diff --git a/slsDetectorServers/matterhonServer/src/MatterhornApp.cpp b/slsDetectorServers/matterhonServer/src/MatterhornApp.cpp
index 4ec30921b..0b6acc72b 100644
--- a/slsDetectorServers/matterhonServer/src/MatterhornApp.cpp
+++ b/slsDetectorServers/matterhonServer/src/MatterhornApp.cpp
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@
 
 using namespace sls;
 
-pid_t child_pid = -1;
+pid_t pid = -1;
+
+volatile bool interruption = false;
 
 /**
  * Control+C Interrupt Handler
@@ -25,12 +27,16 @@ pid_t child_pid = -1;
  */
 void sigInterruptHandler(int signal) {
     (void)signal; // suppress unused warning if needed
-    if (child_pid > 0) {
-        kill(child_pid, SIGTERM); // tell child to exit
+    /*
+    if (pid > 0) {
+        kill(pid, SIGTERM); // tell child to exit
     }
-    std::exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
+    */
+    interruption = true; // tell parent to exit
 }
 
+void sigterm_handler(int) { interruption = true; }
+
 // TODO: should be a generic ServerApp for all detectors
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
@@ -48,32 +54,37 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     // Register Ctrl+C handler
     std::signal(SIGINT, sigInterruptHandler);
 
+    // handle locally on socket crash
+    signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN);
+
     // handle locally on socket crash
     // sls::setupSignalHandler(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN); / what is this?
 
-    child_pid = fork(); // fork process for control and stop server
+    pid = fork(); // fork process for control and stop server
 
-    if (child_pid == 0) {
+    if (pid == 0) {
         // Stop server Process
-        signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN);
+        signal(SIGTERM, sigterm_handler);
 
-        // std::signal(SIGTERM, childSigTermHandler);
         LOG(TLogLevel::logINFOBLUE) << "Stop Server [" << opts.port + 1 << "]";
         try {
             VirtualMatterhornServer stopServer(opts.port + 1);
+            while (!interruption) {
+                sleep(1);
+            }
         } catch (...) {
             LOG(TLogLevel::logINFOBLUE)
                 << "Exiting Stop Server [ Tid: " << gettid() << " ]";
             // TODO: maybe also terminate the control server !!!!
-            std::exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            return EXIT_FAILURE;
         }
         LOG(TLogLevel::logINFOBLUE)
             << "Exiting Stop Server [ Tid: " << gettid() << " ]";
         LOG(sls::logINFO) << "Exiting Stop Server";
-        exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
-    } else if (child_pid > 0) {
+        return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+    } else if (pid > 0) {
+        // parent
         // Control Server Process
-        signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN);
 
         LOG(TLogLevel::logINFOBLUE) << "Control Server [" << opts.port << "]\n";
 
@@ -81,15 +92,17 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
             VirtualMatterhornServer server(
                 opts.port); // TODO use virtual if compiled with virtual
                             // simulators on
+            while (!interruption) {
+                sleep(1);
+            }
         } catch (...) {
-            kill(child_pid, SIGTERM); // tell child to exit
+            kill(0, SIGTERM); // tell child to exit
             LOG(sls::logINFOBLUE) << "Exiting [ Tid: " << gettid() << " ]";
-            std::exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            return EXIT_FAILURE;
         }
-        waitpid(child_pid, nullptr, 0); // wait for child to exit
+        waitpid(0, nullptr, 0); // wait for child to exit
         LOG(sls::logINFOBLUE) << "Exiting [ Tid: " << gettid() << " ]";
         LOG(sls::logINFO) << "Exiting Detector Server";
-        exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
     } else {
         LOG(sls::logERROR)
             << "Failed to fork process for control and stop server";
diff --git a/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/include/TCPInterface.h b/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/include/TCPInterface.h
index 6efc05367..9538a3e42 100644
--- a/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/include/TCPInterface.h
+++ b/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/include/TCPInterface.h
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 #include "sls/sls_detector_funcs.h"
 
 #include <atomic>
-#include <future>
+#include <functional>
+#include <thread>
 #include <unordered_map>
 
 namespace sls {
@@ -22,10 +23,18 @@ class TCPInterface {
                      &processFunction_,
                  const uint16_t portNumber = DEFAULT_TCP_CNTRL_PORTNO);
 
-    /// @brief starts the TCP/IP server to listen for client commands
+    /// @brief creates tcp thread
     void startTCPServer();
 
+    std::atomic<bool> killTcpThread{false};
+
   private:
+    /**
+     * @brief starts the TCP/IP server to listen for client commands and process
+     * them
+     */
+    void startTCPServerClientConnection();
+
     /**
      *  @brief decodes the received command and calls the corresponding function
      *  @param function_id The ID of the function recived by the server and to
@@ -38,10 +47,14 @@ class TCPInterface {
     std::function<ReturnCode(const detFuncs &, ServerInterface &)>
         processFunction;
 
+    /// @brief TCP/IP port number for the detector server
     uint16_t portNumber{};
 
     /// @brief socket for TCP/IP communication with the client
     ServerSocket server;
+
+    /// @brief thread for running the TCP/IP server
+    std::unique_ptr<std::thread> tcpThread;
 };
 
 } // namespace sls
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/TCPInterface.cpp b/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/TCPInterface.cpp
index 66ca6bc8b..ae4a89a20 100644
--- a/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/TCPInterface.cpp
+++ b/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/TCPInterface.cpp
@@ -10,25 +10,33 @@ namespace sls {
 TCPInterface::TCPInterface(
     std::function<ReturnCode(const detFuncs &, ServerInterface &)>
         &processFunction_,
-    const uint16_t portNumber)
-    : processFunction(processFunction_), portNumber(portNumber),
-      server(portNumber) {
-    validatePortNumber(portNumber);
+    const uint16_t portNumber_)
+    : processFunction(processFunction_), portNumber(portNumber_),
+      server(portNumber_) {
+    // validatePortNumber(portNumber); TODO: where to validate?
 }
 
 TCPInterface::~TCPInterface() {
-    LOG(logINFORED) << "Shutting down TCP Socket on port " << portNumber;
+    killTcpThread = true; // mmh but if the receiver is stuck in a function,
+                          // this will be of no help
+    LOG(logINFO) << "Shutting down TCP Socket on port " << portNumber;
     server.shutdown();
     LOG(logDEBUG) << "TCP Socket closed on port " << portNumber;
+    tcpThread->join();
 }
 
 void TCPInterface::startTCPServer() {
+    tcpThread = std::make_unique<std::thread>(
+        &TCPInterface::startTCPServerClientConnection, this);
+}
+
+void TCPInterface::startTCPServerClientConnection() {
 
     LOG(logINFO) << "SLS Server starting TCP Server on port " << portNumber
                  << '\n';
 
     int function_id{}; // TODO should it be an enum type
-    while (true) {
+    while (!killTcpThread) {
         try {
             auto socket = server.accept();
             try {