diff --git a/src/audio/Audio.cpp b/src/audio/Audio.cpp
index 19b494f..e530762 100644
--- a/src/audio/Audio.cpp
+++ b/src/audio/Audio.cpp
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ void Audio::startBackgroundLoading() {
             return;
         }
     }
+    loadingAbort = false;
     loadingComplete = false;
     loadedCount = 0;
     loadingThread = std::thread(&Audio::backgroundLoadingThread, this);
@@ -235,12 +236,18 @@ void Audio::backgroundLoadingThread() {
 #endif
 
     while (true) {
+        if (loadingAbort.load()) {
+            break;
+        }
         std::string path;
         {
             std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(pendingTracksMutex);
             if (pendingTracks.empty()) break;
             path = std::move(pendingTracks.front());
             pendingTracks.erase(pendingTracks.begin());
+            if (loadingAbort.load()) {
+                break;
+            }
         }
         AudioTrack t;
         t.path = path;
@@ -255,6 +262,10 @@ void Audio::backgroundLoadingThread() {
 #endif
         
         // Thread-safe addition to tracks
+        if (loadingAbort.load()) {
+            break;
+        }
+
         {
             std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(tracksMutex);
             tracks.push_back(std::move(t));
@@ -262,8 +273,12 @@ void Audio::backgroundLoadingThread() {
         
     loadedCount++;
         
-        // Small delay to prevent overwhelming the system
-        std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(10));
+        // Small delay to prevent overwhelming the system (unless abort requested)
+        if (!loadingAbort.load()) {
+            std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(10));
+        } else {
+            break;
+        }
     }
     
 #ifdef _WIN32
@@ -328,9 +343,15 @@ void Audio::playGameMusic() {
 
 void Audio::shutdown(){ 
     // Stop background loading thread first
+    loadingAbort = true;
+    {
+        std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(pendingTracksMutex);
+        pendingTracks.clear();
+    }
     if (loadingThread.joinable()) {
         loadingThread.join();
     }
+    loadingComplete = true;
     
     if(audioStream){ SDL_DestroyAudioStream(audioStream); audioStream=nullptr; } 
     tracks.clear(); 
diff --git a/src/audio/Audio.h b/src/audio/Audio.h
index 3506d29..2d4b032 100644
--- a/src/audio/Audio.h
+++ b/src/audio/Audio.h
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ private:
     std::mutex tracksMutex;
     std::mutex pendingTracksMutex;
     std::atomic<bool> loadingComplete{false};
+    std::atomic<bool> loadingAbort{false};
     std::atomic<int> loadedCount{0};
 
     // SFX mixing support
diff --git a/src/core/application/ApplicationManager.cpp b/src/core/application/ApplicationManager.cpp
index 4d000cb..400b1fe 100644
--- a/src/core/application/ApplicationManager.cpp
+++ b/src/core/application/ApplicationManager.cpp
@@ -398,13 +398,14 @@ bool ApplicationManager::initializeManagers() {
             // Forward all window events to StateManager
             if (!m_stateManager) return;
             SDL_Event ev{};
-            ev.type = SDL_EVENT_WINDOW_RESIZED; // generic mapping; handlers can inspect inner fields
+            ev.type = we.type;
             ev.window = we;
             m_stateManager->handleEvent(ev);
         });
 
         m_inputManager->registerQuitHandler([this](){
             SDL_LogInfo(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, "[QUIT] InputManager quit handler invoked - setting running=false");
+            traceFile("ApplicationManager: quit handler -> m_running=false");
             m_running = false;
         });
     }
diff --git a/src/core/input/InputManager.cpp b/src/core/input/InputManager.cpp
index 2b1b6fe..9a72d4b 100644
--- a/src/core/input/InputManager.cpp
+++ b/src/core/input/InputManager.cpp
@@ -22,16 +22,8 @@ void InputManager::processEvents() {
         }
         switch (event.type) {
             case SDL_EVENT_QUIT:
-                m_shouldQuit = true;
-        for (auto& handler : m_quitHandlers) {
-                    try {
-            // Trace quit event handling
-            FILE* f = fopen("tetris_trace.log", "a"); if (f) { fprintf(f, "InputManager: SDL_EVENT_QUIT polled\n"); fclose(f); }
-                        handler();
-                    } catch (const std::exception& e) {
-                        SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_INPUT, "Exception in quit handler: %s", e.what());
-                    }
-                }
+            case SDL_EVENT_WINDOW_CLOSE_REQUESTED:
+                handleQuitEvent();
                 break;
 
             case SDL_EVENT_KEY_DOWN:
@@ -254,6 +246,10 @@ void InputManager::handleMouseMotionEvent(const SDL_MouseMotionEvent& event) {
 }
 
 void InputManager::handleWindowEvent(const SDL_WindowEvent& event) {
+    if (event.type == SDL_EVENT_WINDOW_CLOSE_REQUESTED) {
+        handleQuitEvent();
+    }
+
     // Notify handlers
     for (auto& handler : m_windowEventHandlers) {
         try {
@@ -353,6 +349,11 @@ void InputManager::reset() {
 }
 
 void InputManager::handleQuitEvent() {
+    FILE* f = fopen("tetris_trace.log", "a");
+    if (f) {
+        fprintf(f, "InputManager::handleQuitEvent invoked\n");
+        fclose(f);
+    }
     m_shouldQuit = true;
     for (auto& handler : m_quitHandlers) {
         handler();
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 1c02302..7600ab5 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ int main(int, char **)
         SDL_Event e;
         while (SDL_PollEvent(&e))
         {
-            if (e.type == SDL_EVENT_QUIT)
+            if (e.type == SDL_EVENT_QUIT || e.type == SDL_EVENT_WINDOW_CLOSE_REQUESTED)
                 running = false;
             else {
                 // Route event to state manager handlers for per-state logic
diff --git a/src/main_dist.cpp b/src/main_dist.cpp
index c109dda..9fad828 100644
--- a/src/main_dist.cpp
+++ b/src/main_dist.cpp
@@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ int main(int, char **)
         SDL_Event e;
         while (SDL_PollEvent(&e))
         {
-            if (e.type == SDL_EVENT_QUIT)
+            if (e.type == SDL_EVENT_QUIT || e.type == SDL_EVENT_WINDOW_CLOSE_REQUESTED)
                 running = false;
             else {
                 // Route event to state manager handlers for per-state logic