diff --git a/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.h b/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.h
--- a/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.h
+++ b/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.h
@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@
      * */
     DocumentChangeTracker* trackerForUrl(const IndexedString& url) const;
 
+    bool waitForIdle() const;
+
 Q_SIGNALS:
     /**
      * Emitted whenever a document parse-job has finished.
diff --git a/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.cpp b/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.cpp
--- a/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.cpp
+++ b/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 #include "backgroundparser.h"
 
+#include <QCoreApplication>
 #include <QList>
 #include <QMutex>
 #include <QMutexLocker>
@@ -811,6 +812,30 @@
     return d->m_managed.keys();
 }
 
+
+bool BackgroundParser::waitForIdle() const
+{
+    QList<IndexedString> runningParseJobsUrls;
+    forever {
+        {
+            QMutexLocker lock(&d->m_mutex);
+            if (d->m_parseJobs.isEmpty()) {
+                qCDebug(LANGUAGE) << "All parse jobs done" << d->m_parseJobs.keys();
+                return true;
+            }
+
+            if (d->m_parseJobs.size() != runningParseJobsUrls.size()) {
+                runningParseJobsUrls = d->m_parseJobs.keys();
+                qCDebug(LANGUAGE) << "Waiting for background parser to get in idle state... -- the following parse jobs are still running:" << runningParseJobsUrls;
+            }
+        }
+
+        QCoreApplication::processEvents();
+        QThread::msleep(100);
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 DocumentChangeTracker* BackgroundParser::trackerForUrl(const KDevelop::IndexedString& url) const
 {
     if (url.isEmpty()) {
diff --git a/shell/core.cpp b/shell/core.cpp
--- a/shell/core.cpp
+++ b/shell/core.cpp
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@
     emit aboutToShutdown();
 
     if (!d->m_cleanedUp) {
-        // first of all: stop background jobs
+        // first of all: request stop of all background parser jobs
         d->languageController->backgroundParser()->abortAllJobs();
         d->languageController->backgroundParser()->suspend();
 
@@ -450,7 +450,11 @@
         }
         d->projectController.data()->cleanup();
         d->sourceFormatterController.data()->cleanup();
+
+        // before unloading language plugins, we need to make sure all parse jobs are done
+        d->languageController->backgroundParser()->waitForIdle();
         d->pluginController.data()->cleanup();
+
         d->sessionController.data()->cleanup();
 
         d->testController.data()->cleanup();