diff --git a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/client/pmix_client.c b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/client/pmix_client.c
index ea039c534b..b9d133ee50 100644
--- a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/client/pmix_client.c
+++ b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/client/pmix_client.c
@@ -459,8 +459,11 @@ PMIX_EXPORT pmix_status_t PMIx_Finalize(const pmix_info_t info[], size_t ninfo)
     }
 
     if (!pmix_globals.external_evbase) {
-        /* stop the progress thread */
-        (void)pmix_progress_thread_stop(NULL);
+        /* stop the progress thread, but leave the event base
+         * still constructed. This will allow us to safely
+         * tear down the infrastructure, including removal
+         * of any events objects may be holding */
+        (void)pmix_progress_thread_pause(NULL);
     }
 
     PMIX_DESTRUCT(&pmix_client_globals.myserver);
@@ -472,17 +475,13 @@ PMIX_EXPORT pmix_status_t PMIx_Finalize(const pmix_info_t info[], size_t ninfo)
     }
 #endif
 
-    pmix_rte_finalize();
-
     PMIX_LIST_DESTRUCT(&pmix_client_globals.pending_requests);
 
     if (0 <= pmix_client_globals.myserver.sd) {
         CLOSE_THE_SOCKET(pmix_client_globals.myserver.sd);
     }
 
-    pmix_bfrop_close();
-
-    pmix_class_finalize();
+    pmix_rte_finalize();
 
     return PMIX_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/runtime/pmix_finalize.c b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/runtime/pmix_finalize.c
index c804f0e2b9..1ffdacffba 100644
--- a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/runtime/pmix_finalize.c
+++ b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/runtime/pmix_finalize.c
@@ -101,10 +101,8 @@ void pmix_rte_finalize(void)
        much */
     pmix_output_finalize();
 
-#if 0
     /* close the bfrops */
-    (void)pmix_mca_base_framework_close(&pmix_bfrops_base_framework);
-#endif
+    pmix_bfrop_close();
 
     /* clean out the globals */
     PMIX_RELEASE(pmix_globals.mypeer);
@@ -117,7 +115,14 @@ void pmix_rte_finalize(void)
     }
     PMIX_DESTRUCT(&pmix_globals.events);
 
-    #if PMIX_NO_LIB_DESTRUCTOR
-        pmix_cleanup();
-    #endif
+    /* now safe to release the event base */
+    if (!pmix_globals.external_evbase) {
+        (void)pmix_progress_thread_stop(NULL);
+    }
+
+
+#if PMIX_NO_LIB_DESTRUCTOR
+    pmix_cleanup();
+#endif
+
 }
diff --git a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/server/pmix_server.c b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/server/pmix_server.c
index 749a16c11e..1e77593e7b 100644
--- a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/server/pmix_server.c
+++ b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/server/pmix_server.c
@@ -227,11 +227,30 @@ PMIX_EXPORT pmix_status_t PMIx_server_init(pmix_server_module_t *module,
     return PMIX_SUCCESS;
 }
 
-static void cleanup_server_state(void)
+PMIX_EXPORT pmix_status_t PMIx_server_finalize(void)
 {
     int i;
     pmix_peer_t *peer;
 
+    if (1 != pmix_globals.init_cntr) {
+        --pmix_globals.init_cntr;
+        return PMIX_SUCCESS;
+    }
+    pmix_globals.init_cntr = 0;
+
+    pmix_output_verbose(2, pmix_globals.debug_output,
+                        "pmix:server finalize called");
+
+    if (!pmix_globals.external_evbase) {
+        /* stop the progress thread, but leave the event base
+         * still constructed. This will allow us to safely
+         * tear down the infrastructure, including removal
+         * of any events objects may be holding */
+        (void)pmix_progress_thread_pause(NULL);
+    }
+
+    pmix_ptl_base_stop_listening();
+
     for (i=0; i < pmix_server_globals.clients.size; i++) {
         if (NULL != (peer = (pmix_peer_t*)pmix_pointer_array_get_item(&pmix_server_globals.clients, i))) {
             PMIX_RELEASE(peer);
@@ -255,33 +274,10 @@ static void cleanup_server_state(void)
 
     pmix_bfrop_close();
     pmix_rte_finalize();
-}
 
-PMIX_EXPORT pmix_status_t PMIx_server_finalize(void)
-{
-    if (1 != pmix_globals.init_cntr) {
-        --pmix_globals.init_cntr;
-        return PMIX_SUCCESS;
-    }
-    pmix_globals.init_cntr = 0;
-
-    pmix_output_verbose(2, pmix_globals.debug_output,
-                        "pmix:server finalize called");
-
-    if (!pmix_globals.external_evbase) {
-        /* stop the progress thread */
-        (void)pmix_progress_thread_stop(NULL);
-    }
-
-    pmix_ptl_base_stop_listening();
-
-    cleanup_server_state();
     pmix_output_verbose(2, pmix_globals.debug_output,
                         "pmix:server finalize complete");
 
-    /* finalize the class/object system */
-    pmix_class_finalize();
-
     return PMIX_SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/tool/pmix_tool.c b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/tool/pmix_tool.c
index ca317e2194..dc2e528170 100644
--- a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/tool/pmix_tool.c
+++ b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix2x/pmix/src/tool/pmix_tool.c
@@ -518,17 +518,18 @@ PMIX_EXPORT pmix_status_t PMIx_tool_finalize(void)
                          "pmix:tool finalize sync received");
 
     if (!pmix_globals.external_evbase) {
-        /* stop the progress thread */
-        (void)pmix_progress_thread_stop(NULL);
+        /* stop the progress thread, but leave the event base
+         * still constructed. This will allow us to safely
+         * tear down the infrastructure, including removal
+         * of any events objects may be holding */
+        (void)pmix_progress_thread_pause(NULL);
     }
 
-    /* shutdown services */
-    pmix_rte_finalize();
-
     PMIX_DESTRUCT(&pmix_client_globals.myserver);
     PMIX_LIST_DESTRUCT(&pmix_client_globals.pending_requests);
 
-    pmix_class_finalize();
+    /* shutdown services */
+    pmix_rte_finalize();
 
     return PMIX_SUCCESS;
 }