diff --git a/src/MediaPlayer.cpp b/src/MediaPlayer.cpp
index fe04ac6..a272f47 100644
--- a/src/MediaPlayer.cpp
+++ b/src/MediaPlayer.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 #include "RenderingManager.h"
 #endif
 
-std::list<MediaPlayer*> MediaPlayer::registered_;
+std::list<GstElement*> MediaPlayer::registered_;
 
 MediaPlayer::MediaPlayer()
 {
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ MediaPlayer::MediaPlayer()
 
 MediaPlayer::~MediaPlayer()
 {
-    close(false);
+    close();
 
     // cleanup opengl texture
     if (textureindex_)
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ void MediaPlayer::execute_open()
     gst_element_set_name(pipeline_, std::to_string(id_).c_str());
 
     // register media player
-    MediaPlayer::registered_.push_back(this);
+    MediaPlayer::registered_.push_back(pipeline_);
 }
 
 #else
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ void MediaPlayer::execute_open()
     gst_element_set_name(pipeline_, std::to_string(id_).c_str());
 
     // register media player
-    MediaPlayer::registered_.push_back(this);
+    MediaPlayer::registered_.push_back(pipeline_);
 }
 
 #endif
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ void MediaPlayer::Frame::unmap()
 }
 
 
-void pipeline_terminate( GstElement *p )
+void MediaPlayer::pipeline_terminate( GstElement *p )
 {
 #ifdef MEDIA_PLAYER_DEBUG
     g_printerr("MediaPlayer %s close\n", gst_element_get_name(p));
@@ -726,9 +726,12 @@ void pipeline_terminate( GstElement *p )
 
     // unref to free pipeline
     gst_object_unref ( p );
+
+    // unregister
+    MediaPlayer::registered_.remove(p);
 }
 
-void MediaPlayer::close(bool async)
+void MediaPlayer::close()
 {
     // not opened?
     if (!opened_) {
@@ -752,13 +755,8 @@ void MediaPlayer::close(bool async)
 
     // clean up GST
     if (pipeline_ != nullptr) {
-        if (async)
-            // end pipeline asynchronously
-            std::thread(pipeline_terminate, pipeline_).detach();
-        else
-            // end pipeline immediately
-            pipeline_terminate(pipeline_);
-
+        // end pipeline asynchronously
+        std::thread(MediaPlayer::pipeline_terminate, pipeline_).detach();
         pipeline_ = nullptr;
     }
 
@@ -772,8 +770,6 @@ void MediaPlayer::close(bool async)
     write_index_ = 0;
     last_index_ = 0;
 
-    // unregister media player
-    MediaPlayer::registered_.remove(this);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/MediaPlayer.h b/src/MediaPlayer.h
index 0c9ba0e..0cdf3db 100644
--- a/src/MediaPlayer.h
+++ b/src/MediaPlayer.h
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 #define __GST_MEDIA_PLAYER_H_
 
 #include <string>
-#include <atomic>
 #include <mutex>
 #include <future>
 
@@ -101,7 +100,7 @@ public:
     /**
      * Close the Media
      * */
-    void close(bool async = true);
+    void close();
     /**
      * Update texture with latest frame
      * Must be called in rendering update loop
@@ -300,13 +299,13 @@ public:
      * Accept visitors
      * */
     void accept(Visitor& v);
+
     /**
      * @brief registered
      * @return list of media players currently registered
      */
-    static std::list<MediaPlayer*> registered() { return registered_; }
-    static std::list<MediaPlayer*>::const_iterator begin() { return registered_.cbegin(); }
-    static std::list<MediaPlayer*>::const_iterator end()   { return registered_.cend(); }    
+    static std::list<GstElement*> registered() { return registered_; }
+
     /**
      * Discoverer to check uri and get media info
      * */
@@ -423,7 +422,8 @@ private:
     static GstFlowReturn callback_new_sample  (GstAppSink *, gpointer);
 
     // global list of registered media player
-    static std::list<MediaPlayer*> registered_;
+    static void pipeline_terminate(GstElement *p);
+    static std::list<GstElement*> registered_;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/Metronome.cpp b/src/Metronome.cpp
index dfc45c3..87ad115 100644
--- a/src/Metronome.cpp
+++ b/src/Metronome.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#include <atomic>
 #include <iomanip>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <thread>
diff --git a/src/Mixer.cpp b/src/Mixer.cpp
index 7b52bda..443efb2 100644
--- a/src/Mixer.cpp
+++ b/src/Mixer.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <thread>
-#include <atomic>
 #include <mutex>
 #include <vector>
 #include <chrono>
@@ -1592,9 +1591,9 @@ void Mixer::clear()
     while (busy())
         update();
 
