diff --git a/src/client_manager.cc b/src/client_manager.cc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6f30277d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/client_manager.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#include "client_manager.hh"
+
+namespace Kakoune
+{
+
+void ClientManager::add_client(Client&& client)
+{
+    m_clients.emplace_back(std::move(client));
+}
+
+void ClientManager::remove_client_by_context(Context& context)
+{
+    for (auto it = m_clients.begin(); it != m_clients.end(); ++it)
+    {
+        if (it->context.get() == &context)
+        {
+             m_clients.erase(it);
+             return;
+        }
+    }
+    assert(false);
+}
+
+}
diff --git a/src/client_manager.hh b/src/client_manager.hh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a9dac1a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/client_manager.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#ifndef client_manager_hh_INCLUDED
+#define client_manager_hh_INCLUDED
+
+#include "context.hh"
+#include "input_handler.hh"
+
+namespace Kakoune
+{
+
+struct Client
+{
+    std::unique_ptr<UserInterface> ui;
+    std::unique_ptr<InputHandler>  input_handler;
+    std::unique_ptr<Context>       context;
+
+    Client(UserInterface* ui, Window& window)
+        : ui(ui),
+          input_handler(new InputHandler{}),
+          context(new Context(*input_handler, window, *ui)) {}
+
+    Client(Client&&) = default;
+    Client& operator=(Client&&) = default;
+};
+
+struct client_removed{};
+
+class ClientManager : public Singleton<ClientManager>
+{
+public:
+    void add_client(Client&& client);
+    void remove_client_by_context(Context& context);
+
+    bool   empty() const { return m_clients.empty(); }
+    size_t count() const { return m_clients.size(); }
+private:
+    std::vector<Client> m_clients;
+};
+
+}
+
+#endif // client_manager_hh_INCLUDED
+
diff --git a/src/commands.cc b/src/commands.cc
index 392fa500..f6b3f767 100644
--- a/src/commands.cc
+++ b/src/commands.cc
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "shell_manager.hh"
 #include "event_manager.hh"
 #include "color_registry.hh"
+#include "client_manager.hh"
 
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
@@ -334,7 +335,7 @@ void quit(const CommandParameters& params, Context& context)
     if (params.size() != 0)
         throw wrong_argument_count();
 
-    if (not force)
+    if (not force and ClientManager::instance().count() == 1)
     {
         std::vector<String> names;
         for (auto& buffer : BufferManager::instance())
@@ -355,7 +356,8 @@ void quit(const CommandParameters& params, Context& context)
             throw runtime_error(message);
         }
     }
-    quit_requested = true;
+    ClientManager::instance().remove_client_by_context(context);
+    throw client_removed{};
 }
 
 template<bool force>
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index b20a917c..eb2ceedb 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "file.hh"
 #include "color_registry.hh"
 #include "remote.hh"
+#include "client_manager.hh"
 
 #if defined(__APPLE__)
 #include <mach-o/dyld.h>
@@ -38,8 +39,6 @@ using namespace std::placeholders;
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
-bool quit_requested = false;
-
 template<InsertMode mode>
 void do_insert(Context& context)
 {
@@ -494,21 +493,7 @@ void register_registers()
     }
 }
 
-struct Client
-{
-    std::unique_ptr<UserInterface> ui;
-    std::unique_ptr<InputHandler>  input_handler;
-    std::unique_ptr<Context>       context;
-
-    Client(UserInterface* ui, Window& window)
-        : ui(ui),
-          input_handler(new InputHandler{}),
-          context(new Context(*input_handler, window, *ui)) {}
-
-    Client() {}
-};
-
-Client create_local_client(const String& file)
+void create_local_client(const String& file)
 {
     Buffer* buffer = nullptr;
     UserInterface* ui = new NCursesUI{};
@@ -537,14 +522,16 @@ Client create_local_client(const String& file)
         {
             ui->print_status(error.description(), -1);
         }
+        catch (Kakoune::client_removed&)
+        {
+             EventManager::instance().unwatch(0);
+        }
     });
 
     context->draw_ifn();
-    return client;
+    ClientManager::instance().add_client(std::move(client));
 }
 
-std::vector<Client> clients;
-
 struct Server
 {
     Server()
@@ -583,8 +570,13 @@ struct Server
                 {
                     ui->print_status(error.description(), -1);
                 }
+                catch (Kakoune::client_removed&)
+                {
+                    EventManager::instance().unwatch(sock);
+                    close(sock);
+                }
             });
-            clients.push_back(std::move(client));
+            ClientManager::instance().add_client(std::move(client));
         };
         EventManager::instance().watch(m_listen_sock, accepter);
     }
@@ -647,9 +639,16 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
         if (argc == 3 and String("-c") == argv[1])
         {
-            std::unique_ptr<RemoteClient> client(connect_to(argv[2]));
-            while(not quit_requested)
-                event_manager.handle_next_events();
+            try
+            {
+                std::unique_ptr<RemoteClient> client(connect_to(argv[2]));
+                while (true)
+                    event_manager.handle_next_events();
+            }
+            catch (peer_disconnected&)
+            {
+                puts("disconnected");
+            }
             return 0;
         }
 
@@ -662,6 +661,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
         HighlighterRegistry highlighter_registry;
         FilterRegistry      filter_registry;
         ColorRegistry       color_registry;
+        ClientManager       client_manager;
 
         run_unit_tests();
 
@@ -677,7 +677,6 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
         Server server;
 
-        Client local_client;
         try
         {
             Context initialisation_context;
@@ -688,9 +687,10 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
         {
              write_debug("error while parsing kakrc: " + error.description());
         }
-        local_client = create_local_client(argc > 1 ? argv[1] : "");
 
-        while(not quit_requested)
+        create_local_client(argc > 1 ? argv[1] : "");
+
+        while (not client_manager.empty())
             event_manager.handle_next_events();
     }
     catch (Kakoune::exception& error)
diff --git a/src/remote.cc b/src/remote.cc
index 7a715274..b3a0b6fd 100644
--- a/src/remote.cc
+++ b/src/remote.cc
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ template<>
 String read<String>(int socket)
 {
     ByteCount length = read<ByteCount>(socket);
+    if (length == 0)
+        return String{};
     char buffer[2048];
     assert(length < 2048);
     read(socket, buffer, (int)length);
diff --git a/src/remote.hh b/src/remote.hh
index aa14eeb3..976a5bf8 100644
--- a/src/remote.hh
+++ b/src/remote.hh
@@ -7,10 +7,7 @@
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
-struct peer_disconnected : public runtime_error
-{
-    peer_disconnected() : runtime_error("peer disconnected") {}
-};
+struct peer_disconnected {};
 
 class RemoteUI : public UserInterface
 {