diff --git a/src/ctxt/ctxt.c b/src/ctxt/ctxt.c
index b04e9d6..2519f24 100644
--- a/src/ctxt/ctxt.c
+++ b/src/ctxt/ctxt.c
@@ -68,14 +68,15 @@ void ax__ctxt_init(struct ax_ctxt* ax, struct rgn* init_rgn)
     ASSERT(ax->bac != NULL, "backend wasn't initialized");
 }
 
+static void shutdown(struct msgq* mq, pthread_t thid);
+
 void ax__ctxt_cleanup(struct ax_ctxt* ax)
 {
-    struct msgq* bac_mq = ax__backend_msgq(ax->bac);
-    msgq_begin_send_typed(bac_mq, ax_msg_shutdown);
-    msgq_end_send(bac_mq);
-    ax_log(ax, "waiting for backend shutdown.");
-    pthread_join(ax->bac_thid, NULL);
-    ax_log(ax, "backend shutdown");
+    shutdown(ax__backend_msgq(ax->bac), ax->bac_thid);
+
+    if (ax->log_auto_close) {
+        fclose(ax->log_out);
+    }
 }
 
 /* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -258,3 +259,10 @@ cleanup:
     rgn_cleanup(bac_rgn);
     return NULL;
 }
+
+static void shutdown(struct msgq* mq, pthread_t thid)
+{
+    (void) msgq_begin_send_typed(mq, ax_msg_shutdown);
+    msgq_end_send(mq);
+    pthread_join(thid, NULL);
+}