diff --git a/backend/app/store/image/image.go b/backend/app/store/image/image.go
index aa78e655..431e09bc 100644
--- a/backend/app/store/image/image.go
+++ b/backend/app/store/image/image.go
@@ -33,11 +33,12 @@ import (
 type Service struct {
 	ServiceParams
 
-	store    Store
-	wg       sync.WaitGroup
-	submitCh chan submitReq
-	once     sync.Once
-	term     int32 // term value used atomically to detect emergency termination
+	store       Store
+	wg          sync.WaitGroup
+	submitCh    chan submitReq
+	once        sync.Once
+	term        int32 // term value used atomically to detect emergency termination
+	submitCount int32 // atomic increment for counting submitted images
 }
 
 // ServiceParams contains externally adjustable parameters of Service
@@ -88,10 +89,9 @@ func (s *Service) Submit(idsFn func() []string) {
 		s.wg.Add(1)
 		go func() {
 			defer s.wg.Done()
-			atomic.StoreInt32(&s.term, 1)
 			for req := range s.submitCh {
 				// wait for TTL expiration with emergency pass on term
-				for atomic.LoadInt32(&s.term) == 1 && time.Since(req.TS) <= s.TTL/2 { // commit on a half of TTL
+				for atomic.LoadInt32(&s.term) == 0 && time.Since(req.TS) <= s.TTL/2 { // commit on a half of TTL
 					time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 10) // small sleep to relive busy wait but keep reactive for term (close)
 				}
 				for _, id := range req.idsFn() {
@@ -99,12 +99,13 @@ func (s *Service) Submit(idsFn func() []string) {
 						log.Printf("[WARN] failed to commit image %s", id)
 					}
 				}
-				atomic.StoreInt32(&s.term, 1) // indicates completion of ids commits
+				atomic.AddInt32(&s.submitCount, -1)
 			}
 			log.Printf("[INFO] image submitter terminated")
 		}()
 	})
 
+	atomic.AddInt32(&s.submitCount, 1)
 	s.submitCh <- submitReq{idsFn: idsFn, TS: time.Now()}
 }
 
@@ -159,18 +160,15 @@ func (s *Service) Close(ctx context.Context) {
 			case <-ctx.Done():
 				return
 			case <-ticker.C:
-				if atomic.LoadInt32(&s.term) == 1 { // set to 1 by commit goroutine after everything waited on TTL sent
+				if atomic.LoadInt32(&s.submitCount) == 0 {
 					return
 				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	// terminate commit goroutine using s.term only if it is started
-	if atomic.LoadInt32(&s.term) == 1 {
-		atomic.StoreInt32(&s.term, 0) // enforce non-delayed commits for all ids left in submitCh
-		waitForTerm(ctx)
-	}
+	atomic.StoreInt32(&s.term, 1) // enforce non-delayed commits for all ids left in submitCh
+	waitForTerm(ctx)
 
 	if s.submitCh != nil {
 		close(s.submitCh)
diff --git a/backend/app/store/image/image_test.go b/backend/app/store/image/image_test.go
index 7afb4251..f054bd8c 100644
--- a/backend/app/store/image/image_test.go
+++ b/backend/app/store/image/image_test.go
@@ -119,12 +119,13 @@ func TestService_Submit(t *testing.T) {
 	store.AssertNumberOfCalls(t, "Commit", 0)
 	time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 150)
 	store.AssertNumberOfCalls(t, "Commit", 5)
+	svc.Close(context.TODO())
 }
 
 func TestService_Close(t *testing.T) {
 	store := MockStore{}
 	store.On("Commit", mock.Anything, mock.Anything).Times(5).Return(nil)
-	svc := Service{store: &store, ServiceParams: ServiceParams{ImageAPI: "/blah/", TTL: time.Millisecond * 500}}
+	svc := Service{store: &store, ServiceParams: ServiceParams{ImageAPI: "/blah/", TTL: time.Hour * 24}}
 	svc.Submit(func() []string { return []string{"id1", "id2", "id3"} })
 	svc.Submit(func() []string { return []string{"id4", "id5"} })
 	svc.Submit(nil)