diff --git a/examples/wsperf/request.cpp b/examples/wsperf/request.cpp
index c20689bbad..d24bbe1536 100644
--- a/examples/wsperf/request.cpp
+++ b/examples/wsperf/request.cpp
@@ -94,6 +94,11 @@ void request::process(unsigned int id) {
             
             boost::thread t(boost::bind(&client::run, &e, true));
             
+            size_t handshake_delay;
+            if(!wscmd::extract_number<size_t>(command, "handshake_delay",handshake_delay)) {
+                handshake_delay = 10;
+            }
+            
             // create connections
             for (size_t i = 0; i < connection_count; i++) {
                 client::connection_ptr con;
@@ -103,6 +108,8 @@ void request::process(unsigned int id) {
                 shandler->on_connect(con);
                 
                 e.connect(con);
+                
+                boost::this_thread::sleep(boost::posix_time::milliseconds(handshake_delay));
             }
             
             for (;;) {
@@ -111,12 +118,18 @@ void request::process(unsigned int id) {
                 
                 // check for too few connections
                 
-                shandler->maintenance();
+                bool quit = shandler->maintenance();
                 
                 // check for done-ness
+                if (quit) {
+                    break;
+                }
+                
                 
                 sleep(1);
             }
+            e.end_perpetual();
+            t.join();
         }
 
         writer->write(prepare_response("test_complete",""));
diff --git a/examples/wsperf/stress_handler.cpp b/examples/wsperf/stress_handler.cpp
index 4a562a13c1..67e3848b58 100644
--- a/examples/wsperf/stress_handler.cpp
+++ b/examples/wsperf/stress_handler.cpp
@@ -179,15 +179,24 @@ std::string stress_handler::get_data() const {
     return data.str();
 }
 
-void stress_handler::maintenance() {
+bool stress_handler::maintenance() {
     std::list<connection_ptr> to_process;
     
     {
         boost::lock_guard<boost::mutex> lock(m_lock);
         
+        bool quit = true;
+        
         std::map<connection_ptr,con_data>::iterator it;
         for (it = m_con_data.begin(); it != m_con_data.end(); it++) {
             to_process.push_back((*it).first);
+            if ((*it).first->get_state() != websocketpp::session::state::CLOSED) {
+                quit = false;
+            }
+        }
+        
+        if (quit) {
+            return true;
         }
     }
     
@@ -220,4 +229,6 @@ void stress_handler::maintenance() {
             close(con);
         }
     }
+    
+    return false;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/wsperf/stress_handler.hpp b/examples/wsperf/stress_handler.hpp
index bb44ccee71..6d5c40e30f 100644
--- a/examples/wsperf/stress_handler.hpp
+++ b/examples/wsperf/stress_handler.hpp
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ public:
     void end();
     
     std::string get_data() const;
-    virtual void maintenance();
+    virtual bool maintenance();
 protected:
     size_t m_current_connections;
     size_t m_max_connections;