diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js
index 76471f648..a1c847c17 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/zotero.js
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm");
 		}
 		
 		// Register shutdown handler to call Zotero.shutdown()
-		var _shutdownObserver = {observe:function() { Zotero.shutdown() }};
+		var _shutdownObserver = {observe:function() { Zotero.shutdown().done() }};
 		Services.obs.addObserver(_shutdownObserver, "quit-application", false);
 		
 		try {
@@ -783,7 +783,7 @@ Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm");
 	}
 	
 	
-	this.shutdown = function(callback) {
+	this.shutdown = function() {
 		Zotero.debug("Shutting down Zotero");
 		
 		try {
@@ -811,20 +811,17 @@ Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm");
 				Components.utils.forceGC();
 				
 				// unlock DB
-				Zotero.DB.closeDatabase().then(function() {				
+				return Zotero.DB.closeDatabase().then(function() {				
 					// broadcast that DB lock has been released
 					Zotero.IPC.broadcast("lockReleased");
-					if(callback) callback();
 				});
-			} else {
-				if(callback) callback();
 			}
+			
+			return Q();
 		} catch(e) {
 			Zotero.debug(e);
-			throw e;
+			return Q.reject(e);
 		}
-		
-		return true;
 	}
 	
 	
diff --git a/components/zotero-service.js b/components/zotero-service.js
index 2804361c6..14a59f6a4 100644
--- a/components/zotero-service.js
+++ b/components/zotero-service.js
@@ -164,16 +164,11 @@ ZoteroContext.prototype = {
 	 */
 	"switchConnectorMode":function(isConnector) {
 		if(isConnector !== this.isConnector) {
-			zContext.Zotero.shutdown(function() {
-				try {
-					// create a new zContext
-					makeZoteroContext(isConnector);
-					zContext.Zotero.init();
-				} catch(e) {
-					dump(e.toSource());
-					throw e;
-				}
-			});
+			zContext.Zotero.shutdown().then(function() {
+				// create a new zContext
+				makeZoteroContext(isConnector);
+				zContext.Zotero.init();
+			}).done();
 		}
 		
 		return zContext;
@@ -297,23 +292,11 @@ function ZoteroService() {
 			try {
 				zContext.Zotero.init();
 			} catch(e) {
-				if(e === "ZOTERO_SHOULD_START_AS_CONNECTOR") {
-					// if Zotero should start as a connector, reload it
-					zContext.Zotero.shutdown(function() {
-						try {
-							makeZoteroContext(true);
-							zContext.Zotero.init();
-						} catch(e) {
-							dump(e.toSource());
-							Components.utils.reportError(e);
-							throw e;
-						}
-					});
-				} else {
-					dump(e.toSource());
-					Components.utils.reportError(e);
-					throw e;
-				}
+				// if Zotero should start as a connector, reload it
+				zContext.Zotero.shutdown().then(function() {
+					makeZoteroContext(true);
+					zContext.Zotero.init();
+				}).done();
 			}
 		}
 		isFirstLoadThisSession = false;	// no longer first load