diff --git a/src/main.lisp b/src/main.lisp
index 4b40461..9a706fe 100644
--- a/src/main.lisp
+++ b/src/main.lisp
@@ -345,13 +345,17 @@
 
               (source-definition-error (c)
                 (declare (ignore c))    ; handler-bind printed it out
-                (sleep 0.3)             ; wait until monitor stops...
+                ;; wait until monitor stops...
+                (let ((lp:*kernel* *monitoring-kernel*))
+                  (lp:end-kernel :wait t))
                 (uiop:quit +os-code-error-bad-source+))
 
               (condition (c)
                 (declare (ignore c))    ; handler-bind printed it out
-                (log-message :log "What I am doing here?")
-                (sleep 0.3)             ; wait until monitor stops...
+                (format *error-output* "~%What I am doing here?~%~%")
+                ;; wait until monitor stops...
+                (let ((lp:*kernel* *monitoring-kernel*))
+                  (lp:end-kernel :wait t))
                 (uiop:quit +os-code-error+)))))
 
         ;; done.
diff --git a/src/package.lisp b/src/package.lisp
index 25ef561..699b7f5 100644
--- a/src/package.lisp
+++ b/src/package.lisp
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@
 (defpackage #:pgloader.monitor
   (:use #:cl #:pgloader.params #:pgloader.state)
   (:export #:with-monitor
+           #:*monitoring-kernel*
            #:*monitoring-queue*
            #:log-message
            #:new-label
diff --git a/src/utils/monitor.lisp b/src/utils/monitor.lisp
index ff89e9f..e151caa 100644
--- a/src/utils/monitor.lisp
+++ b/src/utils/monitor.lisp
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@
 ;;;
 (in-package :pgloader.monitor)
 
+(defvar *monitoring-kernel* nil
+  "Internal lparallel kernel to manage the separate monitor thread.")
+
 (defvar *monitoring-queue* nil
   "Internal lparallel queue where to send and receive messages from.")
 
@@ -130,8 +133,12 @@
                       (*standard-output*     . ,*standard-output*)
                       (*summary-pathname*    . ,*summary-pathname*)
                       (*sections*            . ',*sections*)))
-         (lparallel:*kernel*   (lp:make-kernel 1 :bindings bindings))
-         (*monitoring-channel* (lp:make-channel)))
+         (kernel      (lp:make-kernel 1 :bindings bindings))
+         (lparallel:*kernel* kernel))
+
+    ;; make our kernel and channel visible from the outside
+    (setf *monitoring-kernel* kernel
+          *monitoring-channel* (lp:make-channel))
 
     (lp:submit-task *monitoring-channel* #'monitor *monitoring-queue*)
     (send-event (make-start :start-logger start-logger))