diff --git a/src/CNProtocol.cpp b/src/CNProtocol.cpp
index 4365243..40d1e56 100644
--- a/src/CNProtocol.cpp
+++ b/src/CNProtocol.cpp
@@ -234,7 +234,9 @@ CNServer::CNServer(uint16_t p): port(p) {}
 void CNServer::start() {
     std::cout << "Starting server at *:" << port << std::endl;
     // listen to new connections, add to connection list
-    while (true) {
+    while (active) {
+        std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(activeCrit);
+
         // listen for a new connection
         SOCKET newConnection = accept(sock, (struct sockaddr *)&(address), (socklen_t*)&(addressSize));
         if (!SOCKETINVALID(newConnection)) {
@@ -280,4 +282,24 @@ void CNServer::start() {
     }
 }
 
+void CNServer::kill() {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(activeCrit); // the lock will be removed when the function ends
+    active = false;
+
+    // kill all connections
+    std::list<CNSocket*>::iterator i = connections.begin();
+    while (i != connections.end()) {
+        CNSocket* cSock = *i;
+
+        if (cSock->isAlive()) {
+            cSock->kill();
+        }
+
+        ++i; // go to the next element
+        delete cSock;
+    }
+
+    connections.clear();
+}
+
 void CNServer::killConnection(CNSocket* cns) {} // stubbed lol
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/CNProtocol.hpp b/src/CNProtocol.hpp
index e587683..6f0041e 100644
--- a/src/CNProtocol.hpp
+++ b/src/CNProtocol.hpp
@@ -39,6 +39,12 @@
 #include <list>
 #include <queue>
 
+#ifdef __MINGW32__
+    #include "mingw/mingw.mutex.h"
+#else 
+    #include <mutex>
+#endif
+
 /*
     Packets format (sent from the client):
         [4 bytes] - size of packet including the 4 byte packet type
@@ -125,6 +131,9 @@ protected:
     struct sockaddr_in address;
     void init();
 
+    bool active = true;
+    std::mutex activeCrit;
+
 public:
     PacketHandler pHandler;
 
@@ -132,6 +141,7 @@ public:
     CNServer(uint16_t p);
 
     void start();
+    void kill();
     virtual void killConnection(CNSocket* cns);
 };
 
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 1326852..67a155e 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -12,14 +12,8 @@
 #endif
 #include <string>
 
-void startLogin(uint16_t port) {
-    CNLoginServer server(port);
-    server.start();
-}
-
-void startShard(uint16_t port) {
-    CNShardServer server(port);
-    server.start();
+void startShard(CNShardServer* server) {
+    server->start();
 }
 
 int main() {
@@ -36,9 +30,15 @@ int main() {
     ChatManager::init();
 
     std::cout << "[INFO] Starting Server Threads..." << std::endl;
-    std::thread loginThread(startLogin, settings::LOGINPORT);
-    std::thread shardThread(startShard, settings::SHARDPORT);
-    getchar(); // blocks until input
+    CNShardServer loginServer(settings::LOGINPORT);
+    CNLoginServer shardServer(settings::SHARDPORT);
+
+    std::thread shardThread(startShard, (CNShardServer*)&shardServer);
+    
+    loginServer.start();
+
+    shardServer.kill();
+    shardThread.join();
     
 #ifdef _WIN32
     WSACleanup();