diff --git a/backend/app/cmd/server.go b/backend/app/cmd/server.go
index 6ebf7ea0..dbc34ede 100644
--- a/backend/app/cmd/server.go
+++ b/backend/app/cmd/server.go
@@ -141,13 +141,14 @@ type SSLGroup struct {
 // serverApp holds all active objects
 type serverApp struct {
 	*ServerCommand
-	restSrv     *api.Rest
-	migratorSrv *api.Migrator
-	exporter    migrator.Exporter
-	devAuth     *auth.DevAuthServer
-	dataService *service.DataStore
-	avatarStore avatar.Store
-	terminated  chan struct{}
+	restSrv       *api.Rest
+	migratorSrv   *api.Migrator
+	exporter      migrator.Exporter
+	devAuth       *auth.DevAuthServer
+	dataService   *service.DataStore
+	avatarStore   avatar.Store
+	notifyService *notify.Service
+	terminated    chan struct{}
 }
 
 // Execute is the entry point for "server" command, called by flag parser
@@ -288,6 +289,7 @@ func (s *ServerCommand) newServerApp() (*serverApp, error) {
 		devAuth:       devAuth,
 		dataService:   dataService,
 		avatarStore:   avatarStore,
+		notifyService: notifyService,
 		terminated:    make(chan struct{}),
 	}, nil
 }
@@ -301,6 +303,7 @@ func (a *serverApp) run(ctx context.Context) error {
 	go func() {
 		// shutdown on context cancellation
 		<-ctx.Done()
+		log.Print("[INFO] shutdown initiated")
 		a.restSrv.Shutdown()
 		if a.devAuth != nil {
 			a.devAuth.Shutdown()
@@ -311,7 +314,8 @@ func (a *serverApp) run(ctx context.Context) error {
 		if e := a.avatarStore.Close(); e != nil {
 			log.Printf("[WARN] failed to close avatar store, %s", e)
 		}
-
+		a.notifyService.Close()
+		log.Print("[INFO] shutdown completed")
 	}()
 	a.activateBackup(ctx) // runs in goroutine for each site
 	if a.Auth.Dev {
diff --git a/backend/app/cmd/server_test.go b/backend/app/cmd/server_test.go
index 053be5c5..5b8ce9ab 100644
--- a/backend/app/cmd/server_test.go
+++ b/backend/app/cmd/server_test.go
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ func TestServerApp_Shutdown(t *testing.T) {
 func TestServerApp_MainSignal(t *testing.T) {
 
 	go func() {
-		time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+		time.Sleep(200 * time.Millisecond)
 		err := syscall.Kill(syscall.Getpid(), syscall.SIGTERM)
 		require.Nil(t, err)
 	}()
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ func TestServerApp_MainSignal(t *testing.T) {
 
 	p := flags.NewParser(&s, flags.Default)
 	args := []string{"test", "--store.bolt.path=/tmp/xyz", "--backup=/tmp", "--avatar.type=bolt",
-		"--avatar.bolt.file=/tmp/ava-test.db", "--port=18100"}
+		"--avatar.bolt.file=/tmp/ava-test.db", "--port=18100", "--notify.type=none"}
 	defer os.Remove("/tmp/ava-test.db")
 	_, err := p.ParseArgs(args)
 	require.Nil(t, err)
diff --git a/backend/app/main_test.go b/backend/app/main_test.go
index 4eb6e344..cc425307 100644
--- a/backend/app/main_test.go
+++ b/backend/app/main_test.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import (
 func TestMain(t *testing.T) {
 
 	os.Args = []string{"test", "server", "--secret=123456", "--store.bolt.path=/tmp/xyz", "--backup=/tmp",
-		"--avatar.fs.path=/tmp", "--port=18202", "--url=https://demo.remark42.com", "--dbg"}
+		"--avatar.fs.path=/tmp", "--port=18202", "--url=https://demo.remark42.com", "--dbg", "--notify.type=none"}
 
 	go func() {
 		time.Sleep(500 * time.Millisecond)
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func TestMain(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestMain_SSLStaticMode(t *testing.T) {
 	os.Args = []string{"test", "server", "--secret=123456", "--store.bolt.path=/tmp/xyz", "--backup=/tmp",
-		"--avatar.fs.path=/tmp", "--port=18080", "--url=https://localhost:18443", "--dbg",
+		"--avatar.fs.path=/tmp", "--port=18080", "--url=https://localhost:18443", "--dbg", "--notify.type=none",
 		"--ssl.type=static", "--ssl.cert=testdata/cert.pem", "--ssl.key=testdata/key.pem", "--ssl.port=18443"}
 
 	go func() {
diff --git a/backend/app/notify/notify.go b/backend/app/notify/notify.go
index 77c44d87..5bfff2a8 100644
--- a/backend/app/notify/notify.go
+++ b/backend/app/notify/notify.go
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ func (s *Service) Submit(comment store.Comment) {
 // Close queue channel and wait for completion
 func (s *Service) Close() {
 	if s.queue != nil {
+		log.Print("[DEBUG] close notifier")
 		close(s.queue)
 		s.cancel()
 		<-s.ctx.Done()
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ func (s *Service) do() {
 		}
 		wg.Wait()
 	}
+	log.Print("[WARN] terminated notifier")
 }
 
 // NopService is do-nothing notifier, without destinations
diff --git a/backend/app/notify/telegram.go b/backend/app/notify/telegram.go
index ed4fc89a..de1331b1 100644
--- a/backend/app/notify/telegram.go
+++ b/backend/app/notify/telegram.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ const telegramAPIPrefix = "https://api.telegram.org/bot"
 
 // NewTelegram makes telegram bot for notifications
 func NewTelegram(token string, channelName string, timeout time.Duration, api string) (*Telegram, error) {
-	log.Printf("[DEBUG] create new telegram notifier for cham %s, timeout=%s, api=%s", channelName, timeout, api)
+
 	res := Telegram{channelName: channelName, token: token, apiPrefix: api, timeout: timeout}
 	res.channelName = strings.TrimPrefix(res.channelName, "@")
 	if res.apiPrefix == "" {
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ func NewTelegram(token string, channelName string, timeout time.Duration, api st
 	if res.timeout == 0 {
 		res.timeout = telegramTimeOut
 	}
+	log.Printf("[DEBUG] create new telegram notifier for cham %s, timeout=%s, api=%s", channelName, res.timeout, res.timeout)
+
 	client := http.Client{Timeout: telegramTimeOut}
 	resp, err := client.Get(fmt.Sprintf("%s%s/getMe", res.apiPrefix, token))
 	if err != nil {