diff --git a/src/application.rs b/src/application.rs
index 5fd2cff..4ec016d 100644
--- a/src/application.rs
+++ b/src/application.rs
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@ mod imp {
     use crate::{mpv, ui};
     use adw::{prelude::*, subclass::prelude::*};
     use gtk::glib;
+    use std::rc::Rc;
 
     #[derive(Default)]
     pub struct Application {
-        mpv: mpv::Handle,
+        mpv: Rc<mpv::Handle>,
     }
 
     #[glib::object_subclass]
@@ -36,14 +37,13 @@ mod imp {
                     self.mpv.set_property("gapless-audio", true).unwrap();
                     // TODO: observe properties
 
-                    let self_weak = self.obj().downgrade();
+                    let mpv_weak = Rc::downgrade(&self.mpv);
                     glib::spawn_future_local(async move {
-                        while let Some(app) = self_weak.upgrade() {
-                            // this song and dance is required so the strong reference to app
-                            // isn't uselessly preserved during the await
-                            let future = app.imp().mpv.tick();
-                            drop(app);
-                            future.await;
+                        while let Some(mpv) = mpv_weak.upgrade() {
+                            match mpv.tick() {
+                                None => break,
+                                Some(listener) => listener.await,
+                            }
                         }
                     });
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index aba1097..4c5511f 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ pub use playbin::Playbin;
 pub mod subsonic;
 pub mod subsonic_vala;
 
+mod playbin2;
+
 use gettextrs::{bind_textdomain_codeset, bindtextdomain, setlocale, textdomain, LocaleCategory};
 use gtk::prelude::*;
 use gtk::{gio, glib};
diff --git a/src/mpv.rs b/src/mpv.rs
index 1b830bd..87ba7ee 100644
--- a/src/mpv.rs
+++ b/src/mpv.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ impl fmt::Debug for Error {
 
 impl std::error::Error for Error {}
 
-use event_listener::{Event, IntoNotification};
+use event_listener::{Event, EventListener, IntoNotification};
 use std::cell::RefCell;
 use std::pin::Pin;
 use std::ptr::NonNull;
@@ -87,7 +87,10 @@ impl Handle {
         }
 
         // set up verbose logging for now
-        Error::from_return_code(unsafe { ffi::mpv_request_log_messages(inner.as_ptr(), c"v".as_ptr()) }).unwrap();
+        Error::from_return_code(unsafe {
+            ffi::mpv_request_log_messages(inner.as_ptr(), c"v".as_ptr())
+        })
+        .unwrap();
 
         // TODO: maybe we need to set something before initialization, but idk
         // also wed need a builder, since "Note that you should avoid doing concurrent accesses on the uninitialized client handle."
@@ -111,9 +114,16 @@ impl Handle {
         })
     }
 
-    fn drain_event_queue(&self) {
+    // TODO: return None on SHUTDOWN possibly?
+    pub fn tick(&self) -> Option<EventListener> {
+        // take listener before we drain the event queue, so we don't miss any notifications
+        let listener = self.wakeup.listen();
+        let borrowed = self
+            .wait_event_cell
+            .try_borrow_mut()
+            .expect("Mpv::tick is not reentrant");
+
         loop {
-            let borrowed = self.wait_event_cell.borrow_mut();
             let event = unsafe { &*ffi::mpv_wait_event(self.inner.as_ptr(), 0.0) };
 
             match event.event_id {
@@ -126,26 +136,31 @@ impl Handle {
                     let level = unsafe { CStr::from_ptr(data.level) }.to_str().unwrap();
                     let text = unsafe { CStr::from_ptr(data.text) }.to_str().unwrap();
                     print!("[{prefix}] {level}: {text}");
-                },
+                }
 
                 11 => { /* deprecated, ignore */ }
 
                 _ => todo!("event {}", event.event_id),
             }
-            drop(borrowed); // make sure the borrow is held until here
         }
-    }
 
-    pub fn tick(&self) -> impl std::future::Future<Output = ()> {
-        // take listener before we drain the event queue, so we don't miss any notifications
-        let listener = self.wakeup.listen();
-        self.drain_event_queue();
-        listener
+        drop(borrowed); // make sure the borrow is held until here
+        Some(listener)
     }
 }
 
 impl Drop for Handle {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
+        // let any executor ticking tasks know we're ded
+        self.wakeup.notify(u32::MAX.relaxed());
+
+        // just in case
+        unsafe {
+            ffi::mpv_wait_async_requests(self.inner.as_ptr());
+        }
+        // drain event queue (we're &mut so we know we have exclusive access)
+        self.tick();
+
         unsafe {
             ffi::mpv_destroy(self.inner.as_ptr());
         }
diff --git a/src/playbin2.rs b/src/playbin2.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6876140
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/playbin2.rs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+mod imp {}