diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-api/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/api/lifecycle/LifeCycleComponentManager.java b/hyracks/hyracks-api/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/api/lifecycle/LifeCycleComponentManager.java
index ec27653..ad708e9 100644
--- a/hyracks/hyracks-api/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/api/lifecycle/LifeCycleComponentManager.java
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-api/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/api/lifecycle/LifeCycleComponentManager.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 
     private final List<ILifeCycleComponent> components;
     private boolean stopInitiated;
+    private boolean stopped;
     private String dumpPath;
     private boolean configured;
 
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@
         components = new ArrayList<ILifeCycleComponent>();
         stopInitiated = false;
         configured = false;
+        stopped = false;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -76,6 +78,12 @@
         if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
             LOGGER.severe("Attempting to stop " + this);
         }
+        if (stopped) {
+            if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
+                LOGGER.severe("Lifecycle management was already stopped");
+            }
+            return;
+        }
         if (stopInitiated) {
             if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
                 LOGGER.severe("Stop already in progress");
@@ -124,7 +132,7 @@
             }
         }
         stopInitiated = false;
-
+        stopped = true;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -142,4 +150,8 @@
         configured = true;
     }
 
+    public boolean stoppedAll() {
+        return stopped;
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/control/nc/NodeControllerService.java b/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/control/nc/NodeControllerService.java
index ebfc486..245d988 100644
--- a/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/control/nc/NodeControllerService.java
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-nc/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/control/nc/NodeControllerService.java
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@
 
     private final MemoryManager memoryManager;
 
+    private boolean shuttedDown = false;
+
     public NodeControllerService(NCConfig ncConfig) throws Exception {
         this.ncConfig = ncConfig;
         id = ncConfig.nodeId;
@@ -278,6 +280,9 @@
         if (ncAppEntryPoint != null) {
             ncAppEntryPoint.notifyStartupComplete();
         }
+
+        //add JVM shutdown hook
+        Runtime.getRuntime().addShutdownHook(new JVMShutdownHook(this));
     }
 
     private void startApplication() throws Exception {
@@ -294,18 +299,21 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void stop() throws Exception {
-        LOGGER.log(Level.INFO, "Stopping NodeControllerService");
-        executor.shutdownNow();
-        partitionManager.close();
-        datasetPartitionManager.close();
-        heartbeatTask.cancel();
-        netManager.stop();
-        datasetNetworkManager.stop();
-        queue.stop();
-        if (ncAppEntryPoint != null)
-            ncAppEntryPoint.stop();
-        LOGGER.log(Level.INFO, "Stopped NodeControllerService");
+    public synchronized void stop() throws Exception {
+        if (!shuttedDown) {
+            LOGGER.log(Level.INFO, "Stopping NodeControllerService");
+            executor.shutdownNow();
+            partitionManager.close();
+            datasetPartitionManager.close();
+            heartbeatTask.cancel();
+            netManager.stop();
+            datasetNetworkManager.stop();
+            queue.stop();
+            if (ncAppEntryPoint != null)
+                ncAppEntryPoint.stop();
+            LOGGER.log(Level.INFO, "Stopped NodeControllerService");
+            shuttedDown = true;
+        }
     }
 
     public String getId() {
@@ -527,4 +535,29 @@
     public IDatasetPartitionManager getDatasetPartitionManager() {
         return datasetPartitionManager;
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+
+    /**
+     * Shutdown hook that invokes {@link NCApplicationEntryPoint#stop() stop} method.
+     */
+    private static class JVMShutdownHook extends Thread {
+
+        private final NodeControllerService nodeControllerService;
+
+        public JVMShutdownHook(NodeControllerService ncAppEntryPoint) {
+            this.nodeControllerService = ncAppEntryPoint;
+        }
+
+        public void run() {
+            if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
+                LOGGER.info("Shutdown hook in progress");
+            }
+            try {
+                nodeControllerService.stop();
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.WARNING)) {
+                    LOGGER.warning("Exception in executing shutdown hook" + e);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java b/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
index a1e866d..b5a2927 100644
--- a/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@
             cloneUpdateTb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(index.getFieldCount());
             updateBuffer.setFieldCount(index.getFieldCount());
         } catch (Exception e) {
-            treeIndexOpHelper.close();
+            closeResource();
             throw new HyracksDataException(e);
         }
     }
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@
                 writeSearchResults(accessor, i);
             }
         } catch (Exception e) {
-        	fail();
+            closeResource();
             throw new HyracksDataException(e);
         }
     }
@@ -239,6 +239,11 @@
 
