diff --git a/smocore/marionette/marionette.cpp b/smocore/marionette/marionette.cpp
index 277e6ca..699988b 100644
--- a/smocore/marionette/marionette.cpp
+++ b/smocore/marionette/marionette.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ void ComponentThread::marionetteMain(ComponentThread& self)
     self.initializeTls();
     mrntt::exitCode = EXIT_SUCCESS;
 	static boost::asio::signal_set signals(self.getIoService(), SIGINT);
+	bool callFinalizeReq = false;
 
 	try {
 		// Register SIGINT (Ctrl+C) handler to request user shutdown
@@ -67,9 +68,9 @@ void ComponentThread::marionetteMain(ComponentThread& self)
 			throw JustPrintUsageNoError(options);
 		}
 
+		initializeSalmanoff();
 		self.getIoService().post([]()
 		{
-			initializeSalmanoff();
 			mind.initialize();
 		});
 
@@ -110,42 +111,46 @@ void ComponentThread::marionetteMain(ComponentThread& self)
         }
 
         std::cout << __func__ << ": Exited event loop" << "\n";
-		shutdownSalmanoff();
 	}
 	catch (const OptionParser::Exception& e)
 	{
-		std::ostream &out = std::cout;
+		std::ostream *out = &std::cout;
 		std::string outUsageMsg;
 
 		if (typeid(e) == typeid(OptionsParserError))
 		{
 			mrntt::exitCode = EXIT_FAILURE;
+			out = &std::cerr;
 			outUsageMsg = std::string(__func__) + ": ";
 		}
 
-		out << outUsageMsg << e.what() << std::endl;
-		mind.finalizeReq([]{
-			mrntt::mrntt->getIoService().stop();
-		});
-		self.getIoService().reset();
-		self.getIoService().run();
-		return;
+		*out << outUsageMsg << e.what() << std::endl;
+		callFinalizeReq = true;
 	}
 	catch (const std::exception& e)
 	{
 		std::cerr << __func__ << ": Exception occurred: " << e.what()
 			<< std::endl;
 		mrntt::exitCode = EXIT_FAILURE;
-        return;
+		callFinalizeReq = true;
 	}
 	catch (...)
 	{
 		std::cerr << __func__ << ": Unknown exception occurred" << std::endl;
 		mrntt::exitCode = EXIT_FAILURE;
-        return;
+		callFinalizeReq = true;
 	}
 
-	std::cout << __func__ << ": Exiting normally" << std::endl;
+	if (callFinalizeReq)
+	{
+		mind.finalizeReq([]{
+			mrntt::mrntt->getIoService().stop();
+		});
+		self.getIoService().reset();
+		self.getIoService().run();
+	}
+
+	shutdownSalmanoff();
 }
 
 } // namespace smo