diff --git a/src/logging/writers/Ascii.cc b/src/logging/writers/Ascii.cc
index a0d4504d64..3bc4ef4b38 100644
--- a/src/logging/writers/Ascii.cc
+++ b/src/logging/writers/Ascii.cc
@@ -52,12 +52,6 @@ Ascii::Ascii(WriterFrontend* frontend) : WriterBackend(frontend)
 
 Ascii::~Ascii()
 	{
-	if ( ! ascii_done )
-		{
-		fprintf(stderr, "missing finish message\n");
-		abort();
-		}
-
 	// Normally, the file will be closed here already via the Finish()
 	// message. But when we terminate abnormally, we may still have it
 	// open.
@@ -170,6 +164,7 @@ bool Ascii::DoFinish(double network_time)
 		}
 
 	ascii_done = true;
+
 	CloseFile(network_time);
 	return true;
 	}
diff --git a/src/threading/MsgThread.cc b/src/threading/MsgThread.cc
index e4cda1e84d..45fbf6afa5 100644
--- a/src/threading/MsgThread.cc
+++ b/src/threading/MsgThread.cc
@@ -175,6 +175,8 @@ void MsgThread::OnStop()
 		usleep(1000);
 		}
 
+	Finished();
+
 	// One more message to make sure the current queue read operation unblocks.
 	SendIn(new UnblockMessage(this), true);
 	}