diff --git a/tools/chatgui-android/libutun_lite/instance_lite.c b/tools/chatgui-android/libutun_lite/instance_lite.c
index 44ef31c6..1894edde 100644
--- a/tools/chatgui-android/libutun_lite/instance_lite.c
+++ b/tools/chatgui-android/libutun_lite/instance_lite.c
@@ -377,9 +377,10 @@ static void* instance_thread(void* arg) {
     uasync_mark_running(g_ua);
     chat_event_post(g_inst, CHAT_EVT_SERVICE_STARTED, NULL, 0);
 
-    while (!__atomic_load_n(&g_stop, __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE)) {
+    while (!__atomic_load_n(&g_stop, __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE) && g_inst->running) {
         uasync_poll(g_ua, -1);
     }
+    if (!g_inst->running) IL_LOGE("poll exit: core requested stop; cleanup runs outside callbacks");
 
     while (__atomic_load_n(&g_do_restart, __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE)) {
         IL_LOGI("poll exit: restart requested, destroying old instance");
@@ -442,7 +443,8 @@ static void* instance_thread(void* arg) {
         chat_event_post(g_inst, CHAT_EVT_SERVICE_STARTED, NULL, 0);
 
         IL_LOGI("poll exit: restart done, entering new poll loop");
-        while (!__atomic_load_n(&g_stop, __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE)) uasync_poll(g_ua, -1);
+        while (!__atomic_load_n(&g_stop, __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE) && g_inst->running) uasync_poll(g_ua, -1);
+        if (!g_inst->running) IL_LOGE("poll exit: restarted core requested stop; cleanup runs outside callbacks");
     }
 
     IL_LOGI("poll exit: final cleanup");
diff --git a/tools/chatgui/CMakeLists.txt b/tools/chatgui/CMakeLists.txt
index 67f11514..9d6e6339 100644
--- a/tools/chatgui/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tools/chatgui/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ if(UNIX AND NOT APPLE)
         "-Wl,--wrap=call_audio_init" "-Wl,--wrap=call_audio_destroy" "-Wl,--wrap=utun_instance_destroy"
         "-Wl,--wrap=uasync_destroy" "-Wl,--wrap=pthread_detach" "-Wl,--wrap=instance_lite_get_instance"
         "-Wl,--wrap=utun_bridge_get_local_sockets_json")
-    foreach(scenario normal restart stream_failure voice_failure)
+    foreach(scenario normal restart stream_failure voice_failure core_stop restart_core_stop)
         add_test(NAME test_android_audio_lifecycle_${scenario} COMMAND test_android_audio_lifecycle ${scenario})
         set_tests_properties(test_android_audio_lifecycle_${scenario} PROPERTIES TIMEOUT 20)
     endforeach()
diff --git a/tools/chatgui/tests/test_android_audio_lifecycle.c b/tools/chatgui/tests/test_android_audio_lifecycle.c
index fe5ab5d9..adcdc321 100644
--- a/tools/chatgui/tests/test_android_audio_lifecycle.c
+++ b/tools/chatgui/tests/test_android_audio_lifecycle.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ void __real_uasync_destroy(struct UASYNC*, int);
 void __wrap_uasync_destroy(struct UASYNC* ua, int flags) {
     observe(destroyed && detached >= destroyed, "loop destroyed before core detach/destroy");
     __real_uasync_destroy(ua, flags);
-    pthread_mutex_lock(&observation_lock); ++loops_destroyed; pthread_mutex_unlock(&observation_lock);
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&observation_lock); ++loops_destroyed; pthread_cond_broadcast(&changed); pthread_mutex_unlock(&observation_lock);
 }
 
 int __real_pthread_detach(pthread_t);
@@ -119,11 +119,19 @@ static void inspect(void* arg) {
     pthread_mutex_lock(&observation_lock); ++checked; pthread_cond_broadcast(&changed); pthread_mutex_unlock(&observation_lock);
 }
 
+static void stop_core(void* arg) {
+    (void)arg;
+    struct UTUN_INSTANCE* inst = instance_lite_get_instance();
+    observe(inst && inst->running && inst->call_audio_ops, "core stop without live voice owner");
+    utun_instance_stop(inst);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     CHECK_ANDROID(argc == 2);
-    int restart = !strcmp(argv[1], "restart"), normal = !strcmp(argv[1], "normal");
+    int core_stop = !strcmp(argv[1], "core_stop") || !strcmp(argv[1], "restart_core_stop");
+    int restart = !strcmp(argv[1], "restart") || !strcmp(argv[1], "restart_core_stop"), normal = !strcmp(argv[1], "normal");
     stream_failure = !strcmp(argv[1], "stream_failure"); voice_failure = !strcmp(argv[1], "voice_failure");
-    CHECK_ANDROID(restart || normal || stream_failure || voice_failure);
+    CHECK_ANDROID(restart || normal || core_stop || stream_failure || voice_failure);
     ui = pthread_self(); worker = ui;
     debug_config_init(); debug_set_level(DEBUG_LEVEL_ERROR); debug_set_category_level(DEBUG_CATEGORY_CALL, DEBUG_LEVEL_INFO);
     utun_instance_set_tun_init_enabled(0);
@@ -157,6 +165,10 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
             CHECK_ANDROID(wait_for(&checked, 2));
             utun_bridge_call_audio_stop();
         }
+        if (core_stop) {
+            uasync_post(instance_lite_get_uasync(), stop_core, NULL);
+            CHECK_ANDROID(wait_for(&loops_destroyed, 1u + restart));
+        }
         instance_lite_stop();
         CHECK_ANDROID(attached == 1u + restart && detached == attached && destroyed == attached && loops_destroyed == attached);
     }