diff --git a/vswitchd/ovs-vswitchd.c b/vswitchd/ovs-vswitchd.c
index a244d2f7095..273af9f5d62 100644
--- a/vswitchd/ovs-vswitchd.c
+++ b/vswitchd/ovs-vswitchd.c
@@ -68,19 +68,19 @@ static unixctl_cb_func ovs_vswitchd_exit;
 static char *parse_options(int argc, char *argv[], char **unixctl_path);
 OVS_NO_RETURN static void usage(void);
 
-struct ovs_vswitchd_exit_args {
-    bool *exiting;
-    bool *cleanup;
-};
+static struct ovs_vswitchd_exit_args {
+    struct unixctl_conn **conns;
+    size_t n_conns;
+    bool exiting;
+    bool cleanup;
+} exit_args;
 
 int
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-    char *unixctl_path = NULL;
     struct unixctl_server *unixctl;
+    char *unixctl_path = NULL;
     char *remote;
-    bool exiting, cleanup;
-    struct ovs_vswitchd_exit_args exit_args = {&exiting, &cleanup};
     int retval;
 
     set_program_name(argv[0]);
@@ -111,14 +111,12 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
     unixctl_command_register("exit", "[--cleanup]", 0, 1,
-                             ovs_vswitchd_exit, &exit_args);
+                             ovs_vswitchd_exit, NULL);
 
     bridge_init(remote);
     free(remote);
 
-    exiting = false;
-    cleanup = false;
-    while (!exiting) {
+    while (!exit_args.exiting) {
         OVS_USDT_PROBE(main, run_start);
         memory_run();
         if (memory_should_report()) {
@@ -137,16 +135,22 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         bridge_wait();
         unixctl_server_wait(unixctl);
         netdev_wait();
-        if (exiting) {
+        if (exit_args.exiting) {
             poll_immediate_wake();
         }
         OVS_USDT_PROBE(main, poll_block);
         poll_block();
         if (should_service_stop()) {
-            exiting = true;
+            exit_args.exiting = true;
         }
     }
-    bridge_exit(cleanup);
+    bridge_exit(exit_args.cleanup);
+
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < exit_args.n_conns; i++) {
+        unixctl_command_reply(exit_args.conns[i], NULL);
+    }
+    free(exit_args.conns);
+
     unixctl_server_destroy(unixctl);
     service_stop();
     vlog_disable_async();
@@ -304,10 +308,14 @@ usage(void)
 
 static void
 ovs_vswitchd_exit(struct unixctl_conn *conn, int argc,
-                  const char *argv[], void *exit_args_)
+                  const char *argv[], void *args OVS_UNUSED)
 {
-    struct ovs_vswitchd_exit_args *exit_args = exit_args_;
-    *exit_args->exiting = true;
-    *exit_args->cleanup = argc == 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "--cleanup");
-    unixctl_command_reply(conn, NULL);
+    exit_args.n_conns++;
+    exit_args.conns = xrealloc(exit_args.conns,
+                               exit_args.n_conns * sizeof *exit_args.conns);
+    exit_args.conns[exit_args.n_conns - 1] = conn;
+    exit_args.exiting = true;
+    if (!exit_args.cleanup) {
+        exit_args.cleanup = argc == 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "--cleanup");
+    }
 }