diff --git a/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java b/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
index a1e866d..b5a2927 100644
--- a/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/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-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopRightOuterJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java b/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopRightOuterJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
index dd20e82..2a7fede 100644
--- a/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopRightOuterJoinFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/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-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopSetUnionFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java b/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopSetUnionFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
index 6549782..fe27029 100644
--- a/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/IndexNestedLoopSetUnionFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/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-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/TreeSearchFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java b/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/TreeSearchFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
index 9e05bc8..f955831 100644
--- a/pregelix-dataflow-std/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/std/TreeSearchFunctionUpdateOperatorNodePushable.java
+++ b/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-dataflow/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/context/RuntimeContext.java b/pregelix-dataflow/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/context/RuntimeContext.java
index 854e3dc..98219d6 100644
--- a/pregelix-dataflow/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/pregelix/dataflow/context/RuntimeContext.java
+++ b/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() {