diff --git a/cmd/syncthing/main.go b/cmd/syncthing/main.go
index a6f13671..f075b0b0 100644
--- a/cmd/syncthing/main.go
+++ b/cmd/syncthing/main.go
@@ -928,7 +928,17 @@ func syncthingMain(runtimeOptions RuntimeOptions) {
 	code := exit.waitForExit()
 
 	mainService.Stop()
-	ldb.Close()
+
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		ldb.Close()
+		close(done)
+	}()
+	select {
+	case <-done:
+	case <-time.After(10 * time.Second):
+		l.Warnln("Database failed to stop within 10s")
+	}
 
 	l.Infoln("Exiting")
 
diff --git a/lib/db/lowlevel.go b/lib/db/lowlevel.go
index 4c77ed74..eda38af6 100644
--- a/lib/db/lowlevel.go
+++ b/lib/db/lowlevel.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ type Lowlevel struct {
 	deviceIdx *smallIndex
 	closed    bool
 	closeMut  *sync.RWMutex
+	iterWG    sync.WaitGroup
 }
 
 // Open attempts to open the database at the given location, and runs
@@ -99,42 +100,76 @@ func (db *Lowlevel) Committed() int64 {
 }
 
 func (db *Lowlevel) Put(key, val []byte, wo *opt.WriteOptions) error {
+	db.closeMut.RLock()
+	defer db.closeMut.RUnlock()
+	if db.closed {
+		return leveldb.ErrClosed
+	}
 	atomic.AddInt64(&db.committed, 1)
 	return db.DB.Put(key, val, wo)
 }
 
+func (db *Lowlevel) Write(batch *leveldb.Batch, wo *opt.WriteOptions) error {
+	db.closeMut.RLock()
+	defer db.closeMut.RUnlock()
+	if db.closed {
+		return leveldb.ErrClosed
+	}
+	return db.DB.Write(batch, wo)
+}
+
 func (db *Lowlevel) Delete(key []byte, wo *opt.WriteOptions) error {
+	db.closeMut.RLock()
+	defer db.closeMut.RUnlock()
+	if db.closed {
+		return leveldb.ErrClosed
+	}
 	atomic.AddInt64(&db.committed, 1)
 	return db.DB.Delete(key, wo)
 }
 
 func (db *Lowlevel) NewIterator(slice *util.Range, ro *opt.ReadOptions) iterator.Iterator {
+	return db.newIterator(func() iterator.Iterator { return db.DB.NewIterator(slice, ro) })
+}
+
+// newIterator returns an iterator created with the given constructor only if db
+// is not yet closed. If it is closed, a closedIter is returned instead.
+func (db *Lowlevel) newIterator(constr func() iterator.Iterator) iterator.Iterator {
 	db.closeMut.RLock()
 	defer db.closeMut.RUnlock()
 	if db.closed {
 		return &closedIter{}
 	}
-	return db.DB.NewIterator(slice, ro)
+	db.iterWG.Add(1)
+	return &iter{
+		Iterator: constr(),
+		db:       db,
+	}
 }
 
 func (db *Lowlevel) GetSnapshot() snapshot {
-	snap, err := db.DB.GetSnapshot()
+	s, err := db.DB.GetSnapshot()
 	if err != nil {
 		if err == leveldb.ErrClosed {
 			return &closedSnap{}
 		}
 		panic(err)
 	}
-	return snap
+	return &snap{
+		Snapshot: s,
+		db:       db,
+	}
 }
 
 func (db *Lowlevel) Close() {
 	db.closeMut.Lock()
-	defer db.closeMut.Unlock()
 	if db.closed {
+		db.closeMut.Unlock()
 		return
 	}
 	db.closed = true
+	db.closeMut.Unlock()
+	db.iterWG.Wait()
 	db.DB.Close()
 }
 
@@ -146,6 +181,7 @@ func NewLowlevel(db *leveldb.DB, location string) *Lowlevel {
 		folderIdx: newSmallIndex(db, []byte{KeyTypeFolderIdx}),
 		deviceIdx: newSmallIndex(db, []byte{KeyTypeDeviceIdx}),
 		closeMut:  &sync.RWMutex{},
+		iterWG:    sync.WaitGroup{},
 	}
 }
 
@@ -220,3 +256,51 @@ func (s *closedSnap) NewIterator(*util.Range, *opt.ReadOptions) iterator.Iterato
 	return &closedIter{}
 }
 func (s *closedSnap) Release() {}
+
+type snap struct {
+	*leveldb.Snapshot
+	db *Lowlevel
+}
+
+func (s *snap) NewIterator(slice *util.Range, ro *opt.ReadOptions) iterator.Iterator {
+	return s.db.newIterator(func() iterator.Iterator { return s.Snapshot.NewIterator(slice, ro) })
+}
+
+// iter implements iterator.Iterator which allows tracking active iterators
+// and aborts if the underlying database is being closed.
+type iter struct {
+	iterator.Iterator
+	db *Lowlevel
+}
+
+func (it *iter) Release() {
+	it.db.iterWG.Done()
+	it.Iterator.Release()
+}
+
+func (it *iter) Next() bool {
+	return it.execIfNotClosed(it.Iterator.Next)
+}
+func (it *iter) Prev() bool {
+	return it.execIfNotClosed(it.Iterator.Prev)
+}
+func (it *iter) First() bool {
+	return it.execIfNotClosed(it.Iterator.First)
+}
+func (it *iter) Last() bool {
+	return it.execIfNotClosed(it.Iterator.Last)
+}
+func (it *iter) Seek(key []byte) bool {
+	return it.execIfNotClosed(func() bool {
+		return it.Iterator.Seek(key)
+	})
+}
+
+func (it *iter) execIfNotClosed(fn func() bool) bool {
+	it.db.closeMut.RLock()
+	defer it.db.closeMut.RUnlock()
+	if it.db.closed {
+		return false
+	}
+	return fn()
+}