit.  Clean up the databases if we are not restarting */
-    if (!restart) {
+    if (!exit_args.restart) {
         bool done = !ovsdb_idl_has_ever_connected(ovnsb_idl_loop.idl);
         while (!done) {
             update_sb_db(ovs_idl_loop.idl, ovnsb_idl_loop.idl,
@@ -4277,7 +4267,6 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
 
     free(ovn_version);
-    unixctl_server_destroy(unixctl);
     lflow_destroy();
     ofctrl_destroy();
     pinctrl_destroy();
@@ -4294,6 +4283,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     ovs_feature_support_destroy();
     free(ovs_remote);
+    ovn_exit_args_finish(&exit_args);
+    unixctl_server_destroy(unixctl);
     service_stop();
 
     exit(retval);
@@ -4410,16 +4401,6 @@ usage(void)
     exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }
 
-static void
-ovn_controller_exit(struct unixctl_conn *conn, int argc,
-             const char *argv[], void *exit_args_)
-{
-    struct ovn_controller_exit_args *exit_args = exit_args_;
-    *exit_args->exiting = true;
-    *exit_args->restart = argc == 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "--restart");
-    unixctl_command_reply(conn, NULL);
-}
-
 static void
 ct_zone_list(struct unixctl_conn *conn, int argc OVS_UNUSED,
              const char *argv[] OVS_UNUSED, void *ct_zones_)
diff --git a/lib/ovn-util.c b/lib/ovn-util.c
index 8499d9a1fc..1fde64505d 100644
--- a/lib/ovn-util.c
+++ b/lib/ovn-util.c
@@ -809,3 +809,34 @@ get_bridge(const struct ovsrec_bridge_table *bridge_table, const char *br_name)
     }
     return NULL;
 }
+
+/* Call for the unixctl command that will store the connection and
+ * set the appropriate conditions. */
+void
+ovn_exit_command_callback(struct unixctl_conn *conn, int argc,
+                          const char *argv[], void *exit_args_)
+{
+    struct ovn_exit_args *exit_args = exit_args_;
+
+    exit_args->n_conns++;
+    exit_args->conns = xrealloc(exit_args->conns,
+                                exit_args->n_conns * sizeof *exit_args->conns);
+
+    exit_args->exiting = true;
+    exit_args->conns[exit_args->n_conns - 1] = conn;
+
+    if (!exit_args->restart) {
+        exit_args->restart = argc == 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "--restart");
+    }
+}
+
+/* Reply to all waiting unixctl connections and free the connection array.
+ * This function should be called after the heaviest cleanup has finished. */
+void
+ovn_exit_args_finish(struct ovn_exit_args *exit_args)
+{
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < exit_args->n_conns; i++) {
+        unixctl_command_reply(exit_args->conns[i], NULL);
+    }
+    free(exit_args->conns);
+}
diff --git a/lib/ovn-util.h b/lib/ovn-util.h
index 22f17f64c4..000b0d06a4 100644
--- a/lib/ovn-util.h
+++ b/lib/ovn-util.h
@@ -320,4 +320,16 @@ const struct ovsrec_bridge *get_bridge(const struct ovsrec_bridge_table *,
                                        const char *br_name);
 
 
+/* Utilities around properly handling exit command. */
+struct ovn_exit_args {
+    struct unixctl_conn **conns;
+    size_t n_conns;
+    bool exiting;
+    bool restart;
+};
+
+void ovn_exit_command_callback(struct unixctl_conn *conn, int argc,
+                               const char *argv[], void *exit_args_);
+void ovn_exit_args_finish(struct ovn_exit_args *exit_args);
+
 #endif /* OVN_UTIL_H */
diff --git a/northd/ovn-northd.c b/northd/ovn-northd.c
index 4e18519fad..2a361ad906 100644
--- a/northd/ovn-northd.c
+++ b/northd/ovn-northd.c
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
 
 VLOG_DEFINE_THIS_MODULE(ovn_northd);
 
-static unixctl_cb_func ovn_northd_exit;
 static unixctl_cb_func ovn_northd_pause;
 static unixctl_cb_func ovn_northd_resume;
 static unixctl_cb_func ovn_northd_is_paused;
@@ -680,7 +679,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     int res = EXIT_SUCCESS;
     struct unixctl_server *unixctl;
     int retval;
-    bool exiting;
+    struct ovn_exit_args exit_args = {};
     struct northd_state state = {
         .had_lock = false,
         .paused = false
@@ -701,7 +700,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     if (retval) {
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
-    unixctl_command_register("exit", "", 0, 0, ovn_northd_exit, &exiting);
+    unixctl_command_register("exit", "", 0, 0, ovn_exit_command_callback,
+                             &exit_args);
     unixctl_command_register("pause", "", 0, 0, ovn_northd_pause, &state);
     unixctl_command_register("resume", "", 0, 0, ovn_northd_resume, &state);
     unixctl_command_register("is-paused", "", 0, 0, ovn_northd_is_paused,
@@ -775,10 +775,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     unsigned int ovnsb_cond_seqno = UINT_MAX;
 
     /* Main loop. */
-    exiting = false;
 
     bool recompute = false;
-    while (!exiting) {
+    while (!exit_args.exiting) {
         update_ssl_config();
         memory_run();
         if (memory_should_report()) {
@@ -910,7 +909,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         unixctl_server_run(unixctl);
         unixctl_server_wait(unixctl);
         memory_wait();
-        if (exiting) {
+        if (exit_args.exiting) {
             poll_immediate_wake();
         }
 
@@ -941,30 +940,21 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         stopwatch_stop(NORTHD_LOOP_STOPWATCH_NAME, time_msec());
         poll_block();
         if (should_service_stop()) {
-            exiting = true;
+            exit_args.exiting = true;
         }
         stopwatch_start(NORTHD_LOOP_STOPWATCH_NAME, time_msec());
     }
     inc_proc_northd_cleanup();
 
-    unixctl_server_destroy(unixctl);
     ovsdb_idl_loop_destroy(&ovnnb_idl_loop);
     ovsdb_idl_loop_destroy(&ovnsb_idl_loop);
+    ovn_exit_args_finish(&exit_args);
+    unixctl_server_destroy(unixctl);
     service_stop();
 
     exit(res);
 }
 
-static void
-ovn_northd_exit(struct unixctl_conn *conn, int argc OVS_UNUSED,
-                const char *argv[] OVS_UNUSED, void *exiting_)
-{
-    bool *exiting = exiting_;
-    *exiting = true;
-
-    unixctl_command_reply(conn, NULL);
-}
-
 static void
 ovn_northd_pause(struct unixctl_conn *conn, int argc OVS_UNUSED,
                 const char *argv[] OVS_UNUSED, void *state_)