diff --git a/libervia/backend/core/main.py b/libervia/backend/core/main.py
index f5ac4ea0..bf9ff768 100644
--- a/libervia/backend/core/main.py
+++ b/libervia/backend/core/main.py
@@ -30,10 +30,7 @@ from libervia.backend.core.i18n import _, D_, language_switch
 from libervia.backend.core import patches
 from libervia.backend.models.tor import TorData
 from libervia.backend.tools.config import (
-    BridgeSettings,
     ComponentSettings,
-    DBusBridgeSettings,
-    PbBridgeSettings,
 )
 
 patches.apply()
@@ -111,6 +108,14 @@ class LiberviaBackend(service.Service):
         #   reactor is run later.
         reactor.callLater(0, self._post_init)
 
+        # before/shutdown event is called on backend shutdown, when it's still possible to
+        # call Deferred. it's used to call all cleaning methods (per-profile's
+        # "profile_disconnected", and per-plugin's "unload").
+        reactor.addSystemEventTrigger(
+            "before", "shutdown", lambda: defer.ensureDeferred(self._on_shutdown())
+        )
+        log.info("Shutdown trigger registered.")
+
     @property
     def version(self):
         """Return the short version of Libervia"""
@@ -310,8 +315,7 @@ class LiberviaBackend(service.Service):
                 await async_process.run(str(init_script), verbose=True)
             except RuntimeError as e:
                 log.error(f"Init script failed: {e}")
-                self.stopService()
-                sys.exit(C.EXIT_ERROR)
+                self.stop(C.EXIT_ERROR)
 
         await self._sync_components_profiles()
 
@@ -536,14 +540,17 @@ class LiberviaBackend(service.Service):
         self.plugins[import_name]._info = plugin_info
         # TODO: test xmppclient presence and register handler parent
 
-    def plugins_unload(self):
-        """Call unload method on every loaded plugin, if exists
+    async def plugins_unload(self) -> None:
+        """Call ``unload`` method (if any) on every loaded plugin.
 
-        @return (D): A deferred which return None when all method have been called
+        Unloaded plugins are removed them from self.plugins, so ``unload`` is not called
+        twice.
         """
-        # TODO: in the futur, it should be possible to hot unload a plugin
-        #       pluging depending on the unloaded one should be unloaded too
-        #       for now, just a basic call on plugin.unload is done
+        # TODO: in the futur, it should be possible to hot unload a plugin.
+        #       Plugins depending on the unloaded one should be unloaded too; for now,
+        #       just a basic call on plugin.unload is done.
+        if not self.plugins:
+            return
         defers_list = []
         for plugin in self.plugins.values():
             try:
@@ -552,7 +559,8 @@ class LiberviaBackend(service.Service):
                 continue
             else:
                 defers_list.append(utils.as_deferred(unload))
-        return defer.DeferredList(defers_list)
+        await defer.DeferredList(defers_list)
+        self.plugins.clear()
 
     async def _sync_components_profiles(self) -> None:
         """Synchronize components profiles data with settings.
@@ -805,17 +813,25 @@ class LiberviaBackend(service.Service):
         self._init()
         log.info("Salut à toi ô mon frère !")
 
-    def stopService(self):
+    async def _on_shutdown(self) -> None:
+        """Clean up resources on shutdown.
+
+        Disconnect all profiles first so profile_disconnected callbacks fire, then unload
+        plugins and storage.
+        """
         if self.local_shared_path is not None:
             log.debug("Cleaning shared temporary dir.")
             shutil.rmtree(self.local_shared_path, ignore_errors=True)
         log.info("Salut aussi à Rantanplan.")
-
-        return defer.DeferredList([self.plugins_unload(), G.storage.unload()])
-
-    def run(self):
-        log.debug(_("running app"))
-        reactor.run()
+        disconnect_defers = [
+            client.entity_disconnect()
+            for client in self.profiles.values()
+            if client.is_connected()
+        ]
+        if disconnect_defers:
+            await defer.DeferredList(disconnect_defers)
+        await self.plugins_unload()
+        await G.storage.unload()
 
     def stop(self, exit_code: int | None = None):
         log.debug(_("stopping app"))
diff --git a/libervia/backend/core/xmpp.py b/libervia/backend/core/xmpp.py
index e66e103c..dc84cfd2 100644
--- a/libervia/backend/core/xmpp.py
+++ b/libervia/backend/core/xmpp.py
@@ -546,7 +546,9 @@ class SatXMPPEntity(core_types.SatXMPPEntity):
         # the following Deferred is used to know when we are connected
         # so we need to be set it to None when connection is lost
         self._connected_d = defer.Deferred()
-        self._connected_d.addCallback(self._clean_connection)
+        self._connected_d.addCallback(
+            lambda __: defer.ensureDeferred(self._clean_connection())
+        )
         self._connected_d.addCallback(self._disconnection_cb)
         self._connected_d.addErrback(self._disconnection_eb)
 
@@ -706,8 +708,7 @@ class SatXMPPEntity(core_types.SatXMPPEntity):
             return
         self.disconnect_profile(reason)
 
-    @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def _clean_connection(self, __):
+    async def _clean_connection(self):
         """method called on disconnection
 
         used to call profile_disconnected* triggers
@@ -716,7 +717,7 @@ class SatXMPPEntity(core_types.SatXMPPEntity):
         for plugin in self._get_plugins_list():
             disconnected_cb = getattr(plugin, trigger_name, None)
             if disconnected_cb is not None:
-                yield disconnected_cb(self)
+                await utils.as_deferred(disconnected_cb, self)
 
     def is_connected(self) -> bool:
         """Return True is client is fully connected