diff --git a/fail2ban/server/asyncserver.py b/fail2ban/server/asyncserver.py
index 9cc74658..ea6cc326 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/asyncserver.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/asyncserver.py
@@ -80,7 +80,10 @@ class RequestHandler(asynchat.async_chat):
 			# Deserialize
 			message = loads(message)
 			# Gives the message to the transmitter.
-			message = self.__transmitter.proceed(message)
+			if self.__transmitter:
+				message = self.__transmitter.proceed(message)
+			else:
+				message = ['SHUTDOWN']
 			# Serializes the response.
 			message = dumps(message, HIGHEST_PROTOCOL)
 			# Sends the response to the client.
@@ -228,6 +231,13 @@ class AsyncServer(asyncore.dispatcher):
 	##
 	# Stops the communication server.
 	
+	def stop_communication(self):
+		logSys.debug("Stop communication")
+		self.__transmitter = None
+
+	##
+	# Stops the server.
+	
 	def stop(self):
 		self.close()
 
diff --git a/fail2ban/server/database.py b/fail2ban/server/database.py
index e37d8765..4b4a3ea9 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/database.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/database.py
@@ -643,7 +643,6 @@ class Fail2BanDb(object):
 		cur = self._db.cursor()
 		return cur.execute(query, queryArgs)
 
-	@commitandrollback
 	def _getCurrentBans(self, cur, jail = None, ip = None, forbantime=None, fromtime=None):
 		if fromtime is None:
 			fromtime = MyTime.time()
@@ -666,20 +665,29 @@ class Fail2BanDb(object):
 		cur = self._db.cursor()
 		return cur.execute(query, queryArgs)
 
-	def getCurrentBans(self, jail = None, ip = None, forbantime=None, fromtime=None):
+	@commitandrollback
+	def getCurrentBans(self, cur, jail = None, ip = None, forbantime=None, fromtime=None):
 		tickets = []
 		ticket = None
 
-		results = list(self._getCurrentBans(jail=jail, ip=ip, forbantime=forbantime, fromtime=fromtime))
-
-		if results:
-			for banip, timeofban, bantime, bancount, data in results:
-				# logSys.debug('restore ticket   %r, %r, %r', banip, timeofban, data)
-				ticket = FailTicket(banip, timeofban, data=data)
-				# logSys.debug('restored ticket: %r', ticket)
-				ticket.setBanTime(bantime)
-				ticket.setBanCount(bancount)
-				tickets.append(ticket)
+		for ticket in self._getCurrentBans(cur, jail=jail, ip=ip, 
+			forbantime=forbantime, fromtime=fromtime
+		):
+			# can produce unpack error (database may return sporadical wrong-empty row):
+			try:
+				banip, timeofban, bantime, bancount, data = ticket
+				# additionally check for empty values:
+				if banip is None or banip == "": # pragma: no cover
+					raise ValueError('unexpected value %r' % (banip,))
+			except ValueError as e: # pragma: no cover
+				logSys.debug("get current bans: ignore row %r - %s", ticket, e)
+				continue
+			# logSys.debug('restore ticket   %r, %r, %r', banip, timeofban, data)
+			ticket = FailTicket(banip, timeofban, data=data)
+			# logSys.debug('restored ticket: %r', ticket)
+			ticket.setBanTime(bantime)
+			ticket.setBanCount(bancount)
+			tickets.append(ticket)
 
 		return tickets if ip is None else ticket
 
diff --git a/fail2ban/server/jail.py b/fail2ban/server/jail.py
index 2f31fc4b..33f6db0b 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/jail.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/jail.py
@@ -274,8 +274,9 @@ class Jail(object):
 				if not self.getBanTimeExtra('increment'):
 					forbantime = self.actions.getBanTime()
 				for ticket in self.database.getCurrentBans(jail=self, forbantime=forbantime):
-					#logSys.debug('restored ticket: %s', ticket)
-					if not self.filter.inIgnoreIPList(ticket.getIP(), log_ignore=True):
+					try:
+						#logSys.debug('restored ticket: %s', ticket)
+						if self.filter.inIgnoreIPList(ticket.getIP(), log_ignore=True): continue
 						# mark ticked was restored from database - does not put it again into db:
 						ticket.restored = True
 						# correct start time / ban time (by the same end of ban):
@@ -287,8 +288,12 @@ class Jail(object):
 						if btm != -1 and btm <= 0:
 							continue
 						self.putFailTicket(ticket)
+					except Exception as e: # pragma: no cover
+						logSys.error('Restore ticket failed: %s', e, 
+							exc_info=logSys.getEffectiveLevel()<=logging.DEBUG)
 		except Exception as e: # pragma: no cover
-			logSys.error('%s', e, exc_info=logSys.getEffectiveLevel()<=logging.DEBUG)
+			logSys.error('Restore bans failed: %s', e,
+				exc_info=logSys.getEffectiveLevel()<=logging.DEBUG)
 
 	def start(self):
 		"""Start the jail, by starting filter and actions threads.
diff --git a/fail2ban/server/server.py b/fail2ban/server/server.py
index 3654ea6e..494fd356 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/server.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/server.py
@@ -159,17 +159,16 @@ class Server:
 			self.__asyncServer.start(sock, force)
 		except AsyncServerException as e:
 			logSys.error("Could not start server: %s", e)
+
 		# Removes the PID file.
 		try:
 			logSys.debug("Remove PID file %s", pidfile)
 			os.remove(pidfile)
 		except (OSError, IOError) as e: # pragma: no cover
 			logSys.error("Unable to remove PID file: %s", e)
-		# Stop observer and exit
-		if Observers.Main is not None:
-			Observers.Main.stop()
-			Observers.Main = None
-		logSys.info("Exiting Fail2ban")
+
+		# Stop (if not yet already executed):
+		self.quit()
 	
 	def quit(self):
 		# Give observer a small chance to complete its work before exit
@@ -183,8 +182,7 @@ class Server:
 		# are exiting)
 		# See https://github.com/fail2ban/fail2ban/issues/7
 		if self.__asyncServer is not None:
-			self.__asyncServer.stop()
-			self.__asyncServer = None
+			self.__asyncServer.stop_communication()
 
 		# Now stop all the jails
 		self.stopAllJail()
@@ -205,6 +203,16 @@ class Server:
 			for s, sh in self.__prev_signals.iteritems():
 				signal.signal(s, sh)
 
+		# Stop observer and exit
+		if Observers.Main is not None:
+			Observers.Main.stop()
+			Observers.Main = None
+		# Stop async
+		if self.__asyncServer is not None:
+			self.__asyncServer.stop()
+			self.__asyncServer = None
+		logSys.info("Exiting Fail2ban")
+
 		# Prevent to call quit twice:
 		self.quit = lambda: False