     @Override
     public void fail() throws HyracksDataException {
+        closeResource();
+        populateFailure();
+    }
+
+    private void closeResource() throws HyracksDataException {
         try {
             cursor.close();
         } catch (Exception e) {
@@ -246,6 +251,9 @@
         } finally {
             treeIndexOpHelper.close();
         }
+    }
+
+    private void populateFailure() throws HyracksDataException {
         for (IFrameWriter writer : writers) {
             writer.fail();
         }
diff --git a/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopRightOuterJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java b/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopRightOuterJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
index dd20e82..2a7fede 100644
--- a/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopRightOuterJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopRightOuterJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
             cloneUpdateTb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(index.getFieldCount());
             updateBuffer.setFieldCount(index.getFieldCount());
         } catch (Exception e) {
-            treeIndexOpHelper.close();
+            closeResource();
             throw new HyracksDataException(e);
         }
     }
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@
                 }
             }
         } catch (Exception e) {
-        	fail();
+            closeResource();
             throw new HyracksDataException(e);
         }
     }
@@ -263,6 +263,11 @@
 
     @Override
     public void fail() throws HyracksDataException {
+        closeResource();
+        populateFailure();
+    }
+
+    private void closeResource() throws HyracksDataException {
         try {
             cursor.close();
         } catch (Exception e) {
@@ -270,6 +275,9 @@
         } finally {
             treeIndexOpHelper.close();
         }
+    }
+
+    private void populateFailure() throws HyracksDataException {
         for (IFrameWriter writer : writers) {
             writer.fail();
         }
diff --git a/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopSetUnionFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java b/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopSetUnionFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
index 6549782..fe27029 100644
--- a/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopSetUnionFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopSetUnionFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@
             cloneUpdateTb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(index.getFieldCount());
             updateBuffer.setFieldCount(index.getFieldCount());
         } catch (Exception e) {
-            treeIndexOpHelper.close();
+            closeResource();
             throw new HyracksDataException(e);
         }
     }
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@
                 }
             }
         } catch (Exception e) {
+            closeResource();
             throw new HyracksDataException(e);
         }
     }
@@ -227,6 +228,17 @@
 
     @Override
     public void fail() throws HyracksDataException {
+        closeResource();
+        populateFailure();
+    }
+
+    private void populateFailure() throws HyracksDataException {
+        for (IFrameWriter writer : writers) {
+            writer.fail();
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void closeResource() throws HyracksDataException {
         try {
             cursor.close();
         } catch (Exception e) {
@@ -234,9 +246,6 @@
         } finally {
             treeIndexOpHelper.close();
         }
-        for (IFrameWriter writer : writers) {
-            writer.fail();
-        }
     }
 
     /** compare tuples */
diff --git a/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/TreeSearchFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java b/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/TreeSearchFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
index 9e05bc8..f955831 100644
--- a/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/TreeSearchFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/TreeSearchFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@
             cloneUpdateTb = new ArrayTupleBuilder(index.getFieldCount());
             updateBuffer.setFieldCount(index.getFieldCount());
         } catch (Exception e) {
-        	fail();
+        	closeResource();
             throw new HyracksDataException(e);
         }
     }
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@
                 writeSearchResults();
             }
         } catch (Exception e) {
-        	fail();
+        	closeResource();
             throw new HyracksDataException(e);
         }
     }
@@ -233,6 +233,17 @@
 
     @Override
     public void fail() throws HyracksDataException {
+        closeResource();
+        populateFailure();
+    }
+
+    private void populateFailure() throws HyracksDataException {
+        for (IFrameWriter writer : writers) {
+            writer.fail();
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void closeResource() throws HyracksDataException {
         try {
             cursor.close();
         } catch (Exception e) {
@@ -240,9 +251,6 @@
         } finally {
             treeIndexHelper.close();
         }
-        for (IFrameWriter writer : writers) {
-            writer.fail();
-        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/context/RuntimeContext.java b/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/context/RuntimeContext.java
index 854e3dc..98219d6 100644
--- a/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/context/RuntimeContext.java
+++ b/pregelix/pregelix-dataflow/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/context/RuntimeContext.java
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 
 public class RuntimeContext implements IWorkspaceFileFactory {
 
+    private final static int SHUTDOWN_GRACEFUL_PERIOD = 5000;
     private final IIndexLifecycleManager lcManager;
     private final ILocalResourceRepository localResourceRepository;
     private final ResourceIdFactory resourceIdFactory;
@@ -87,11 +88,17 @@
     }
 
     public synchronized void close() throws HyracksDataException {
-        bufferCache.close();
         for (Entry<String, PJobContext> entry : activeJobs.entrySet()) {
             entry.getValue().close();
         }
         activeJobs.clear();
+        // wait a graceful period until all active operators using tree cursors are dead
+        try {
+            wait(SHUTDOWN_GRACEFUL_PERIOD);
+        } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+
+        }
+        bufferCache.close();
     }
 
     public ILocalResourceRepository getLocalResourceRepository() {