diff --git a/src/GUI/QtLauncher.cxx b/src/GUI/QtLauncher.cxx
index 9c843e76a..f9c55d393 100644
--- a/src/GUI/QtLauncher.cxx
+++ b/src/GUI/QtLauncher.cxx
@@ -292,6 +292,9 @@ void initApp(int& argc, char** argv, bool doInitQSettings)
 
 void shutdownQtApp()
 {
+	// restore default message handler, otherwise Qt logging on
+	// shutdown crashes once sglog is killed
+	qInstallMessageHandler(nullptr);
     static_qApp.reset();
 }
 
@@ -334,6 +337,10 @@ void restartTheApp()
     QProcess proc;
     QStringList args;
 
+	// ensure we release whatever mutex/lock file we have in home,
+	// so the new instance runs in writeable mode
+	fgShutdownHome();
+
 #if defined(Q_OS_MAC)
     QDir dir(qApp->applicationDirPath()); // returns the 'MacOS' dir
     dir.cdUp(); // up to 'contents' dir
diff --git a/src/Main/fg_init.cxx b/src/Main/fg_init.cxx
index 44b3b0a05..ce264a3ec 100644
--- a/src/Main/fg_init.cxx
+++ b/src/Main/fg_init.cxx
@@ -408,6 +408,10 @@ static SGPath platformDefaultDataPath()
 }
 #endif
 
+#if defined(SG_WINDOWS)
+static HANDLE static_fgHomeWriteMutex = nullptr;
+#endif
+
 bool fgInitHome()
 {
   SGPath dataPath = SGPath::fromEnv("FG_HOME", platformDefaultDataPath());
@@ -438,8 +442,8 @@ bool fgInitHome()
 	// unreliable and causes false-positives. Instead, use a named
 	// mutex.
 
-	HANDLE hMutex = CreateMutexA(nullptr, FALSE, "org.flightgear.fgfs.primary");
-	if (hMutex == nullptr) {
+	static_fgHomeWriteMutex = CreateMutexA(nullptr, FALSE, "org.flightgear.fgfs.primary");
+	if (static_fgHomeWriteMutex == nullptr) {
 		printf("CreateMutex error: %d\n", GetLastError());
 		SG_LOG(SG_GENERAL, SG_POPUP, "Failed to create mutex for multi-app protection");
 		return false;
@@ -488,6 +492,15 @@ bool fgInitHome()
     return result;
 }
 
+void fgShutdownHome()
+{
+#if defined(SG_WINDOWS)
+	if (static_fgHomeWriteMutex) {
+		CloseHandle(static_fgHomeWriteMutex);
+	}
+#endif
+}
+
 static void createBaseStorageDirForAddons(const SGPath& exportDir)
 {
     SGPath addonStorageBasePath = exportDir / "Addons";
diff --git a/src/Main/fg_init.hxx b/src/Main/fg_init.hxx
index cafba02c7..755222e3a 100644
--- a/src/Main/fg_init.hxx
+++ b/src/Main/fg_init.hxx
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class SGPath;
 std::string fgBasePackageVersion(const SGPath& path);
 
 bool fgInitHome();
+void fgShutdownHome();
 
 // Read in configuration (file and command line)
 int fgInitConfig ( int argc, char **argv, bool reinit );