diff --git a/les/freeclient.go b/les/freeclient.go
index 4d1c83dd62..5ee607be8f 100644
--- a/les/freeclient.go
+++ b/les/freeclient.go
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ const (
 )
 
 // newFreeClientPool creates a new free client pool
-func newFreeClientPool(db ethdb.Database, connectedLimit, totalLimit int, quit chan struct{}, wg *sync.WaitGroup, clock mclock.Clock) *freeClientPool {
+func newFreeClientPool(db ethdb.Database, connectedLimit, totalLimit int, clock mclock.Clock) *freeClientPool {
 	pool := &freeClientPool{
 		db:             db,
 		clock:          clock,
@@ -75,19 +75,16 @@ func newFreeClientPool(db ethdb.Database, connectedLimit, totalLimit int, quit c
 		totalLimit:     totalLimit,
 	}
 	pool.loadFromDb()
-	wg.Add(1)
-	go func() {
-		<-quit
-		pool.lock.Lock()
-		pool.closed = true
-		pool.saveToDb()
-		pool.lock.Unlock()
-		wg.Done()
-	}()
-
 	return pool
 }
 
+func (f *freeClientPool) stop() {
+	f.lock.Lock()
+	f.closed = true
+	f.saveToDb()
+	f.lock.Unlock()
+}
+
 // connect should be called after a successful handshake. If the connection was
 // rejected, there is no need to call disconnect.
 //
diff --git a/les/freeclient_test.go b/les/freeclient_test.go
index f78a3dda8c..e95abc7aad 100644
--- a/les/freeclient_test.go
+++ b/les/freeclient_test.go
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ package les
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"math/rand"
-	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -45,11 +44,9 @@ const testFreeClientPoolTicks = 500000
 
 func testFreeClientPool(t *testing.T, connLimit, clientCount int) {
 	var (
-		quit      = make(chan struct{})
 		clock     mclock.Simulated
-		wg        sync.WaitGroup
 		db        = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
-		pool      = newFreeClientPool(db, connLimit, 10000, quit, &wg, &clock)
+		pool      = newFreeClientPool(db, connLimit, 10000, &clock)
 		connected = make([]bool, clientCount)
 		connTicks = make([]int, clientCount)
 		disconnCh = make(chan int, clientCount)
@@ -127,11 +124,8 @@ func testFreeClientPool(t *testing.T, connLimit, clientCount int) {
 	}
 
 	// close and restart pool
-	close(quit)
-	wg.Wait()
-	quit2 := make(chan struct{})
-	var wg2 sync.WaitGroup
-	pool = newFreeClientPool(db, connLimit, 10000, quit2, &wg2, &clock)
+	pool.stop()
+	pool = newFreeClientPool(db, connLimit, 10000, &clock)
 
 	// try connecting all known peers (connLimit should be filled up)
 	for i := 0; i < clientCount; i++ {
@@ -141,5 +135,5 @@ func testFreeClientPool(t *testing.T, connLimit, clientCount int) {
 	if !pool.connect("newPeer2", func() {}) {
 		t.Errorf("Previously unknown peer rejected after restarting pool")
 	}
-	close(quit2)
+	pool.stop()
 }
diff --git a/les/handler.go b/les/handler.go
index fe9209dc94..7f370ed7cb 100644
--- a/les/handler.go
+++ b/les/handler.go
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) Start(maxPeers int) {
 	if pm.lightSync {
 		go pm.syncer()
 	} else {
-		pm.clientPool = newFreeClientPool(pm.chainDb, maxPeers, 10000, pm.quitSync, pm.wg, mclock.System{})
+		pm.clientPool = newFreeClientPool(pm.chainDb, maxPeers, 10000, mclock.System{})
 		go func() {
 			for range pm.newPeerCh {
 			}
@@ -246,6 +246,9 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) Stop() {
 	pm.noMorePeers <- struct{}{}
 
 	close(pm.quitSync) // quits syncer, fetcher
+	if pm.clientPool != nil {
+		pm.clientPool.stop()
+	}
 
 	// Disconnect existing sessions.
 	// This also closes the gate for any new registrations on the peer set.