-    // set for an empty session and update to ensure session is deleted
+    // set for an empty session and update to ensure all streams are deleted
     set(new Session);
-    while (sessionSwapRequested_ || garbage_.size() > 0)
+    while ( !MediaPlayer::registered().empty() || !Stream::registered().empty() )
         update();
 
     // all finished, we can clear the back session we just added
diff --git a/src/MultiFileSource.cpp b/src/MultiFileSource.cpp
index 755121e..eb5e96a 100644
--- a/src/MultiFileSource.cpp
+++ b/src/MultiFileSource.cpp
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ void MultiFile::execute_open()
     src_ = gst_bin_get_by_name (GST_BIN (pipeline_), "src");
 }
 
-void MultiFile::close (bool)
+void MultiFile::close ()
 {
     if (src_ != nullptr) {
         gst_object_unref (src_);
diff --git a/src/MultiFileSource.h b/src/MultiFileSource.h
index 54a2ba0..ad72366 100644
--- a/src/MultiFileSource.h
+++ b/src/MultiFileSource.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class MultiFile : public Stream
 public:
     MultiFile ();
     void open (const MultiFileSequence &sequence, uint framerate = 30);
-    void close (bool) override;
+    void close () override;
     void rewind () override;
 
     // dynamic change of gstreamer multifile source properties
diff --git a/src/Stream.cpp b/src/Stream.cpp
index ed03cd8..79a080a 100644
--- a/src/Stream.cpp
+++ b/src/Stream.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 
 #include "Stream.h"
 
+std::list<GstElement*> Stream::registered_;
+
 #ifndef NDEBUG
 #define STREAM_DEBUG
 #endif
@@ -73,7 +75,7 @@ Stream::Stream()
 
 Stream::~Stream()
 {
-    Stream::close(false);
+    Stream::close();
 
     // cleanup opengl texture
     if (textureindex_)
@@ -348,9 +350,10 @@ void Stream::Frame::unmap()
 }
 
 
-void async_terminate( GstElement *p )
+void Stream::pipeline_terminate( GstElement *p )
 {
 #ifdef STREAM_DEBUG
+    g_printerr("Stream %s close\n", gst_element_get_name(p));
     Log::Info("Stream %s closed", gst_element_get_name(p));
 #endif
 
@@ -366,9 +369,12 @@ void async_terminate( GstElement *p )
 
     // unref to free pipeline
     gst_object_unref ( p );
+
+    // unregister
+    Stream::registered_.remove(p);
 }
 
-void Stream::close(bool async)
+void Stream::close()
 {
     // not opened?
     if (!opened_) {
@@ -384,13 +390,8 @@ void Stream::close(bool async)
 
     // clean up GST
     if (pipeline_ != nullptr) {
-
         // end pipeline asynchronously
-        if (async)
-            std::thread(async_terminate, pipeline_).detach();
-        else
-            async_terminate(pipeline_);
-
+        std::thread(Stream::pipeline_terminate, pipeline_).detach();
         pipeline_ = nullptr;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/Stream.h b/src/Stream.h
index 37e0ec0..d110b55 100644
--- a/src/Stream.h
+++ b/src/Stream.h
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #define STREAM_H
 
 #include <string>
-#include <atomic>
+#include <list>
 #include <mutex>
 #include <future>
 #include <condition_variable>
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ public:
     /**
      * Close the Media
      * */
-    virtual void close(bool async = true);
+    virtual void close();
     /**
      * Update texture with latest frame
      * Must be called in rendering update loop
@@ -160,7 +160,11 @@ public:
      * Used for saving session file
      * */
     void accept(Visitor& v);
-
+    /**
+     * @brief registered
+     * @return list of streams currently registered
+     */
+    static std::list<GstElement*> registered() { return registered_; }
 
 protected:
 
@@ -249,6 +253,9 @@ protected:
     static GstFlowReturn callback_new_preroll (GstAppSink *, gpointer );
     static GstFlowReturn callback_new_sample  (GstAppSink *, gpointer);
 
+    // global list of registered streams
+    static void pipeline_terminate(GstElement *p);
+    static std::list<GstElement*> registered_;
 };