diff --git a/modules/extmodule.cpp b/modules/extmodule.cpp
index c4f8b5b1..8a62255e 100644
--- a/modules/extmodule.cpp
+++ b/modules/extmodule.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ static Configuration s_cfg;
 static ObjList s_chans;
 static ObjList s_modules;
 static Mutex s_mutex(true,"ExtModule");
-static Mutex s_watchMutex(false,"ExtWatchers");
+static Mutex s_uses(false,"ExtModUse");
 static int s_waitFlush = WAIT_FLUSH;
 static int s_timeout = MSG_TIMEOUT;
 static bool s_timebomb = false;
@@ -195,14 +195,13 @@ public:
     inline MsgWatcher(ExtModReceiver* receiver)
 	: m_receiver(receiver)
 	{ }
-    virtual void destruct();
     virtual void dispatched(const Message& msg, bool handled);
     bool addWatched(const String& name);
     bool delWatched(const String& name);
+    void clear();
 protected:
     virtual void destroyed();
 private:
-    void clear();
     ExtModReceiver* m_receiver;
     ObjList m_watched;
 };
@@ -221,7 +220,7 @@ public:
     static ExtModReceiver* build(const char* name, Stream* io, ExtModChan* chan = 0,
 	int role = RoleUnknown, const char* conn = 0);
     static ExtModReceiver* find(const String& script);
-    ~ExtModReceiver();
+    virtual void destruct();
     virtual bool received(Message& msg, int id);
     bool processLine(const char* line);
     bool outputLine(const char* line);
@@ -234,6 +233,7 @@ public:
     void cleanup();
     bool flush();
     void die(bool clearChan = true);
+    bool useUnlocked();
     bool use();
     bool unuse();
     inline const String& scriptFile() const
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ public:
     inline void setRestart(bool restart)
 	{ m_restart = restart; }
     inline bool dead() const
-	{ return m_dead; }
+	{ return m_dead || m_quit || (m_use <= 0); }
     void describe(String& rval) const;
 
 private:
@@ -642,12 +642,6 @@ void ExtMessage::dispatched(bool accepted)
 }
 
 
-void MsgWatcher::destruct()
-{
-    clear();
-    MessagePostHook::destruct();
-}
-
 void MsgWatcher::destroyed()
 {
     clear();
@@ -656,12 +650,14 @@ void MsgWatcher::destroyed()
 
 void MsgWatcher::dispatched(const Message& msg, bool handled)
 {
-    Lock mylock(s_watchMutex);
+    Lock lock(s_uses);
     ExtModReceiver* recv = m_receiver;
-    Lock lock(recv);
-    if (!(recv && recv->use()))
+    if (!recv || recv->dead() || (recv->m_watcher != this) || !recv->useUnlocked())
 	return;
-    mylock.drop();
+    if (!lock.acquire(recv)) {
+	recv->unuse();
+	return;
+    }
 
     if (!recv->selfWatch()) {
 	// check if the message was generated by ourselves - avoid reentrance
@@ -710,10 +706,14 @@ bool MsgWatcher::delWatched(const String& name)
 void MsgWatcher::clear()
 {
     Engine::self()->setHook(this,true);
+    if (!m_receiver)
+	return;
+    s_uses.lock();
     ExtModReceiver* recv = m_receiver;
     m_receiver = 0;
     if (recv && (recv->m_watcher == this))
 	recv->m_watcher = 0;
+    s_uses.unlock();
 }
 
 
@@ -751,21 +751,29 @@ ExtModReceiver* ExtModReceiver::find(const String& script)
     return 0;
 }
 
+bool ExtModReceiver::useUnlocked()
+{
+    if (m_use <= 0)
+	return false;
+    ++m_use;
+    return true;
+}
+
 bool ExtModReceiver::use()
 {
-    lock();
+    s_uses.lock();
     bool ok = (m_use > 0);
     if (ok)
 	++m_use;
-    unlock();
+    s_uses.unlock();
     return ok;
 }
 
 bool ExtModReceiver::unuse()
 {
-    lock();
+    s_uses.lock();
     int u = --m_use;
-    unlock();
+    s_uses.unlock();
     if (!u)
 	destruct();
     return (u <= 0);
@@ -808,9 +816,9 @@ ExtModReceiver::ExtModReceiver(const char* name, Stream* io, ExtModChan* chan, i
     s_mutex.unlock();
 }
 
-ExtModReceiver::~ExtModReceiver()
+void ExtModReceiver::destruct()
 {
-    Debug(DebugAll,"ExtModReceiver::~ExtModReceiver() pid=%d [%p]",m_pid,this);
+    Debug(DebugAll,"ExtModReceiver::destruct() pid=%d [%p]",m_pid,this);
     Lock lock(this);
     // One destruction is plenty enough
     m_use = -1;
@@ -819,7 +827,7 @@ ExtModReceiver::~ExtModReceiver()
     s_mutex.unlock();
     die();
     if (m_pid > 1)
-	Debug(DebugWarn,"ExtModReceiver::~ExtModReceiver() pid=%d [%p]",m_pid,this);
+	Debug(DebugWarn,"ExtModReceiver::destruct() pid=%d [%p]",m_pid,this);
     closeAudio();
     Stream* tmp = m_in;
     m_in = 0;
@@ -875,11 +883,15 @@ bool ExtModReceiver::start()
 
 bool ExtModReceiver::flush()
 {
-    s_watchMutex.lock();
     lock();
-    bool needWait = (0 != m_watcher);
-    TelEngine::destruct(m_watcher);
-    s_watchMutex.unlock();
+    MsgWatcher* w = m_watcher;
+    m_watcher = 0;
+    bool needWait = !!w;
+    if (w) {
+	w->clear();
+	Thread::yield();
+	TelEngine::destruct(w);
+    }
     // Make sure we release all pending messages and not accept new ones
     needWait = needWait || (m_relays.count() != 0);
     if (s_pluginSafe)